Careers Guidance & Post 16
Our Academy will support and inspire our pupils through the provision of an engaging and aspirational programme of study, allowing all to explore varying career paths through the use of labour market information and online programmes.
Working with varying organisations such as local colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers and employers our pupils will be able to appreciate what it is like to experience life in the workplace. Through continued guidance and impartial advice we would wish to inspire and motivate our pupils, to enable all to make informed and aspirational decisions about future choices.
Aims
- To raise students’ aspirations and to make informed realistic decisions at key transition points in learning and work.
- To provide quality independent and impartial careers advice to students which inspires them and motivates them to fulfil their potential.
- To develop enterprise and employability skills including skills for self-employment.
- To provide opportunities to work in partnership with employers, training providers, local colleges and others to provide opportunities to inspire students through real-life contact with the world of work.
- To support inclusion, challenge stereotyping and promote equality of opportunity.
- To support students to see learning and careers development as a life-long process.
Delivery
Careers Education is delivered through Personal, Social and Health Educational (PSHE) and can be found in other subject areas. Decisions about learning and work relate to many of the themes explored within PSHE and Citizenship and so are closely related, it follows that all teachers contribute to Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance in some capacity.
Our Careers Coordinator in school is Mr Thomas who facilitates a programme of events and monitors the delivery of the Academy Careers Plan at Barnes Wallis Academy.
Mr Tim Drakes is our school Governor designated with overseeing the quality of careers guidance.Mr Jonathan Oldfield is our Enterprise Advisor, who assists the school in the engagement of businesses and access to local careers resources.
You are welcome to contact Mr. Thomas with any queries or questions you may have on 01526342379 or RThomas@barneswallisacademy.co.uk
Summary of Pupil Careers Experiences
Information for Students
Unsure of which career path suits you?
Don’t worry if your unsure which career path to explore or which college course suits you? Some people know from an early age what they want to do but many of us do not. In fact, many people don’t figure out what they want to do until well into their twenties, or sometimes even later.
The main thing is don’t let that stop you from exploring the world of work and investigating those careers that interest you. Not having a set career plan gives you the freedom to explore different career options.
So how can you start considering your different career options? Talk to your parents, teachers and Careers advisor about the best option for you. Another option is to visit the schools careers programme “KUDOS” and have a go on a couple of career tests, where your skills, personality and interests will be matched alongside different industry sectors where you will then be able to research occupation profiles.
The main thing is to take a positive step forward and even if you’ve figured out what it is you want to do, think about where you want to be in five years’ time and where that career path/job might lead. Always aim high!
Remember:
Get advice, talk to those people who know you well, talk to your parents, teachers and Careers advisor.
Research, use the school careers programme “KUDOS” and other web sites to explore those options that appeal to you.
Be reflective and honest with yourself, think about the kind of learner that you are and the best work environment that suits you and your personality.
Have a plan “B”, always think about other options/careers paths as you may change your mind in the future.
Be aspirational, always do your best and work towards getting those best results from your time at school in order to make that next step to your future.
Information for Parents/Carers
Barnes Wallis Academy is committed to helping students make informed decisions at key times in their education, for example option choices in Year 9 and post 16 plans in Year 11. In addition to dedicated careers input for all year groups.
We are committed to helping students fulfill their potential through an environment which responds to the needs of the individual and stimulates and challenges each pupil in preparation for adult and working life.
Information about the excellent careers opportunities that are available in Lincolnshire is available at the Family Services Directory which can be located through this link:
https://lincolnshire.fsd.org.uk/kb5/lincs/fsd/family.page?familychannel=1500.
Employer Links
To support our delivery of careers, the Academy has links with a number of educational institutions, training providers and employers who contribute to our careers programme through:
- raising aspirations and increasing motivation – helping young people identify educational and occupational goals
- demonstrating the relevance of the knowledge and skills learnt in subjects to future opportunities in learning and working
- demonstrating the links between living, learning and earning
If you feel you could support the Academy with our careers programme please do get in contact.
- Below are a few examples of how you could support our careers programme:
- Mock interview day with year 10 in the summer term
- Supporting work regarding the importance of a CV
- Providing talks about your industry/sector
- Allowing a group of learners to visit your place of work
Useful websites to support 1-1 discussions with students
www.ucas.com - Higher Education Information and University Applications
www.prospectusfinder.co.uk - Easily find the website for any University or College
www.icould.com - Supports student careers research and planning
www.careersbox.co.uk - Careers Films on the Webnationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk Info, Advice and Guidance on Learning, Training and Work
www.whatuni.com - Helps Students find Universities and Courses
www.careersworld.co.uk - Careers Advice and Searching
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship - Apply for and Find Apprenticeships
www.successatschool.org - Explore Careers and Jobs
www.ucasprogress.com - Post GCSE Education and Training Advice
www.worldorwork.com - Helps Students find their Career Options
Post 16 Pathways and Progression
Young people have the following choices at the end of year 11:
- Full time study at a college, sixth form or training provider
- Full time work or volunteering combined with part time education of training
- An apprenticeship
- A traineeship
As part of our careers programme, year 11 students are provided with a one to one guidance interview with a qualified careers advisor.
The Baker Clause & How we measure our Careers programme
- Barnes Wallis Academy measures and assesses its career programme against the Gatsby Career Benchmarks. We use Compass – the careers benchmark tool as outlined in the Gatsby benchmarks as a means to measure and to improve our CEIAG provision.
- The impact of our Careers programme is assessed through pupil voice and feedback from school stakeholders. The careers curriculum continues to be developed so that careers education is an integral part of the whole school curriculum.
- Barnes Wallis Academy also seeks to build relationships with these partners as we plan our ‘Thinking Ahead” programme in Year 9 and ready our Key Stage 4 students to make the transition into 6th forms at schools or colleges and higher education. This will ensure that providers have opportunities to speak to students and their parents across Years 9 to 11, to offer information on vocational, technical and apprenticeship qualifications and pathways.
- Through working externally with the Careers & Enterprise Company, this ensures that staff involved in careers guidance are up to date on their knowledge of these Post-16 pathways.
- Opportunities for providers to speak with students may include school assemblies, webinars in PSHCE and in the curriculum, careers talks, employer and provider engagement events or opportunities to speak with students and parents on a one-to-one basis supporting GCSE, and Post-16 option choices.
- Barnes Wallis Academy’s Careers provision is monitored for quality and impact by the school’s Senior Leadership and Governance Teams and monitoring of access to and opportunities to engage with, technical, vocational and training providers will form part of this process.
- In the first instance, requests by providers should be sent to the Designated Careers Lead, via our enquiries email enquiries@barneswallisacademy.co.uk with a minimum of 6 weeks’ lead time.
- All requests will be considered on the basis of; staffing availability to support the activity, clashes with other planned activities, trips or visits, interruption to preparation for examinations or rooming and space availability to host the activity.
- All requests will be also be considered in line with the school’s Safeguarding Policy which can be found on the school website.
The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance
1. Stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance
Date of Careers Review: July 2022
Date of Next Review: July 2023
barnes wallis provider access statement.pdf
