Careers Education Policy

Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance

The School's Careers Leader is Miss C Shanahan who can be contacted via email at c shanahan@buckinghamschool.org or telephone 01280 812206.

CEIAG/Careers Outline Policy and Plan

Summary:

To provide Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance to all Year groups 7-13
To promote Careers to all students using a combination of internal and external providers
To promote the value of aspiring to and attending University
To promote the value of aspiring to Careers via alternative pathways such as Post-16/18 College study and employment opportunities, plus apprenticeships at all levels

The Buckingham School Careers Policy: Guiding Principles

The Buckingham School is committed to providing students with multiple safe opportunities to encounter the world of work and careers pathways (Higher Education, employment, apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships) from Years 7 - 13. This is in line with our mission statement and core values, and we strive to provide a caring, secure environment in which each pupil can discover and realise their own potential.

1. Introduction:

Careers Education Information and Guidance (CEIAG) is statutory from Year 7 onwards and The Buckingham School fully embraces the stipulations of the Education Act 2011 and other statutory guidelines from the Department for Education (DfE). As well as offering our own Careers Guidance pathways, we will also be commissioners of external programmes of guidance from Years 7 - 13. The school also acknowledges the OECD definition of Careers Guidance as: “Career guidance refers to services and activities intended to assist individuals, of any age and at any point throughout their lives, to make educational, training and occupational choices and to manage their careers.”

The activities may take place on an individual or group basis, and may be face-to-face or at a distance (including help lines or web-based services).

Furthermore, at The Buckingham School we are committed to provide ‘Outstanding’ CEIAG for all students. We recognise that an overwhelming majority of our parents and students place great emphasis on accessing Higher Education and we will continue to meet that need. All students are able to achieve but can only fulfil their potential if they understand themselves, their abilities and the possibilities available to them.

2. Aims of CEIAG

a) Self Development: Young people should be able to understand themselves and the influences on them
b) Career Exploration: Young people should be able to investigate opportunities in learning and work
c) Career Management: Young people should be able to make and adjust plans to manage change and transition

Policy Statement:

Under the Technical and Further Education Act 2017 we ensure external education opportunities and training providers have access to our students. We facilitate this opportunity by:

Being open to all parties and accepting the variety of options which our students will all benefit to hear from
Ensuring that appropriate level of access be granted whether by: a stand at our annual careers fair, assembly deliver or one to one/small group presentation
The level of access is to be discussed with the external party to agree a conducive delivery of information to the student at an appropriate and safe time and place

Student Development:

a) Self Development - Students should be able:

To assess their achievements, qualities and skills
To present this information as appropriate
To use this information for personal development
To set career and learning targets
To recognise and deal accordingly with influences on their attitudes, values and behaviour in relation to work

b) Career Exploration - Students should be able:

To understand the nature of work and people’s attitudes to it
To use a variety of sources of careers information
To use work experience to improve chances
To understand employment trends

c) Career Management - Students should be able:

o use decision-making techniques
To understand and use sources of help
To make informed and appropriate choices at each stage of transition (Key Stage 3 - Key Stage 4; Key Stage 4 Key Stage 5; Key Stage 5 - Leaving School)
To make and manage changes as appropriate
To understand job / learning applications and the requirements of interviews
To understand rights and responsibilities in the workplace

3. Careers Education and Guidance

Careers Education helps individuals to develop the skills, knowledge and understanding required to make appropriate choices, to manage transitions in learning and to move successfully into work. Careers Education takes place mainly through work in lessons, external providers delivering on and off site and assemblies. Careers Guidance is a means of enabling individuals to apply the skills, knowledge and understanding they have learned to make appropriate decisions about learning and moving into work. It should be impartial, client centred and confidential. Careers Guidance takes place mainly through individual and group support.

OUTCOMES:

By the end of Year 7 students will have developed self-awareness: ability to describe their strengths and weaknesses and their preferences.

By the end of Year 8 students will have been exposed to information around a wide range of careers and have an understanding of the importance of the range of skills required to be successful in their chosen field.

In Year 8 students have interviews prior to choosing GCSE options. Parents and students are invited to attend a Year 8 Options Evening which includes careers guidance counsellors.

Next Review Date

The next review is December 2023 and will be based on the careers programme evaluation process.