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CAREERS EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE

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MR J MEREDITH

Head of Careers

meredithj@ilsley.bham.sch.uk

0121 706 4200

Introduction

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Careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) is an essential part of the support we offer to students at Archbishop Ilsley School and Sixth Form Centre. Effective careers support can help to prepare young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life; it can help them to make decisions and manage transitions as learners and workers. As options for young people become more varied and complex, it is vital that we support them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed choices for their future. As a result, the careers programme has a whole-school remit designed to complement the rest of the school curriculum.

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This policy sets out how career activities are delivered at school and explains what we can expect from the careers programme.

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Aims and objectives

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The Archbishop Ilsley careers programme aims to:

  • encourage students to be ambitious, broaden their horizons and explore their own career aspirations throughout their life at school

  • ensure students’ readiness to take their next step in their learning or career

 

Archbishop Ilsley School and Sixth Form Centre follows the principles of the Gatsby Benchmarks. The objectives for the careers programme are as follows:

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  • helping students to understand the changing world of work

  • facilitating meaningful encounters with employers for all students

  • supporting positive transitions into KS4, post-16 and post-18

  • enabling students to develop the research skills to find out about opportunities

  • helping students to develop the skills, attitudes and qualities to make a successful transition into the world of work

  • encouraging participation in continued learning, including further and higher education and apprenticeships

  • supporting inclusion, challenging stereotyping and promoting equality of opportunity

  • contributing to strategies for raising achievement, particularly by increasing motivation

 

Student entitlement

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All students are entitled to be fully involved in an effective CEIAG programme. Students are encouraged to take an active role in their own career development, so the careers programme emphasises student participation with a focus on self-development; learning about careers and the world of work; and developing career management and employability skills.

 

During their time at Archbishop Ilsley, all students can expect:

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  • the support they need to make the right choices in Year 9, Year 11 and in sixth form

  • access up-to-date and unbiased information on future learning and training, careers and labour market information

  • support to develop the self-awareness and career management skills needed for their future

  • career lessons during tutor time from Y7 to Y13 covering options after school, the world of work, the job market and the skills needed for the future

  • at least four meaningful encounters with representatives from the world of work; this could be through work experience, workplace visits, assemblies, careers talks (in or outside lessons), projects, specific lessons, workshops and the annual careers fair

  • to hear from a range of education and training providers, including colleges, universities and apprenticeship organisations; this could include visits and taster days, as well as assemblies, talks and annual careers fair

  • the opportunity to relate what they learn in lessons to their life and career beyond school

  • the opportunity to talk through their career and educational choices with staff including form tutors, subject teachers and the careers team

  • access to one-to-one guidance with an impartial careers adviser, by appointment in year 10 or 11 and 12/13; this is available to students of any year group

  • the school to keep parents/carers informed of their progress and provide parents/carers with information to support students’ career planning and decision-making

 

 

Parental involvement

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Young people do not make career decisions in isolation and parents/carers can have a substantial impact, as well as a clear interest in the right outcomes for their young person. The school is keen to foster parental involvement in the careers programme, wherever possible.

 

Events for parents and carers

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Parents/carers are invited into school to discuss their son/daughter’s progress in Parents Consultation meetings (part of review day and progress evenings). In readiness for these events, students’ career aspirations are collected by form tutors to allow discussions around progress relating to next steps, career ideas and (in KS4 and 5) career planning, as well as academic progress. In addition, specialist events for parents include Year 9 Options Evening and Sixth Form Open Evening (Year 11 parents).

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Parents/carers are kept up to date with career-related events and activities affecting their son/daughter via letters and texts home, the school website and social media. With the student’s agreement, a copy of the action plan from one-to-one careers meetings will be sent home. They are also welcome to make contact with the Careers Team at school, should they have any questions or concerns.

  • Ladies choose from:
    Conventional tailored short sleeved dress, skirt or trousers, in dark colours, blue, grey or black. Trousers should be full length and not cut off. Dresses and skirts must be worn with tights and must not be mini-length. Ponte/jersey trousers or skirts are not permitted A conventional blouse or shirt – plain, or modestly patterned providing it is tailored and designed for professional business wear. It must have sleeves and must not be low cut; it must cover shoulders and midriff. Cleavage should not be visible. Cardigans may be worn with blouse/shirt and jacket Plain shoes capable of being polished; suede shoes are not permitted. Shoes should be conventional, work orientated and comfortable in dark colours. Heels should be less than 5cm high. Boots above the ankle are not permitted. Conventional tailored jackets must be worn with dresses, skirts and trousers and must be in dark colours, brown, blue, grey, or black. Patterns are permissible as long as they are subtle and reflect the principle of smart professional dress i.e. – pin stripes, or faintly chequered. Ponte/jersey jackets are not permitted.
  • Gentlemen choose from:
    Conventional two piece suit or three piece suit, with matching tailored jacket and trousers in dark colours, as a general guide in blue, grey, or black. Trousers should be full length. Patterns are permissible as long as they are subtle and reflect the principle of smart professional business dress (i.e. – pin stripes and Prince of Wales check) Conventional office shirt plain or modestly patterned (i.e. stripes and checks) pastel coloured formal shirts may be worn provided they are tailored and designed for professional dress; these must be worn with a tie. Shirts must be tucked in to trousers at all times. The tie must be fully visible to below the knot at all times Cardigans may be worn with shirt, tie and jacket; tie knots must still be visible if a jumper or cardigan is worn Plain leather shoes, capable of being polished; suede shoes are not permitted. Conventional, work orientated and comfortable in dark colours. Ties are to be worn with the top button done up at all times and the knot covering the top button.
  • Other Dress Codes:
    Identity badges and House Lanyard MUST be worn and visible at all times whilst on the school site. Jewellery must be subtle and consistent with smart professional business dress. Belts are to be plain, regular width and designed to hold up trousers or skirts – not just a fashion accessory. No polo shirts and T-shirts Students’ hair should be well-kept, clean and moderate in style, length and treatment; bright dyed colouring, tram lines or other shaved shapes in the hair and ‘bar codes’ in eyebrows are not permitted No clothing with obscene slogans or messages is permitted No head garments (except those worn for parentally confirmed cultural, medical or religious reasons All students must wear jackets in assembly, at formal events as well as to and from classrooms. Students may take jackets off in classrooms, the common rooms, study rooms and the canteens. ​ Please note that the same dress code applies when students sit examinations. ​ The above list is not meant to be exhaustive but instead represents a guideline to the meaning of ‘business dress’. If in doubt the Assistant Head Teacher in charge of Sixth Form should be contacted prior to any purchase to confirm the suitability of any items.
  • The following are NOT permitted:
    Jeans or chino style trousers Jersey jackets, trousers or skirts Corduroy or denim ‘Hoodies’ of any description even if worn as an outdoor coat Headgear (except for parentally confirmed religious or medical reasons and it must be of Dark colours and matching the colour of the days attire) Trainers Combat trousers, shorts or cut-offs Strappy tops or vests Exposing bare midriff, cleavage or chest Sportswear / leisurewear, including velour and cotton jersey Extremes of style, for example, mini skirts Logos Visible facial or body piercings (except ear rings) or tattoos Unnatural hair colourings or extreme hairstyles

In addition, all year groups will take part in curriculum-based careers activities within subject lessons.  This will allow subject teacher to share their experiences and the love for their subject. Teachers can discuss their interest and enthusiasm to the pupils and encourage them to investigate the careers available after education.

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Career guidance meetings

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A programme of small group and individual meetings will be arranged for all students towards the end of year 10. All students at school can request an appointment with the career's adviser and careers lead, this will mainly be aimed at Year 10s, Year 11s, Year 12s and Year 13s as these a most likely to benefit from the programme. Students are identified for careers meetings based on need and through self-referral and tutors.

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Self-referral

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Students may refer themselves for a careers meeting at any point, directly via the career's adviser, via a Form Tutor or Google Classroom. An appointment with an adviser will then be arranged. Students are made aware of the career's adviser through assemblies and via form tutors.

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Students will record action plans in the Careers Organiser and the adviser will record on Google Drive. Parents and staff have the option to see this information so they can support the process. If a student is away or fails to attend, an alternative time will be arranged.

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Career information

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Careers information is available through the careers library based on Google Classroom and subject areas will have displays showing off specific information in line with the available Careers their subject could lead onto. Online resources include the National Careers Service website and a range of reliable websites collated by the Careers lead.

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External providers

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A range of external providers are invited into school to support the careers programme. These might include local colleges, universities, training providers, apprenticeship organisations, employers, school alumni, or staff from various projects. In all cases, such staff and organisations will be vetted for suitability by the relevant staff at school.

 

 

Management and staffing – The Careers Team

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The Careers Lead will oversee the delivery of the careers programme, supports and administers all career-related activities and events and liaises with local and national businesses, organisations, colleges and universities to ensure students and departments have opportunities to interact and provide worthwhile experiences of work, including the organisation of the annual careers fair.

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Due to the whole-school remit of careers work, the range of staff involved in supporting careers activities is large and includes all form tutors and subject teachers.

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Staff Development

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Form Tutors are introduced to the concepts, aims and programme for CEIAG at Archbishop Ilsley during INSET days and Twilight training. This staff development is further enhanced at careers meetings.

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Monitoring and evaluation

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When monitoring the success of the careers programme, the school considers formal and informal measures, qualitative and quantitative data and hard and soft outcomes for students. The careers programme is evaluated in a number of ways, including:

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  • student feedback on their experience of the careers programme and what they gained from it

  • staff feedback on careers lessons, careers activities, careers fair etc

  • gathering informal feedback from external partners and from parents

  • quality assurance of careers lessons as part of the tutor time programme

  • the use of Google Drive to track date and work completed

  • student destination figures post-16 and post-18

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References

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The Gatsby Benchmarks: https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance

Government CEIAG: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-provision-for-young-people-in-schools

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UCAS Guidance: https://www.ucas.com/further-education/post-16-finance-and-support/careers-information-and-guidance-schools

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