Careers Education

CAREERS EDUCATION 

We aim to create successful futures for all our young people so they can sustain employment and experience personal and economic success throughout their working lives. 

Our vision is for every young person to be ambitious, develop skills and achieve qualifications to fulfil their potential within the world of work. 

What to expect from your school careers programme 

 

• All pupils in years 7-11 access a programme of lessons within the PSHE curriculum, which focus on different aspects of careers and employability skills. 

• All pupils complete a short careers survey to help us identify several career sectors they are interested in, so we are able to direct opportunities to genuine interests. 

• All pupils will have at least one Employer Encounter during each year at school. These encounters include visits to local universities, national careers events such as The Big Bang and The World Skills Show. 

• Local business and employers visit our schools to offer practice interviews and attend an annual Careers Fair, which is open to all pupils and parents. 

• Access to  online resources to support careers development such as e-Clips or Let’s Do Business helping pupils to research careers independently. 

• We offer access to businesses, employers, Post 16 providers to deliver talks and assemblies each year to make sure all pupils know the opportunities available to them when they leave school. 

• In Year 10 and 11, every pupil has a 1:1 guidance interview with one of our Level 6 Careers Advisors. Parents and carers are able to attend this interview if they would like to. 

• We actively promote access to a wide range of careers to all pupils challenging stereotypes and careers, which traditionally have been gender-specific. 

• We encourage the development of work ready skills through our curriculum and extracurricular activities. 

How you can support your child in their career journey 

• Please talk to your child about their career interests, if they do not know what they would like to do focus on developing their work ready skills through activities, hobbies and interests. 

• Take advantage of the many employer encounters offered during the year, sometimes a visit out of school can motivate and provide pupils with direction in their career planning. 

• Contact the school if you need support of any aspects of careers, or if you are able to support the school careers programme. 

CAREERS PROVISON 

 

It is never too early to think about careers and your future plans. We believe that providing opportunities and information as well as careers guidance from a qualified careers advisor supports all young people to make informed plans and decisions. 

Each of our schools have a team of staff committed to planning and delivering high quality Careers events for all our pupils. 

We have a careers curriculum for years 7-11 delivered through our PSHE programme which introduces, develops and provides information to help pupils make informed careers decisions. 

Our careers work is designed to support the Gatsby Benchmarks. 

 

CEIAG TEAM AND POLICIES 

 

The CEIAG Team 

At the Midland Academies Trust we have a team of staff who work together to deliver quality and impartial CEIAG. The team consists of:  

• Sophie Smith – Careers Leader 

  • sophie.smith@unitedlearning.org.uk

Policies 

Policies aligned to Careers Education including our brand new employer access policy which enables direct contact between employers and school. 

• SEND Policy 2022 

• Safeguarding Policy 2022-23 

• Data Protection & GDPR Policy 2021 

• Equality and Inclusion Policy 2022 

• George Eliot Academy- Provider access policy

THE CEIAG PROGRAMME 

  

The careers curriculum is planned and resourced to fit into the whole school curriculum and utilises knowledge books and teaching methods used in all lessons. There are opportunities for discussion within the lessons to allow pupils to explore topics and ask questions. Like other subjects we use knowledge quizzes to help build up pupils' knowledge of careers so that they become familiar with terms and career specific words. 

The programme is shown below: 

 

We believe that developing the individual’s ability to be self-aware, determined and have a desire to improve are key areas to support a successful transition from school to equip students to manage their career aspirations. We often talk about a ‘career’ to young people and this can be linked to a variety of roles that may or may not be paid. However, skills in career management can also support an individual to make full use of all opportunities they encounter. To manage a Career a student will maximise their learning, work and transitions to enable them to fulfil their aspirations and career choices. The acquisition of skills to support employability and to be resilient when faced with change is a key element of the Careers education a school must provide. 

The Midland Academies Trust We actively encourage the involvement and support of local business and employers and as such host events designed to provide impartial advice and guidance at key transition points through school. This can be in the form of Careers and Employability events which include students, parents and carers or ‘enrichment’ days where whole year group activities are delivered such as the ‘Real Game’ where students examine transferable skills and employability. Students will also have the opportunity to have practice interviews and feedback from local employers to develop their own skills and confidence. 

The Careers and Employability Manager will attend Parents’ Evenings to provide a further opportunity for access to impartial advice and guidance. Students also have regular assemblies on themes linked to transition points and Careers during years 7-11. 

We systematically ask students and teachers to evaluate the careers curriculum and we would welcome any views/comments from parents and carers. 

 

THE GATSBY BENCHMARKS – QUALITY CAREERS PROVISION 

 

Careers education became a statutory requirement in January 2018 and we have worked to ensure we 
have a wide variety of opportunities both in and out of school to help us to prepare all our young people for their future working lives. 

To help us with our planning we follow a set of core guidelines called The Gatsby Benchmarks. These are 8 key areas that contribute to effective careers provision. Each term we complete an evaluation using a system called ‘Compass’ this allows us to rate our provision against each benchmark and indicates what our focus needs to be. Our aim is for 100% in all 8 benchmarks! 

Here are the  Gatsby Benchmarks 

The National Quality in Careers Standard is awarded to schools who can demonstrate the importance they place on careers and how they support pupils to make decisions about their futures.  

George Eliot Academy has made a commitment to working towards the Quality in Careers Standard which we will be starting in September 2020 – watch this space for updates! 

• George Eliot Academy Certificate   

Linking school to your future careers 

Our schools look for opportunities to promote careers and the skills for employment across the curriculum. We believe that every staff member can support careers through the daily conversations, lessons and careers displays around the school. 

We highlight Labour Market Information which helps pupils to see the future employment opportunities within their local area. This helps pupils to make future career decisions based on real employment needs and future trends. 

 

 Linking Subjects in the Curriculum to future Careers 

Ever wondered what the point of all those qualifications really is? Going to school is not just about getting a piece of paper that allows you to move on to the next rung of the education ladder, it’s also about developing skills for work and everyday life that you will use long after you have left! 

Click on the different posters below to find out what different careers relate to the subjects you are studying at school and what important workplace skills you are developing from your time at school: 

What is Labour Market Information? 

Labour Market Information (LMI) comes from a range of sources and includes information on general employment trends. 
It also indicates future employment demands and skills gaps. 

 

Click here to go to the eCLIPS website 

We have chosen eCLIPS as our careers information resource. This easy to use online platform will help you make informed decisions for their future. It's written specifically for 11-19s by career professionals and provides: 

• Accurate information on over 1400 jobs to help your child consider the full range of options 

• Live-streamed labour market information including local vacancies 

• information catering for all abilities and stages 

• Careers linked to school/college subjects 

• Impartial advice to help your child choose study and employment options and prepare for the world of work 

• An interactive career matching tool 

By investing in eCLIPS we are helping to meet four of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks (2,3,4 & 7), the Government's chosen standards for high quality careers guidance provision. 

Our licence provides unlimited access both at school and at home. 

 

Other useful websites include the following: 

• https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers 

• https://icould.com 

• https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk 

• https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship 

• https://www.prospects.ac.uk 

• https://www.ucas.com 

• https://www.informedchoices.ac.uk 

  

OPTIONS YEAR 9 and BEYOND 

 

We support all key transitions where pupils will need to make decisions about their future. In Year 9 pupils are asked to select subjects for their GCSE’s. We support these decisions by offering careers advice and guidance and information that explains what you will study but importantly what skills for work subjects will develop. When Post 16 plans are being considered we provide both information and the opportunity to attend a careers fair as well as visits to a number of local providers. 

 

Year 9 Option Pathways 

We understand that making a decision about which subjects to specialise in during Year 10 and Year 11 can be difficult. During Year 9 pupils will have a series of Careers lessons which will help them explore different careers paths and help them make informed decisions. At the Pathways evening pupils and parents will be able to speak to subject teachers and also to our Careers Advisor who will be able to help with any questions you have. Pupils and parents will also be able to see Local labour Market Information which shows the employment trends within our local area.  

So when making decisions about the right specialist subject pathways for you, there are some key questions to ask:  

Which subjects do you enjoy?  

If you are going to spend another two years studying them, it helps if you like them. Bear in mind that what you learn in Year 10 and Year 11 will be different to what you’ve done so far. Read the pages in this booklet carefully to get an idea about the topics you will be studying. Then talk to your teacher if you still aren’t sure.  

HOW DO YOUR SUBJECT PATHWAYS BALANCE EACH OTHER? 

You might love doing PE, but if you choose to specialise in too many similar subjects, it doesn’t give you as many options post 16. Usually, choosing a balanced mix of subjects is the best way. We help out with some of this by having core subjects, which everyone does, and then specialist subject pathways where we try to give you a good range of choices in each pathway.  

WHAT TYPE OF CAREERS DO THESE SUBJECTS LEAD TO? 

Again, remember that there are different routes to the same destination, but some subject specialisms are often linked to particular careers. 

HELP AND SUPPORT 

This ‘Directions’ booklet is aimed at pupils choosing their options in Year 9.  Pupils are encouraged to think about factors they need to consider when making decisions about their Key Stage 4 options. It includes crosswords and other quizzes to check and reinforce learning and also provides information about qualifications, subjects, post-16 options and sources of help.  We would encourage parents/carers to look through this booklet with their son/daughter as it will help support decisions as well as provide up to date information on subject choices and their potential links to different careers. 

POST 16 OPTIONS 

We aspire to enable all our students to access the most appropriate and correct level of learning for them when choosing their Post 16 pathway which will support their careers and ambitions. We actively work with all our young people to intervene and support them securing a positive destinations in all Midland Academies Trust schools. 

What are some of the Post 16 options in our area? 

• A Sixth Form College 
  These do have entry requirements and generally offer a range of A Level and in some cases BTEC qualifications. You would normally choose between 3 and 4 subjects to study over a two year period.   

• Further Education Colleges 
  Further Education Colleges generally offer specialist and vocational courses and qualifications. These qualifications can take you to university or into apprenticeships and employment. Further Education Colleges offer a wide range of courses at a variety of levels. Subjects can include Computing and Information Technology, Health and Social Care, Engineering, Hospitality and Catering, Sport and many more. Check your local Further Education College for more information. 

• Apprenticeships 
  Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job whilst studying for a qualification. Apprenticeships are offered at different levels and in a wide variety of employment areas. As an apprenticeship you will work alongside experienced staff, gain job specific skills, earn a wage and get the opportunity to study to ensure you get a relevant qualification. 

• Traineeships 
  A traineeship is the time spent learning a job (or vocation) under a supervisor. You can do a traineeship in just about any workplace, for example in a shop, a fast food outlet or office. 
  Traineeship qualifications range from Certificate II up to Advanced Diploma. As a trainee, you and your employer will have a legal agreement called a training contract. This lasts until you have completed your training and both you and your employer agree you are competent. 

• Employment 
  You are able to spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training. 

For more information on local Post 16 providers please contact careers@midlandat.co.uk 

Other links can also be found on the Labour Market Information section on this website. 

Raising Participation Age (RPA) 

This means that all young people are encouraged to stay in ‘education and training’ until the age of 18 years old and was introduced in government legislation 2013. 

This does not mean that young people have to remain at school but rather they will have a variety of education and training opportunities to consider. These opportunities will form part of their Careers guidance during school. 

Pupils must do one of the post 16 options mentioned above until they are 18. The advantages of this is that young people continue to develop their skills and continue to study this in turn will help them to be better equipped to enter employment and manage their own careers. 

The 16-19 Bursary Fund is available to support young people most in need and who are entering education or training. 

For more information contact: 

www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund 

DESTINATIONS DATA OF OUR PAST PUPILS 

Each year the Midland Academies Trust We collects and maintains accurate data for each Year 11 pupil from each school around their education, training and employment destinations. 
Please click individual posters below for details of our pupil destination information provided by our Local Authority - Warwickshire 

 

ARE YOU A PUPIL, PARENT OR EMPLOYER? 

 

 We know that school can provide much of the information but helping yourself to research independently about careers you are interested in or helping your own child to plan their career and develop those important skills for work is a great support. As an employer you can provide the link schools need to the work place by offering employer encounters or supporting careers events in school. 

 

MAT ALUMNI 

We are very proud of our former pupils. Many of our alumni have gone on to great things and you can find out more about some of them below. Our support of our pupils doesn’t stop when they get their results, as MAT an Alumni we will always be there to support you! 

We are extremely proud that our Alumni still feel part of the Midland Academies Trust family of our school and they even come back to visit and help inspire our current pupils. If you’re a former pupil of George Eliot Academy, Hartshill Academy, Heath Lane Academy, The Nuneaton Academy, we want to hear from you! 

Your experiences since leaving could help to motivate and inspire our current pupils to feel more confident in making decisions about their future. We’d love you to join our alumni network and stay connected with the school. 

Whether you’re in further education or employment, whether you still live nearby or have moved further away, there are still ways you can get involved. 

You can choose how and when you help – perhaps you can act as a career and education role model, provide work experience, become a mentor, take part in mock interviews or even apply to become a governor. 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Alumni Biographies 

A collection of our Alumni Biographies will soon be published below! Let us know if you would like to be included. 

Please can you complete and submit the MAT Alumni Form on the link below; 

http://forms.office.com/e/8JFJN1L5c3 

 EVALUATING CAREERS – HAVE YOUR SAY 

 

The purpose of evaluating careers activities is ensure that the pupils have gained valuable knowledge and experience to help them make informed decisions about their own career planning. In evaluating we are not only showing accountability for what we do, but are also continually looking to improve what we do to provide a better experience for the Pupils. 

We want to impart careers knowledge to inform decision making and also raise aspirations and possibilities of all our pupils. By offering a wide range of activities to pupils we aim to increase knowledge and widen opportunities both in the local context but also nationally and internationally. 

We know that all stakeholders need to have the opportunity to provide feedback to help us to review the effectiveness of activities on offer and improve them to provide the best possible experiences that are targeted and timely. For the events we offer we ask parents, pupils, teachers, employers and visitors to ‘Have Your Say’. 

We welcome feedback in a variety of ways: 

•  Text 

• Email 

•  Telephone call 

• Written response 

• `Live’ verbal feedback at events 

• Twitter