Careers

Linked Documents and Policies

CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS

At Ashton Park School, we provide a dynamic and innovative careers and employability programme to support all students. By providing significant, specialist support, we help our pupils develop crucial employability skills and make informed choices about potential future pathways.

‘Inspiration and Aspiration’

Preparing all our young people today for the challenges of tomorrow

The decisions that young people make at school have a big impact on their lives – affecting not just their further education, training or employment, but also their social lives, finances and health outcomes.

A key function of our schools is to prepare students to transition successfully toward a future career path. This involves providing curriculum and pastoral opportunities to build students’ knowledge and skills, support students’ interests and aspirations, and support them to make informed decisions about their subject choices and career pathways.

Students are more engaged in education and highly motivated about their future when they have a clear understanding of themselves and how they might live and work when they leave school.

We believe that high quality career education and guidance is an essential part of our school in preparing young people for their future.

Leadership of Careers

Careers Lead – Mr David Coates, Assistant Headteacher
Careers Advisor – Mrs Kathy Jemmott
Careers within PHSE/SMSC – Mr Paul Miller
Careers link Governor – Mr Steve Sayers

The Careers team can be contacted in person via telephone 0117 3772777 or by email using the school email address mail@ashtonpark.net. If emailing please indicate the subject e.g. Careers and whom it is for the attention of

Careers and Employability Skills across the year groups

Below is an outline of the careers programme that we will be offering students. A more detailed version can be seen below

What we want to achieve?

Year 7

‘Inspire’

· Be able to investigate a range of jobs and careers

· Show how school and qualifications link to work

· Look at diverse sectors – locally & regionally

· Introduce the concept of skills and achievements

· Engagement with local pathway providers

Year 8

‘Inform’

· Investigate knowledge of jobs market and link back to school curriculum – where to look?

· Identifying skills – types of skills and personal relevance of skills – selling yourself

· Develop awareness of skills sets to specific industry sectors

· Engagement with a range of local/national pathway providers

Year 9

‘Explore’

· Show the importance of subject choice in relation to future work and career pathways – linked to KS4 options

· Reinforce diverse career pathways

· Show the Importance of subject to skills – personal development and learning

· Engagement with a wide range of local/national pathway providers

Year 10

‘Plan’

· Know where to find out about /secure Work Experience – Importance of Work experience.

· Undertake a work placement and develop understand of work place cultures

· Know and demonstrate how to apply for 16+ pathway

· Know and demonstrate employability skills and behaviours

· Engagement with all types of pathway providers

Year 11

‘Decide’

· Utilize understanding and knowledge of Post 16 pathways and apply those to the individual options

· Engagement with all types of pathway providers

· Gather and review data to inform future career planning

Year 12

‘Reflect’

· Reinforce the link between subject and 18+ options – 18+ action planning

· Research and demonstrate an awareness of future vocational and academic pathways

· Experience a workplace that relates to their preferred potential career

· Engagement with all types of pathway providers

Year 13

‘Specialise’

· Understand and utilize a wide range of recruitment processes from start to finish, both in Higher Education and employment

· Be able to demonstrate and communicate individual knowledge gained, developed life and employability skills in relation to their future career pathways.

· Engagement with all types of pathway providers

Alongside this programme, we offer other opportunities for pupils to access careers support and guidance

One-to-one careers sessions with our careers advisor for pupils to receive impartial, independent guidance
Our annual careers fair with over 50 representatives from further and higher education, employment and training providers
Supported Work Experience week of year 10 students
‘Careerpilot’ online careers portal that provides job and career information as well as enabling students, parents, tutors and teachers to track their careers activities
A wide range of careers and STEM events including assemblies, workshops and industry days

By offering an extensive and dedicated careers and employability programme, we ensure all pupils receive the support and advice necessary to make the right decisions about their future career.

Rationale

Our careers programme is based around the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance:

A stable careers programme
Learning from career and labour market information
Addressing the needs of each pupil
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education
Personal guidance