Careers

Career Leader: Mr C Siggins

c.siggins@brookfield.hants.sch.uk01489 576335Brookfield Community School is committed to providing our students from Years 7 to 11 with a full and all-inclusive programme of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance.

(More detailed information and latest information on events for students can be found on the Student Portal.)

Summary of Provision:

Brookfield Community School aims to help all students experience success through an educational environment, which responds to individual needs and stimulates and challenges every student. Careers education and the processes of information, advising and guiding students are given high priority within the school and help instil students with an understanding of how education is relevant and equips them with the behaviour and attitudes necessary for success in the next stage of their education, training or employment and for their adult life. Through high quality, impartial careers guidance, students are helped to make informed choices depending on their academic needs and aspirations.

The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in schools and colleges. As part of the DFE’s Careers Strategy schools should use the Benchmarks as a framework for improving their careers provision. Brookfield School continue to work closely alongside a network of Enterprise Advisors from the Solent Education Partnership and the Careers and Enterprise Company to embed the Gatsby Benchmarks into all Careers Provision.

Careers Education Programme

Within PSHE and Personal Development careers education is a planned programme to develop skills, knowledge and attitudes related to choices and transitions to continuing education, training and employment. It offers a systematic and personalised approach to help students make choices through impartial, well informed advice.

Careers Education and guidance aims to prepare young people for adult and working life and contributes to the development of the whole person. Students should be able to develop knowledge of themselves and the opportunities open to them.

Skills - Decision-making and managing change
Attitudes - Self-reliance and self-motivation, including a positive attitude to life and towards others

These should be achieved through:

• A planned programme of careers education and guidance within PSHE
• Access to information via the Careers Library in the LRC and Careers Fairs
• Access to individual guidance via the Careers Advisor based in the LRC
• Support for students to record achievement and plan future action through mentoring
• Activities to develop skills related to the workplace e.g. mock interviews, work talks from local businesses and professionals

Key Stage 3 includes:

• Reviewing skills undertaking realistic self-assessment of their achievements, qualities, aptitudes and abilities
• Reviewing, goal setting, reflection and action planning to support progress and achievement
• Recognising that work is more than paid employment
• Using appropriate vocabulary and organising information about work
• Decision making skills
• Making realistic and informed choices of options available in KS4

Key Stage 4 (through PD talks and Mock Interviews):

• Understanding how the world of work is changing and the skills that promote employability
• Identifying and using a variety of sources, including ICT, to analyse and evaluate careers information.
• Awareness of options available after leaving school
• Organising and presenting information in an appropriate format, e.g. preparation for and experience of Mock Interviews

Within the wider curriculum careers education is delivered through contextualising subject learning within the real world and emphasising how this learning can contribute to future economic well-being.

Development of the skills, knowledge and attitudes mentioned above is also obtained through

• Vocational-based opportunities within the KS4 options programme
• Extended work experience for individual students at risk of disengaging from the main curriculum
• Development of life skills through wider opportunities provided in the school e.g. Student Council, prefects, etc.

Calendar of Main Activities:

• September to June – Open Events at local Colleges and Training Providers
• September – Presentations by Colleges/Training Provider to all Year 11s
• September – Academic Tutorials and Careers Fair for all Year 10 & 11 students and parents/carers
• October – Year 7 Academic Tutorials
• September – Year 11, one-hour one-to-one Career interviews ongoing as needed throughout the year
• November to March/April – Year 9, 30-minute one-to-one Career interviews in preparation for GCSE option choices.
• January to March – Year 11 - collect Intended Destination data and ensure every Year 11 student has at least one destination
• February – National Apprenticeship week.
• February – Year 9 Options Evening
• March – Year 10 Barton Peveril Higher Education Fair and Futures Fair (50 students to each)
• March – Year 8 Options Evening
• April to July – Year 10 one-to-one Career interviews as requested
• April – Intended Destination data submitted to Hampshire County Council
• May – Year 10 Drop down Day – preparation for Mock Interviews.
• June – Year 10 Mock Interviews
• July – Year 6 Induction Day

Agreements with Providers:

EBP South Ltd, 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, North Harbour, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN
The Careers & Enterprise Company Solent LEP, Third floor, 1000 Lakeside, Western Road, Portsmouth, PO6 3EN

Roles and Responsibilities:

Guidance – guidance is provided by a number of key members of staff with whom each individual student has contact.

Careers Lead. The Careers Lead oversees the Schools Careers programme and provides support to the Vocational Coordinator. The Careers Lead and Vocational Coordinator completes a compass tool each term to ensure the school plans to address gaps in provision highlighted by the Gatsby Benchmarks.

The Tutor/Learning Mentor. The primary source of guidance for a student within school is the learning mentor, usually also the student’s tutor. Tutors meet tutor groups for twenty-five minutes four times per week. Within this period the tutor discusses academic progress and other achievements using the information described above, focusing on imminent events such as Options choices. Tutors meet with each student and her/his parents for an Academic Tutorial. This meeting takes place prior to key events for that aged student.
External mentoring is also carried out with some older students whom House Leaders consider will react more positively from being additionally mentored by someone from outside the school. These external mentors are coordinated by the Student Services Manager.

The House Leader. This member of staff has an overview of progress within a whole House (11 tutor groups). It is the responsibility of this person to monitor the progress of particular groups of students (SEN, Vulnerable group, etc) to ensure that good progress is being achieved and to intervene where it is not. This may result in the creation of a Raising Achievement Programme (RAP) for an individual or group of students. Where such a programme is organised, it will be with input from both student and parent/carer.

The Learning Leader. This member of staff has an over view of progress within a subject area. It is the responsibility of this person to monitor the progress of particular groups of students (SEN, Vulnerable groups, etc) to ensure that good progress is being achieved and to intervene where it is not. This may result in the creation of a Raising Achievement Programme (RAP) for an individual or group of students for that subject. Where such a programme is organised, it will be with input from both student and parent/carer.

The Subject Teacher. This member of staff has an over view of progress within a subject class. It is the responsibility of this person to monitor the progress of all individuals in that class and particularly students on the SEN register, and vulnerable groups to ensure that good progress is being achieved and to intervene where it is not. The subject teacher will usually be the first to contact a parent/carer to discuss progress issues. The subject teacher will also be expected to provide impartial advice on an individual’s suitability for different option paths within the subject. The subject teacher will provide reports to the parent/carer on the student’s progress and will be available to be booked for a face-to-face discussion at annual subject evenings.

The Vocational Coordinator. The Vocational Coordinator issues short termly reports to parents of students involved in college courses. The role is responsible for organising events throughout the year e.g. Careers Fair, Mock Interviews etc.  Liaising with external providers for alternative provision.  Manages the Careers Adviser’s appointments and ensuring parents/carers and students are equipped with up to date transition information during Year 11.

Additional guidance is also supplied where necessary to help students and parents make informed decisions. One example of this is the use of interviews with senior members of staff to allow students and parents/carers to discuss the suitability of vocational course and young apprenticeships.

All students are individual and unique and various factors will be considered when planning the support offered to the students including (but not limited to) the following:

• SEN
• Pupil Premium
• Personal and Social Issues

Additional support may include Mentoring or financial support.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

Brookfield School is currently working towards meeting all the Gatsby Benchmarks and this will be evaluated to see the impact this has on the students and their parents/carers.  On line questionnaires are completed at the end of each one-to-one Careers interview and at the end of the Academic Year this information will be used to gain an understanding on how the CIAG is impacting the students.  Student’s intended destinations and actual destination data will be collected during the Spring term of Year 11 and the Autumn term of Year 12 and monitored and then used to inspire and motivate the current students. 

Development Priorities:

Benchmark 5 – Encounters with Employers and Employees. 
Benchmark 6 – Experiences of Workplaces