Sandhurst School – Careers Information, Advice and Guidance

Sandhurst School – Careers Plan

Work-related Learning Coordinator: Mrs H Nicholls

Building on the school’s achievement of being awarded Investors in Careers for the past 15 years, careers education and guidance begins in Year 7 at Sandhurst and is mapped against the new Gatsby Benchmarks to support the changing landscape for career guidance. ‘The eight Gatsby Benchmarks define an ambitious framework for career guidance that works for schools, employers and, most importantly, young people and their families’ Sir John Holman, April 2018. The careers programme will be reviewed annually, next review, July 2021.

At Sandhurst school we continuously review how we deliver CIAG to ensure that we raise aspirations, aim high and open more doors for every individual. Good career guidance means showing all students the options open to them, whichever route they eventually take. The Benchmarks provide a clear framework to help us develop our careers provision across the whole school.

The eight 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

Throughout their time at Sandhurst, students will have numerous opportunity to meet with employers and visit workplaces. There will be access to STEM events, careers fairs, apprenticeship events and visits to local colleges and universities. Through the curriculum and tutor time there will be a variety of planned activities to increase knowledge and ensure students are able to make informed decisions. All student activity is recorded and available to individuals on request. Students will also receive Impartial careers guidance and an action plan from KS4 onwards.

COVID-19 Update: Some opportunities may be limited at this time, please see the current career plan for individual key stages below.

Key Personnel

Deputy Head – Mr Southwood
Careers Lead – Mrs Nicholls
Head of PHSCE – Mrs Richardson
Head of Business – Mrs Ali
Link Governor – Mr Enright
Head of Sixth Form – Mr Marshall
UCAS Lead – Mr Marshall
Careers & Enterprise – Allison Giles
SSE EA – Sarah Mort
Adviza PA – Careers Guidance – Claire Thomas

2020/21 Work Related Learning Programme

Equipping our young people with essential knowledge and skills for the future

Careers in curriculum calendar

Careers Plan Overview

Careers in the curriculum – GB: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

Each term all subject areas will have a dedicated careers lesson to allow students to encounter career learning as part of their everyday school curriculum. Through timetabled PHSCE lessons we will deliver a number of career and work-related learning sessions to students from Year 7-13, giving opportunity to learn more about employment law, options, qualifications, skills & attributes, being work ready, the skills gap, labour market information, applying to college & sixth form, cv writing and interview techniques. Students will also use their maths and English skills through all of their subjects as well as taking part in visits and hearing from external speakers that will give students the chance to see how their subjects can relate to different careers. Students will have further opportunity to see how subjects relate to careers during the Year 9 option taster lessons and the Year 10 Sixth Form taster day. All careers information & guidance is impartial and fully inclusive with all students encouraged to explore individual interests based on their skills and capabilities.

Success at Schools

This year we are introducing Success at Schools careers resources into the curriculum. During the KS3 options process students will be introduced to the digital booklets through their subject teachers. This resource will allow students to explore each subject and how it relates to the world of work. They will gain valuable insight into apprenticeships, job roles and career pathways as well as learning more about progression routes and opportunities to further their knowledge and skills.

Teachers

Teach Meet – Careers Monday 2nd November 2020

The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) – GB: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

Our partnership with the CEC allows us to really engage students with the world of work. Through collaborative working we have good, established relationships with local employers and are regularly able to invite employers in to school or take students out to industry for awareness days throughout the year.

SSE – Business Partnership – GB: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6

We have formed a new partnership with SSE this year, Sarah Mort our EA is looking at a number of ways she and her team of apprentices can support students at Sandhurst school. In the summer term 2021 we are planning to hold a virtual interview day for Year 10 and are looking at industry insight days and work experience moving forward. Please take some time to have a look at some of the amazing opportunities and work that SSE do.

– Best thing about being an SSE apprentice?
– Apprentice interview tips
– Joining the apprenticeship programme as a female
– SSE Skills for Work (Kirstin Knight Early Careers)
– Behind the scenes in our Control Rooms
– What part can YOU play in Net Zero school challenge
– John Stewart SSE HR Director on Steph’s Packed Lunch Channel 4 – current opportunities in SSE

ASK Apprenticeships – GB: 1, 2, 3, 5

Delivering apprenticeship workshops to Year 10 – 13. Ensuring students have the knowledge to make informed decisions about future choices, they will be given the opportunity to learn more about the apprenticeships being offered, at what level and how to apply. Interested students will be signed up to the National Apprenticeship website and will be invited to attend our annual mock assessment centre day.

Parents guides are available through the website and information leaflets are given to all students at appropriate times. WWP Learning and Development Ltd deliver two assemblies each year and during National Apprenticeship Week tutors will engage students in a number of activities to raise awareness.

Work Experience – GB: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Every Year 12 student should complete a week of work experience in the summer term. Students are expected to source their own placements and should be related to individual lines of study and future aspirations. Work experience is highly valued by employers and universities.

Virtual Work Experience – in this very uncertain time employers are looking for creative ways to offer work experience opportunities to young people. Virtual work experience is being offered by a variety of industries and is a good way of keeping students engaged and focussed on their futures whilst also developing their transferable skills. Please see the link to the Parents Guide where you will find valuable information and resources to support your child.

Safeguarding

It is important parent/carers check the company’s credentials, what information is being requested from their child and that it is secure. Most companies will have age guidelines for suitability.

Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths [STEM] – GB: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

We are pleased to hold the Silver Award for STEM participation from Reading University and continue to build on this provision through our on-going relationships with the Royal Military Academy and Microsoft. This is further supported with a number of extra-curricular clubs that we offer at lunch time including coding, gaming and robot building.

Co-Curricular – GB: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

An opportunity to meet employers & apprenticeship providers and explore further & higher education.

The Public Service Show, Farnborough Air Show, NCS, UCAS Exhibitions, Farnborough College Careers & Futures Day, WOOP – STEM programme, Berkshire Apprenticeship Show, What Career Live, Medical Mavericks and Bracknell Forest Careers Fair are all fantastic opportunities to meet individual needs.

Employers – GB: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6

Romans (LRG) continue to engage with students and offer opportunities to encounter the workplace. We also have excellent partnerships with John Lewis and Vodaphone who are supporting projects in maths, English and music.

Employers who would like to get involved with any of our events or have other programmes to offer can contact us through our contacts page or call the careers coordinator on 01344 775678.

Parents – GB: 1, 2,4

Regular career updates are posted in the school’s weekly newsletter and include information on; apprenticeships, forthcoming events, open days, qualifications and post 16 options & opportunities. Timely letters are also sent home to parents throughout the year and our impartial external careers advisor, Claire Thomas is available at parents evenings.

Adviza – GB: 1, 2, 4

Specialist, impartial careers advice is received by all students in KS4 & 5 through a programme of workshops and individual interviews. In addition each student will receive a comprehensive action plan to support them moving forward. Adviza will be available every Wednesday, by appointment only. They will also be available at Year 9, 10, 11 & Sixth Form subject evenings to speak with students and parents. Due to our move to virtual parents evenings, Adviza will not be available to speak with students and parents at these events this year.

Additional support is available for our SEND students.

Post 16 – Planning ahead – GB: 1, 2, 3, 4

In Year 9 there is a robust programme in place to ensure students are adequately supported through the option process. It is important that students with specific career ideas check the college/university websites to see if they require specific GCSE subjects to apply for courses, however, for most we recommend choosing subjects that they enjoy, are good at and are happy to continue studying for a further two years. In the Autumn Term of Year 11, all students will need to submit their applications for college and those looking at apprenticeships will need to start researching and applying online.

Students can apply to more than one institution and it is encouraged that they have a back-up plan in case their first choice is not successful. Students are reminded to be realistic about their final grades when selecting which levels to apply for. As a general rule, 5 GCSE’s at grade 4 or above (including English & maths) are required to access A Levels or Level 3 courses. In some instances, particularly in STEM, students may be required to have specific subjects at GCSE and up to grade 6.

Those who do not obtain the grade 4 or above in English and/or maths will be required to continue studying these subjects whilst at college.

Higher Education

Studee – The ultimate guide to studying abroad
UCAS – Choose your future
Which? – Downloadable parent’s guide

The National Careers Service – GB: 3, 8

The National Careers Service online advisers help students and their parents to get instant advice and help on anything to do with careers, education and training. The web chat service is easy to use – if you’re aged 13 or over and live in England they can help. An adviser will chat online with you to help you plan out your next steps and help build on the advice you receive in school. They can even arrange to send you a copy of the chat by email so that you can use this as an action plan.

What you can expect:

Experienced, impartial advisers available from 8am to 10pm every day
Help for young people (and their parents too!)
Confidential and FREE
Access the service as many times as you like
The option to remain anonymous

Student Voice – GB: 1, 3

At Sandhurst we feel it is important for students to be engaged in the design, delivery and evaluation of information, advice and guidance provision. We welcome any feedback from students and encourage our young people to offer their views and opinions. All feedback and ideas should be given to Mrs. Nicholls.

Labour Market Information

National Careers Week Challenge

As part of National Careers Week we’ve got a challenge for you. We want you to spend 10 minutes each day this week using the Success at School site to complete each of the five careers research tasks – click here to learn more.

Feedback & Evaluation – GB: 1, 3

We welcome all feedback that will positively influence and shape the careers programme from staff, students, parents and employers. The careers lead is available at parents evenings and a questionnaire provides students and parents with a chance to express their views and opinions. The information that we receive forms part of the annual review. With the support of our linked governor, Terry Enright, we further assess the impact that the careers programme has through the school council, progression & destination analysis and the compass tracker tool.

Web Links & Resources – GB: 1, 2, 4, 5

There is a comprehensive list of web based resources displayed in each tutor base and students are encouraged to use a number of key sites through careers education lessons. These are also shared through the newsletter and will be communicated by letter as appropriate.

Coming Soon

New for 2020, the introduction of T Levels. Initially these will be offered in limited subject areas, however, we encourage students, teachers, parents and employers to find out more about these qualifications.

Introduction of T Levels

Contact

Mrs Nicholls, Careers Lead on 01344 775678 or the schools contact page.

Web Links

Which? University Milkround Not Going to Uni Student Ladder Inspiring Futures eCLIPS Online Amazing Apprenticeships

Careermap is an online career resource that provides live post-16 opportunities, such as apprenticeship vacancies, college courses, university and graduate options. We also offer career advice and guidance so young people can make well-informed decisions to enhance their futures! Check out 1000’s of live opportunities here.