Careers and Futures

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Parkside aims to make a major contribution to preparing young people for the opportunities, responsibilities, and experiences of life. Careers Education (CE) and Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) are provided to ensure that students develop the knowledge and skills to make successful decisions. The understanding and experience that students acquire should enable them to manage the transitions into post 16 and 18 settings as effective, well-prepared learners and workers.

We aim to:

• Develop students’ aspirations, self- awareness, and participation in CE and IAG.
• To maintain a good working relationship between the school and outside organisations such as the Local Authority Youth Support Service and Local Employers.
• Ensure that CE and IAG is delivered to and exceeds National Standards.
• To ensure that student outcomes in CE lessons are high.
• To encourage students to make effective use of the resources available to them, in order that they can make informed and appropriate choices throughout their school journey.
• To enable staff to explore the resources available and engage with training opportunities so that they can support students with CE and IAG throughout the school.

For this to happen it requires that:

• Staff and outside partners are clear about their roles and responsibilities within the area of CE and IAG.
• There is a planned programme of activities which all students are entitled to and will have access to.
• Careers Education and Information, Advice and Guidance is impartial and confidential.
• The programme promotes equality of opportunity, good relations, and tackles discrimination.
• There are mechanisms for feedback from staff, parents and students about the delivery and availability of CE and IAG, so that the procedures and quality of delivery can be continually evaluated and improved.
• The school to use the Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Benchmarks to develop and improve their careers provision. While the Gatsby Benchmarks are not a statutory framework, by adopting them, we can be confident that we are fulfilling our legal duties.

We are committed to providing a planned programme of careers education and guidance for all students in years 7 – 13 in partnership with the Youth Support Service. This policy was developed through an audit of practice and is reviewed annually through discussions with teaching staff, Governors, our external (Youth Support Service) careers advisor and students. The impact of the policy and its delivery is measured through the analysis of post 16/18 destination data.

Participation in the Cambridge Area Partnership schools and employers conference ensures that our lead staff remain up to date and informed about the local job market and that we are networked to opportunities as they emerge.

Curriculum

The Careers Education and IAG programme includes careers education lessons, information (in assemblies, special events and learning centre research activities), careers advice sessions (individual advisor interviews and) and guidance activities (individual personal learning planning and employer careers mentoring in Years 10 and 11).

Careers lessons are taught in discrete modules as part of the PSHE programme. The Personal Learning Planning (PLP) programme for Years 7-13 includes guidance activities to develop broader personal skills focused on motivation and employability as well as information and advice. Other events take place throughout the year including the 3-day Creative Action Service (CAS) week, science week, enterprise days, assemblies, visits to post 16 providers and local employer events. Work-related learning and direct work experience is promoted and undertaken wherever and whenever possible.

• We ensure that all pupils are provided with independent careers guidance from year 8 to year 13.
• We ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access all pupils in year 8 to year 13 for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships.
• We ensure that this policy statement setting out our arrangements for provider access is followed.
• We ensure that we are following the School Information (England) Regulations of 2008 that requires schools to publish information about the school's careers programme. This information relates to the delivery of careers guidance to year 8 to 13 pupils in accordance with Section 42A of the Education Act 1997.

Provider Access Policy Statement 

Parkside Community College (To include The Department of Education, July 2021: “Baker Clause” and the Provider Access Legislation, January 2023)

Rationale 

High quality careers education and guidance in school or college is critical to young people’s futures. It helps to prepare them for the workplace by providing a clear understanding of the world of work including the routes to jobs and careers that they might find engaging and rewarding. It supports them to acquire the self-development and career management skills they need to achieve positive employment destinations. This helps students to choose their pathways, improve their life opportunities and contribute to a productive and successful economy. 

As the number of apprenticeships rises every year, it becomes increasingly important that all young people have a full understanding of all the options available to them post-16 and post-18 including wider technical education options such as T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications. 

Commitment  

Parkside Community College is committed to ensuring there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access students, for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.  Parkside Community College is fully aware of the responsibility to set students on the path that will secure the best outcome which will enable them to progress in education and work and give employers the highly skilled people they need. That means acting impartially, in line with the statutory duty, and not showing bias towards any route, be that academic or technical.  

Parkside Community College endeavours to ensure that all students are aware of all routes to higher skills and can access information on technical options and apprenticeships (The Department of Education, July 2021: “Baker Clause”: supporting students to understand the full range of education and training options, and the Provider Access Legislation, January 2023). 

For full statement, please see attachment at the bottom of this page.

The Department for Education’s (DfE) Statutory guidance for governing bodies, school leaders and school staff sets out the expectations of schools which includes:

Careers Education - where it is taught in the curriculum

Apprenticeships

An apprenticeship is a real job where you learn, gain experience and get paid. You're an employee with a contract of employment and holiday leave. Apprenticeships are an exciting option - you get hands-on training and the chance to put your skills into practice.
To become an apprentice, you must:

• be 16 or over
• not already be in full-time education
• live in England

As an apprentice you’ll:

• learn and train for a specific job
• get paid and receive holiday leave 
• get hands-on experience in a real job
• study for at least 20% of your working hours - usually at a college, university or with a training provider 
• complete assessments during and at the end of your apprenticeship
• be on a career path with lots of future potential

Levels of apprenticeship

Each apprenticeship has a level and an equivalent education level. You can start an apprenticeship at any level. Depending on the level, some apprenticeships may:

• require previous qualifications such as an English or maths GCSE
• give extra training in the English or maths skills needed so you are at the right level

At the end of your apprenticeship, you’ll achieve the equivalent education level. For example, if you complete a level 3 apprenticeship, you’ll achieve the equivalent of an A level.

Useful Websites

Careers Advice

Cambridgeshire County Council’s Youth Support Service website for young people in Cambridgeshire Youth in Communities - Cambridgeshire County Council has some especially useful information for students thinking about future courses and careers. The Work section has information on the most effective ways to get a job and has links to extensive careers information with the National Careers Service (www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk).

National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

This website contains information about the NAS - which supports, funds and co- ordinates the delivery of Apprenticeships throughout England. There are lots of benefits to doing an Apprenticeship. You can earn while you learn and learn in a way that is best suited to you – through hands-on experience on the job. Key benefits of being an apprentice include:

• learning a salary
• getting paid holidays
• receiving training
• gaining qualifications
• learning job-specific skills

Management

• Mark Turner has oversight of careers and can be contacted via email mark.turner@parksidecc.org.uk | 01223 712600.
• The Assistant Principals have responsibility for IAG delivery.
• Careers Education is delivered by timetabled PSHE teaching staff and the subject staff allocated to the annual 3-day CAS programme (Creative Action Service).
• All members of staff are expected to contribute to the Careers Education and IAG programme through their roles as PLP tutors and subject teachers.
• The Assistant Principals (with the support of student services and the SEND coordinator) ensure the integration of the more intensive and targeted programmes available to students with additional needs.
• The Local Authority Youth Support Service Advisor provides specialist careers guidance. The employer/business coordinator holds the overview of the Business Class programme.

Provision 

• Funding is allocated in the annual budget plan.
• Careers information is available in the learning centres and on the school computer network. Online resources are publicised widely. The careers co-ordinator organises the teaching resources for the careers modules in the PSHE programme.
• The Youth Support Service Advisor works from an office where private 1-1 advice interviews can take place.
• Dedicated PSHE and PLP sessions cover the curriculum for careers and study/work related guidance

Training 

• Staff training needs are identified in Appraisal Reviews and the Assessment Audit.
• Training for new teachers to the PSHE team takes place by the PSHE co-ordinator on a 1-1 basis as needed throughout the year. Whole staff training is arranged by the Assistant Head Teachers and PSHE coordinators.

Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation 

• The delivery of careers education within the PSHE curriculum is monitored informally by the PSHE coordinator (after each careers module through staff and student feedback), more formally (through teaching observations) and annually through the REVIEW of PSHE conducted by the appropriate member of the leadership team.
• The Partnership Agreement with the youth Support Service is reviewed annually.
• The effectiveness of the CE and IAG programme is audited annually by the leadership team and reported to the Governing Body.
• Transition outcomes (Destination Data) is used to determine the success of the policy and its implementation.

Partnership Working 

At various times, local community groups and employers participate in the delivery of careers, IAG and employability projects and programmes. 

Useful Links

• Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service Extensive careers information and advice

• The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) - Trade Association Forum (taforum.org) Find out about the benefits to doing an apprenticeship: you can earn while you learn and learn through hands-on experience on the job. Key benefits of being an apprentice include earning a salary, getting paid holidays, receiving training, gaining qualifications, learning job-specific skills
• Everything you need to know about apprenticeships and how to apply for them through the National Apprenticeship Website
• www.icould.com - i could is a visual/video-based site. Before exploring a range of career paths, young people can take the Buzz Quiz. In under five minutes they can discover their personality profile.
• Start: Start is a free and comprehensive digital platform. Start’s structured and progressive activities caters for all students helping them to make more informed decisions about future study and career options at the right time and in good time. Just register to use the site and start to build up a profile of skills, world of work, what to study, where to learn as well as a suite of online tools to help build your profile.

Online Career Video Clips

• All students have have access to over 500 video clips on different careers with Careers Box at www.careersbox.co.uk
• Additionally, there is a Skills Explorer page on the website which allows students to watch videos matched to their skills and preferences.

For any further information please contact any of the following staff: 

Mark Turner (PSHE Co-ordinator & Head of I&S) mark.turner@parksidecc.org.uk
Ed Roberts Rayne and Joseph Crane  (Heads of Y11) edward.roberts-rayne@parksidecc.org.uk and joseph.crane@parksidecc.org.uk
Parkside Community College Cambridge CB1 1EH Telephone: 01223 712300 Email: enquiries@parksidecc.org.uk

Review  

Careers and Futures information will be reviewed and published in September 2024.