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Careers Support at Southchurch High School
Our aim at Southchurch High School is to provide an inclusive, effective and stable careers programme for all our students from Year 7 – 11. We have a dedicated Careers Leader in school who facilitates and promotes our Careers Programme who is also a Level 6 Qualified Careers Advisor. Additionally, we have a member of our Senior Leadership Team responsible for overseeing the Careers Provision within the School. As such we are committed to providing great quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to help raise our student’s aspirations, so they feel motivated to achieve their goals.
Using the Gatsby Benchmarks we have designed a detailed strategy that ensures all of our students will take part in a wide range of activities to help inspire them and help them to make informed decisions about their future. Each year group will have a different focus and will be given bespoke opportunities throughout the school year to develop their skills and discover their potential. This includes external trips, internal visitors, work experience, workshops and visits to local Colleges and Universities. We regularly ask our students to evaluate the support they receive to ensure we are doing all that we can to achieve each benchmark. Students are given the opportunity to give verbal/written feedback on all the activities that take place and provide ideas of what they may find helpful to them in the future. This helps us to develop our careers strategy and continually improve the quality and effectiveness of the support we provide.
Summary of Careers Provision at Southchurch High School
We have designed the Southchurch High School Careers Evolution model. It identifies our focus for each year group and the types of questions students need answering in relation to their career journey. It also helps to reassure students that they will be prepared and fully equipped for when they leave school. Below you can also see in more detail, the types of activities that students in each year will take part in to support them on their journey.
Year 7- An Introduction to Careers
- Students will attend workshops/assemblies designed to help them discover the different industries of work, with a particular emphasis on STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)
- The Year 7 careers programme will introduce students to learning through self-reflection, explore the career possibilities available, and begin to build positive relationships with others
- Students are invited to sign up for Unifrog, an online careers website and app with a whole host of resources to help inspire and inform students about the many different career options
Year 8 – Career Discovery
- The Year 8 careers programme will look at helping students to identify their personal skills and interests, learn about the challenges and rewards of work and make a vision board for their future
- Some students will visit a university campus in order for them to get an understanding of what it would be like to go to university and meet current student ambassadors
- Students will attend workshops/assemblies designed to help them discover different industries of work with particular emphasis on STEM subjects.
- Students will take part in a careers carousel, where they will have meaningful encounters with employers and training providers to provide them with exposure to various careers and sectors
Year 9 – Choosing the right options for me
- Students will have the opportunity to meet with our Careers Advisor to discuss their career aspirations and help them to decide on the right subject options to take to support their goals.
- Parents and students will get the opportunity to attend the school careers fair to give them the opportunity to explore a range of different job roles with emphasis on local businesses and speak with local colleges/sixth forms/universities and training providers
- The Year 9 careers programme will focus on choosing what to study at Key Stage 4, working and managing money and why labour market information is so important when choosing a career path
- Students will have an options evening designed to give students and parents the opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss which GCSE subjects are right for them
- Subject teachers will give students the opportunity to visit workplaces, exploring the types of careers available in that subject and a variety of job sectors.
Year 10 – Post-16 and Beyond
- Students will take a closer look at post-16 options including apprenticeships, vocational qualifications/A-Levels and T-Levels
- Students will receive support in writing a CV and completing job applications through a series of workshops designed to equip them with the skills they will need for the future.
- Parents and students will get the opportunity to attend the school careers fair to give them the opportunity to explore a range of different job roles with emphasis on local businesses and speak with local college/sixth forms/universities and training providers
- Some students will visit colleges and attend taster days which gives them the opportunity to experience ‘a day in the life of a college student’.
- Some students will visit a university campus in order for them to get an understanding of what it would be like to go to university and meet students who currently attend.
- Students will get the opportunity to undertake a one-week work experience placement to help them learn about the expectations in the world of work, and gain valuable skills
- The Year 10 careers programme will focus on reflection, wellbeing in the workplace and preparation for going on work experience
Year 11 – Planning for the Future
- All year 11 students will have a 1-2-1 meeting with our Careers Advisor to discuss their options when they leave school and begin the application process for their chosen pathway, with priority given to those students who have additional needs
- Students will get the opportunity to attend the school careers fair to give them the opportunity to explore a range of different job roles with emphasis on local businesses and speak with local college/sixth forms/universities.
- Further and higher education talks/assemblies will take place, aimed at supporting students in their decision making so they feel full equipped in whichever pathway they choose.
- The Careers Advisor will be present at the parents evening, to help students and parents with any questions or support that is needed.
- The Year 11 careers programme will focus on choosing a post-16 pathway, employability skills and researching paid work and volunteering opportunities