Students are entitled to receive a programme of work-related and career-related learning, careers information and impartial advice and guidance, designed to enable them to recognise and develop their skills and abilities, know what opportunities are available in the world of work and to support them in making plans to achieve their education and career goals.

The Entitlement reflects the three core aims of the Career Development Institute framework:

• Developing yourself through careers, employability and enterprise education
• Learning about careers and the world of work
• Developing your career management and employability skills

Students at every Key Stage can expect:

• Access to a planned programme of study, relevant to the Year Group
• Access to a qualified, impartial careers adviser for personalised advice and guidance
• Support to identify strengths and preferences in relation to career decisions
• Information about the world of work and up-to-date information on the local labour market
• Information about further and higher education, training and apprenticeships and employment routes
• Activities designed to challenge stereotyping and raise aspirations
• To develop skills and qualities to improve employability
• To develop enterprise skills
• To develop financial capability skills
• To be prepared to make informed choices at the different transition points
• To develop financial capability skills
• To improve personal presentation skills for selection processes
• To be signposted to relevant, up-to-date, impartial sources of careers information and advice

Key Stage 3

• Start developing an awareness of your skills and qualities and understand how having a strong growth mindset relates to your future career aims
• Begin finding out about different career areas and qualification routes that might interest you in the future
• Attend the Careers Fair for independent information , advice and guidance [Year 8 and 9]  and to meet Higher Education and Apprenticeship providers, as well as exploring options at college or with local employers
• Develop your financial management skills, including budgeting and learning about rights and responsibilities at work, discrimination and stereotyping.
• Have the opportunity to attend careers talks during the school year from visiting speakers
• Take part in an enterprise activity
• Receive optional access to impartial information, advice and guidance from the in-school Careers Adviser [email for an appointment to alaing@hestoncs.org]
• Be informed to make decisions about your choice of GCSE options at Key Stage 4 and the implications for your future
• Discuss your progress and career plans with your parent and a senior member of staff
• Have access to access careers resources and specialist careers websites e.g. National Careers Service

Key Stage 4

• Continue career exploration and personal development through PSHE lessons focussing on Careers Education
• Use the Career Action Planner to reflect on your academic progress, qualities and skills and how these relate to your future career aims
• Have access to information about and be supported to research academic and vocational routes and pathways at Post-16 and Post-18
• Be supported with applications to Sixth Form, colleges, training providers and apprenticeships
• Be signposted to pursue independent research into careers by accessing careers resources and specialist careers websites e.g. National Careers Service
• Attend the Careers Fair for independent information, advice and guidance and to meet Higher Education and Apprenticeship providers, as well as exploring options at college or with local employers
• Have the opportunity to visit a local university and listen to talks on a variety of aspects of student life, including information on finance
• Have access to information about the world of work and changes in the labour market to help you find out about jobs now and of the future
• Have an opportunity for an interview with an impartial Careers Adviser
• Receive information and advice about the Post-16 Choices available to you and opportunities for open days and taster sessions
• Be provided with the opportunity to reflect on previous transitions and learn how to manage important decisions
• Have the opportunity to attend careers talks during the school year from visiting speakers on a variety of topics

Key Stage 5

• Use the Career Action Planner to reflect on your academic progress, qualities and skills and how these relate to your future career aims
• Have the opportunity to explore career areas through self-organised work shadowing/Work Experience
• Research different universities, courses and apprenticeship and training routes
• Attend the Careers Fair for independent information, advice and guidance and to meet Higher Education and Apprenticeship providers, as well as exploring options at college or with local employers
• Have attended a university or college open day, taster day or summer school
• Develop independent research skills
• Have opportunities to explore your Post-18 pathway through computer-based information and on-line portal ULAS
• Visit a Higher Education event
• Understand the UCAS process and be able to research different universities and courses using on-line resources
• Be provided with guidance and support to help write a personal statement
• Have information and support with financial planning for university, work and training
• Have access to information about the world of work, trends and changes in the local labour market to help identify opportunities and possible jobs of the future e.g. through on-line research, careers talks and presentations
• Have access to impartial careers advice and guidance through interviews with the Careers Adviser, Ms Laing [alaing@hestoncs.org]
• Have access to mentoring and coaching

Year 7

PSHE lessons include Careers Education modules focussing on Jobs, Careers, Children and the Law, Budgeting, Equality and Gender Stereotyping.  Students are introduced to the Growth Mindset approach which underpins education at Heston.

Year 8

Modules focus on Skills and Qualities, Enterprise, the Changing World and Sources of Information.  In addition, students are introduced to Careers Research. All students and their parents have access to the annual Careers Fair, held in the Autumn Term.

Year 9

Careers Education modules focus on the qualities, skills and qualifications needed to be successful in the workplace.  In addition, students focus on their GCSE Pathways. Peer insight is provided through a Q & A session in tutor groups, led by Year 10 students, information assemblies with a member of SLT and a series of lessons designed to support the process. All students, accompanied by their parents, have an interview with a senior member of staff to confirm their Option choices. All students and their parents have access to the annual Careers Fair, held in the Autumn Term.

Year 10

Students are introduced to the range of Post-16 options, qualifications and routes available. After each Data Harvest, students use the Career Action Planner to reflect on their academic progress and impact on career aspirations.

All students and their parents have access to the annual Careers Fair, held in the Autumn Term.

Year 11

All Year 11 students are fully supported with their Post-16 applications. They receive subject based assemblies and all students have a 1-to-1 careers guidance interview to discuss Post-16 pathways and are given impartial advice and support to ensure that every student has a September offer. All students and their parents have access to the annual Careers Fair, held in the Autumn Term. After each Data Harvest, students use the Career Action Planner to reflect on their academic progress and impact on career aspirations.

Post 16

Students are given extensive support and guidance with applications for Post 18 pathways.  They are supported through the UCAS process by their Year Leads and tutors, a kept fully informed through a programme of assemblies, talks and workshops. In addition, all students and their parents have access to the annual Careers Fair, held in the Autumn Term, at which a wide range of universities, employers and apprenticeship providers are present. For students choosing pathways other than university, visits to Apprenticeship Fairs, specialist workshops delivered by our Careers Advisor and outside speakers, provide additional support. After each Data Harvest, students continue to use the Career Action Planner to reflect on their academic progress and additional support needed to fulfil their aspirations.

OPEN TO ALL

All students have access to impartial advice and guidance from Mrs Anne-Marie Laing, the School’s Careers Adviser.

• The annual Student and Parent Questionnaires, completed in the Autumn Term on Academic Mentoring Day, include a question on Careers Provision across the School — in 2019, 95% of Parents/Carers agreed or strongly agreed with the statement: ‘The School provides my child with opportunities to prepare for the future.’ and 96.4% of students with the statement ‘The School helps me prepare for my future.’
• Destination Data, for both Post 16 and Post 18, is presented annually to the Governors at the Spring Full Governing Body Meeting.
• Career Action Planners, used in Key Stages 4 and 5 are subject to termly scrutiny, after each Data Harvest, by Learning Coordinators and the SLT Line Managers for the programme.
• Learning Walks and Focus Groups are conducted as part of the School’s PSHE Curriculum which includes Careers Education.
• Focus groups are used to evaluate the impact of milestone events such as the Pathways Interviews with students and parents for Key Stage 4 option choices, Post 16 Pathways and after the annual Careers Fair [Years 8 – 13].

 

If you would like to book an appointment for your child with our Careers Advisor, Ms Anne-Marie Laing, please email her at alaing@hestoncs.org with a proposed date for your meeting, at least two weeks from the date of your email. Please note Ms Laing works Monday to Wednesday only. Alternatively, your child can book in person at the Careers Office, Hogarth Building, top floor. Drop-ins are available during break and lunchtimes on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Ms Laing can advise on Future options, GCSE options, Sixth Form, Colleges, Apprenticeships, University, Employment and Career planning. The Careers Advisor will complete an action plan during the interview to help with individual future career planning.