Careers
CAREERS PROGRAMME
INTENT
‘The future depends on what you do today’ – Mahatma Gandhi
Our aim through the Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance programme at St Anthony’s Girls’ Catholic Academy is to prepare all our students fully so that they enter higher education, training or employment as employable, confident and ambitious individuals with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their chosen career.
We plan and deliver a stable and sequenced careers programme from Year 7 to Year 13 that inspires, develops and supports the aspirations of all our students, allowing them to make informed decisions as they embark on their careers journey.
We work with a range of external partners to ensure that the careers programme is robust, impartial, and current. The academy is part of the North East Ambition/LEP to ensure the Gatsby Benchmarks are delivered in line with the statutory guidance and that careers outcomes are improved for all pupils.
Our careers programme is designed to meet the 8 Gatsby benchmarks:
- A stable career programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each student
- Linking careers to the curriculum
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
Our programme also links with the Career Development Institute’s current Framework areas:
- Grow throughout life
- Explore possibilities
- Manage career
- Create opportunities
- Balance life and work
- See the big picture
The Academy carries out its statutory duty to secure independent careers guidance for all year 7 to 11 students (The Education Act 2011 / Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers January 2018).
IMPLEMENTATION:
Careers lessons are sequenced through our Personal Development curriculum from Year 7 to Year 13 and skills and knowledge are effectively developed each year. Curriculum departments also link their learning to careers and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subject teachers also highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
We also work with our partners in the community to offer a range of exciting employer encounters, workplace visits and experiences of work in a range of industries to ensure we build knowledge of the local labour market and future careers. We have an Enterprise Adviser who is a prominent local figure from business and industry that supports the school in preparing students for the world of work. Anjana Raj, Social Value Lead from Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd, works closely with the academy to ensure that students at St Anthony’s can learn from her experience and become aware and develop key employability skills that will help them thrive in the ever-changing workplace of the 21st century.
We have developed partnerships with a range of higher education providers to provide our students with a range of opportunities including university visits, workshops on higher education and student finance, as well as decision making, making competitive applications and subject specific sessions. We work closely with our link colleges; Jesus College at Cambridge University and St Anne’s College at Oxford University as well as local colleges and universities.
Employers and alumni also deliver in school workshops and assemblies. Partners from higher and further education and local training providers all contribute towards the careers programme in the academy by attending career fairs, delivering workshops and/or assemblies and hosting tours and workshops.
Career Guidance meetings are scheduled for all pupils during Year 11 and Year 12/13 with the academy’s guidance advisor, and drop-in appointments can be made throughout the year. Students can also request appointments at key transition points in their school careers. Our adviser is L6 qualified and independent, and engages in a minimum of 25 hours of CPD and abides by the CDI Code of Ethics. An action plan is developed from each career guidance meeting and shared with students. Those most at risk of disengaging from learning and becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training), and the reasons why, are identified, targeted and prioritised when scheduling one-to-one careers interviews.
Additional careers guidance is provided by the Local Authority through a service level agreement for targeted students. Students with an EHCP have the opportunity for additional guidance to prepare them for adulthood in transition years from Together for children; they provide independent, impartial CEIAG (Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance) to pupils aged 13-18 who are identified as belonging to a vulnerable group.
Our enrichment programme also supports students with careers education. We offer opportunities such as Duke of Edinburgh Award and Arts Award which can provide students with opportunities of workplace experiences. Our SEND department also run ‘Preparation for Adulthood’ enrichment where SEND pupils are given guidance with work related learning and skills.
IMPACT
We measure and assesses the impact of the careers programme on pupils by completing the compass evaluation tool, analysing destination data, our academy’s quality assurance process, and through pupil, parent and employer voice.
We are delighted to be in receipt of the Inspiring IAG award, a national quality award from Quality in Careers Standard for our provision of careers education, information, advice and guidance.
We also have an extremely high number of students going onto further or higher education, training or employment, and we have very few students, if any, who are NEET.
The school uses destination data to continue to provide support for our students to find and sustain positive destinations after they leave school. We continue to track destinations for three years wherever possible from the end of Year 11, identifying and reviewing where pupils leave or change courses/apprenticeships. We do this by analysing intended destination questionnaires completed by students. This also helps inform and develop our careers provision and to develop an alumni network to inspire our current students. We continue to work in partnership with Together for Children to ensure the effective tracking and support of vulnerable groups.
Careers staff team
For further information, please contact our careers team on 0191 565 8904 or enquiries@staga.co.uk
Careers Leader: Mrs L Dudley (Assistant Headteacher: Personal Development)
Careers coordinator KS5: Mrs E Osmialowski
Guidance adviser Y11: Ms T Kirton (Education Development Trust)
Link governor: Mrs J Little.