Careers
Government guidance on Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) from the First Joint Report of the Business, Innovation and Skills and Education Committees published on 5th July 2016, identified eight benchmarks of good careers guidance from research undertaken by The Gatsby Foundation.
We have used these 8 benchmarks to review and focus our own provision for Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance:
(1) A stable careers programme.
(2) Learning from career and labour market information.
(3) Addressing the needs of each student.
(4) Linking curriculum learning to careers.
(5) Encounters with employers and employees.
(6) Experiences of workplaces.
(7) Encounters with further and higher education.
(8) Personal guidance.
The Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance programme at Hatch End High School aims to prepare our young people, from the moment that they arrive in Year 7, for the world of work and to provide them with a wide-ranging and comprehensive understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead. Our staff are experienced, have been involved with Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance for many years and the Careers department is directly line managed by our Careers' Leader who is also a member of the school’s Senior Leadership Team.
Our Careers Department has an up-to-date and extensive stock of careers literature, both general and specific. All pamphlets, brochures and books are available for students to browse through and the main careers stock is borrowable and is located in the Learning Resources Centre. In addition, the school has careers software available to all students across our network which can provide bespoke information and guidance.
Students are encouraged to use the information services and the experience of staff to research areas of interest to them and during Key Stage 3 labour market information and careers education are delivered through a variety of subjects. For example in Year 8 History, the students consider jobs from the past that no longer exist, alongside current occupations and possible new employment opportunities in the future, whilst in Year 7 Physical Education, the students take on different roles such as performer, coach, umpire and official in order to gain an appreciation of the different occupational skills required.
View our Future Choices page for Apprenticeships Information
Xcite – Local Harrow-based advice for employability and careers
icould website - career videos offering an inside view into a huge range of jobs
Career Pilot website- useful videos, especially for assisting transitions and options
Click here for Labour Market Information for all careers. eg. How much will I earn as a......? or How many hours will I work as a.......?
Staff
Mr P Richards - Careers' Leader (Monday - Friday) Room J11 richards@hatchend.harrow.sch.uk / ext.2089
Mrs A Fernando - Careers/ Work Experience Co-ordinator (Monday – Friday) Room T11 fernando@hatchend.harrow.sch.uk / ext.2157
Ms M Raichura - Careers Advisor (Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday) Room T12a mraichura@hatchend.harrow.sch.uk / ext.2158
Miss A Barai - Gatsby Co-ordinator Room J2 barai@hatchend.harrow.sch.uk
Careers Programme
Year 7
The focus is about introducing careers and thinking about the vast number of careers / jobs available e.g.:
- Geography - Students look at the development levels of various regions, areas and countries and relate this to the dominant sectors of employment. They also study the economic value of different industries and the skills employed within and explore how different natural landscapes lend themselves to various employment sectors.
- PE - Students take on different roles such as performer, coach/leader, umpire, official etc. to help generate knowledge about different roles, but also to foster different qualities needed to support careers (e.g. confidence, speaking in front of peers, understanding, taking the lead, co-operation).
Year 8
The foci are to explore the world of learning, training and employment and ensure that students make appropriate GCSE options choices. The Key Stage 3-4 Options process encompasses access to our independent and impartial Careers Advisor, parents’ consultation evening, individual guidance meetings for students and parents with senior staff, printed and electronic course information and an open event involving local colleges and apprenticeship providers. All of the above assist students to make well-informed and good decisions on what to do next e.g:
- History - Students compare the jobs of the past and today, discussing roles that no longer exist in the 21st Century.
- PCSHE (Personal Citizenship, Social and Health Education) - Students develop a range of skills, particularly team working and listening to others. Students learn about legal and human rights, with a particular emphasis on the rights of employers and employees.
In both Years 7 & 8 the aspirations programme supports students in considering their future through visits to local employers and universities and subject specific assemblies as well provision of information for parents.
Year 9
The foci are self-assessment and career paths to include the introduction of diagnostic software within PCSHE lessons. Aspirations are supported and encouraged through trips to organisations such as city banks. ‘Soft skills’ such as making presentations are developed through debate mate and additional mentoring and one-to-one tutoring is deployed for targeted students. Progress pitstops (Parent Information Evenings) are used to actively engage parents in supporting their children’s development. The year culminates with the E3 Employer Engagement Event where the year group have the chance to meet and question a variety of professionals.
Year 10
The focus is one full week of work experience at the end of the summer term which enables students to develop their employability skills. The school has made the decision to retain formal work experience despite being non-statutory because of our belief in its ability to inspire and galvanise students and help them ascertain the type work place skills which they need to develop. Curriculum activities support preparation, implementation and evaluation of work experience include CV writing in PCSHE and one-to-one interview practice from local business people who provide individual feedback on students’ interview skills and CVs. This is complemented by individual and small group career interviews with our careers adviser, prioritised by a needs analysis and the opportunity for students to spend a day sampling taster lessons on our sixth form.
Year 11
The foci are post-16 options and the post-16 application process to include individual and small group career interviews by our careers adviser to which parents are also invited. Guidance interviews are also undertaken by members of the SLT and are supplemented by assemblies, parents’/carers’ events and drop-in sessions. A Further Education Event involving local colleges and apprenticeship providers is offered annually in addition to the school’s own post-16 Open Evening. Other local providers (from the Harrow Sixth Form Collegiate) are also invited to our Open Evening and students’ choices are thereby increased beyond the range of A Levels and BTEC Nationals offered by Hatch End High School. Students’ applications are individually quality assessed for appropriateness by the Careers Co-ordinator.
In Key Stage 4 the aspirations programme enhances the careers provision through targeted mentoring and support specifically designed to enhance workplace skills. It also supports students in considering their future through visits to local employers and universities and subject specific assemblies as well provision of information for parents.
Sixth Form
The foci are supporting students to develop employability skills and choose appropriate post-18 options including UCAS, apprenticeships and the world of work. Guidance interviews happen with students identified by the Head of Sixth Form, other Sixth Form staff and self-referrals are also facilitated. Bespoke sessions are provided to support students not planning to apply to Higher Education. Students have the opportunity to undertake a week of work experience or work shadowing at the end of Year 12 and all vocational (BTEC) students undertake one full day of work experience every week to support and complement their BTEC course. All students in Year 12 benefit from taking the London Institute of Banking and Finance Level 2 programme in Personal Finance and some students opt to continue their studies to Level 3 as an enrichment. Ex-students make presentations in assembly and there is weekly alumni news printed in the school bulletin and on the school’s website in order to encourage and inform students and parents of the opportunities available for them.
The Careers Academy
Lessons throughout the school are enhanced by visiting professionals who speak to students about their job, how their secured it and its advantages and disadvantages. They also take questions from students and on occasion are able to provide employability workshops and skills development sessions. All Careers activities are evaluated for their effectiveness against the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks. Our Careers provision is reviewed and updated annually in light of the evaluations received. The next review is due in June 2019.
Students, parents, teachers and employers are all welcome to access information about our Careers provision through our website, however any further questions, queries or offers of help and support can be referred to any member of the Careers Department (see above for contact details).
All of the above is supplemented by several large scale events.
Career Events
Students are offered a variety of opportunities to encounter employers at specially arranged events:
Year 7 Launch Pad
Delivered by Young Enterprise, the Launch Pad day encourages students to develop enterprise acumen as well as workplace and employability skills, whilst working on a project alongside professionals from industry. The day concludes with students presenting their work to the professionals and receiving feedback on it.
Year 8 Options Fair
An informative event especially designed to help Year 8 students choose their options for GCSE. Representatives from colleges, universities and training providers are available to discuss subject choices and different routes into chosen professions.
Years 8/9 E3 Employer Engagement Event
Local and national employers deliver short presentations on the labour market and employability skills. Students are able to ask the employers what they want to know in a question and answer session that follows.
Year 10 Preparing for Success (P4S)
Our Preparing for Success event involves employers from organisations as diverse as solicitors, The Civil Service, Recruitment Consultants and large corporates such as Citibank, giving our students the opportunity to experience a formal one-to-one interview. Students prepare a CV and choose their own attire for the event, so employers can also give feedback on their performance and their presentation. Students are also prepared in advance of their practice interviews by attending a body language and positive projection workshop.
Students have said that this experience increased their confidence, eased their fears and helped them with their preparation and presentation skills for Work Experience and thereafter college, university or employment interviews.
Interviewers also thoroughly enjoy the day, and are always delighted to experience the maturity and professional attitude of our students.
Work Experience
All Year 10 students benefit from a week of Work Experience in the summer term where they can hone their employability skills.
Sixth Form Level 3 BTEC National students undertake a full day's Work Experience every week to support their vocational studies.
These formal opportunities to experience the work place are supplemented by one-off opportunities such as Insight Days.
Encounters with Further and Higher Education
Our extensive Aspirations programme has given hundreds of our students in Years 7 - 11 the chance to visit at least one university campus. Year 12 begins with every student visiting a University Open Event and there are many other opportunities for our students to encounter representatives from higher education, further education, and apprenticeship providers throughout their time in the Sixth Form.