Careers Programme and Student Entitlement

In Year 11 all students attend a 1:1 careers meeting with Richard Tickell from Job Centre Plus. In Years 12 and 13 all students have a 1:1 careers meeting with a Rob Ballantyne from Future First.

We have also been working with NE1 Ltd since 2016. They offer impartial guidance and the chance to engage with employers from a range of sectors. NE1 Careers Manager, Catherine Tucker has been helping coordinate a range of exciting opportunities for students.

Her details are as follows:

Catherine Tucker
Careers Manager – NE1 Can

Newcastle NE1 Ltd, Suite A8
Milburn House, Dean Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne,
NE1 1 LE

T: 01912113950
M: 07595045022
E: [email protected]

Careers Programme Information

At Thorp Academy we are committed to providing its students with a planned programme of careers education for all students in years 7 to 13, information, advice and guidance that is impartial and confidential (within legal confines) and prepares students for the challenges of adult and working life.

Aims

Thorp Academy has a statutory requirement when delivering careers education in its Academies, to ensure that information about learning options and careers is presented impartially and that advice promotes the best interests of students.

The aims of outstanding, impartial careers education may be summarised as follows:

• Empowers young people to plan and manage their own futures
• Responds to the needs of each learner
• Provides comprehensive information and advice
• Raises aspirations
• Actively promotes equality of opportunity
• Challenges stereotypes
• Helps young people to progress
• Give a wider and relevant context for learning

Intended Outcomes

Thorp Academy is committed to raising aspirations and maximising the benefits for every student in the development of a whole Trust approach to CEIAG by providing a planned programme of activities both in and outside of the curriculum.

Northern Education Trust is committed to providing:­

• A comprehensive Careers Education programme with clear learning outcomes
• Access to independent and impartial guidance for all students
• A partnership approach to CEIAG provision
• Assistance for all students to make a successful transition into further/higher education, employment, or training
• A high quality CEIAG programme validated by the Investors in Careers quality award

We fully endorse the DFE’s ‘Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents’ (December 2017) and the 8 Gatsby benchmarks:

The Gatsby Career Benchmarks: a world-class standard for schools and colleges

1. A stable careers programme. Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

2. Learning from career and labour market information. Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.

3. Addressing the needs of each student. Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

4. Linking curriculum learning to careers. All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.

5. Encounters with employers and employees. Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.

6. Experiences of workplaces. Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

7. Encounters with further and higher education. All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

8. Personal guidance. Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made.

Place within the Curriculum and tutor time

There is a planned programme of learning experiences with learning outcomes for Year 7 to Year 13 which enable young people to:

• Develop themselves through career and work-related education

• Learn about careers and the world of work

• Develop career management and employability skills

Provision of external and independent careers guidance

An independent qualified Careers Advisor attends the academy at key times throughout the academic year to provide individual advice and guidance to students. All careers advice and guidance given is person centred, impartial, unbiased and confidential (within legal confines) and meets professional standards of practice. Students are also encouraged to access the National Careers Service via a link on the academy website.

Other formal and informal partnerships

The academy has a number of formal and informal partnerships arrangements with post-16 providers, colleges, employers, universities, higher education and training providers.

At points across the school year, a variety of employers and external providers are invited into Thorp Academy to talk about different careers.

Resources

During arranged events including ‘Parents Evenings’, ‘Open Evenings’ and ‘Guided Pathway Evenings’, careers information and advice is made available to students, parents and carers. The Learning Resource Centre is stocked with key publications suitable for a range of ages and abilities, with advice on hand from attending staff. Materials are audited annually to ensure information is up-to-date and accurate and relevant to meet with the students’ requirements.

Academies may also organise specific events for parents/carers and students to provide specialist support.

Budget

Funding is allocated in the academy to a careers annual budget, maximum use will be made of quality assured resources that have zero cost and currency/longevity of careers materials is taken into consideration when purchasing materials.

Partnerships

The policy recognises the range of partners that support the CEIAG offer within our school. These include:

• Formal arrangements with our external provider of careers guidance and others

• Liaison with post 16 providers and higher education institutions

• Employers and training providers

• Enterprise advisor

• Parents and carers

• Others specific to our academy

Management of CEIAG Provision

The CEIAG Programme is planned and implemented by the nominated member of SLT and involves working closely with the staff, students, parents and the wider community. This area is supported by a nominated link member on the Academy Council, Chris Stevenson.

Staffing

All staff contribute to CEIAG through their roles as Tutors, Subject Teachers, Curriculum Leaders, and Learning Managers or as a Careers Professional. Staff training is provided on a regular basis and updates are given in briefing or Professional Development sessions.

Staff are provided with guidance sheets, handouts and Guided Pathway booklets. Specific needs are identified in conjunction with the academy CPD co-coordinator and reviewed on an annual basis.

Provision of external and independent careers guidance

Evaluation

Trust is committed to providing: ­

• A comprehensive Careers Education programme with clear learning outcomes
• Access to independent and impartial guidance for all students
• A partnership approach to CEIAG provision
• Assistance for all students to make a successful transition into further/higher education, employment, or training
• A high quality CEIAG programme validated by the Investors in Careers quality award

Student Entitlement Statement

Teachers in the academies and qualified career professionals will support students’ career development in a number of ways including:

• Access to broad and balanced curriculum provision
• have the opportunity to learn the different STEM subjects to help them gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers (by the age of 14)
• to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through Guided Pathway events, assemblies and group discussions and taster events;
• understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses available. At points across the school year, a variety of employers and external providers are invited into Thorp Academy to talk about different careers.
• Information and discussion in lessons, drop-down days and assemblies to help students make informed decisions about their future
• Access to careers advisers in a variety of ways including individual meetings, drop-in sessions, enrichment activities and on results days
• Careers information and I.T based careers programmes
• Information and updates on notice boards, plasma screens and the academy website
• The academy uses a tracking system to identify the needs of all students to target students who require early or additional support in their transition
• Students, parents/carers and academy staff can refer students for one-to-one careers support
• Students can access CEIAG through one-to-one interviews, workshops and enrichment activities

Parent/Carer entitlement

Parents can access careers support for their child in a variety of ways including:

• individual meetings drop-in sessions, Guided Pathway events, parents evenings and on results days
• Careers information and computer-based careers programmes
• Information and updates on the academy’s website and Twitter

Equality and Diversity

The careers education and guidance delivery satisfies the requirements of the Academy’s Equal Opportunities Policy. All students, regardless of their race, class, gender, faith or special educational needs, have the same access to our resources, wherever possible.

Destination Figures

Date of next review date

The programme and policy will be reviewed and republished in September 2019.