Careers

Careers

We combine our students’ formal education with personalised, independent and informed careers guidance. This provides our boys with the knowledge and understanding of what they need to do to meet their future career goals, as well as giving them the tools to build their career pathways.

Year 7

In Year 7, we work with students to learn about themselves and their interests, the importance of challenge and staying positive and begin exploring their future and the world of work. We also increase students’ knowledge of where to find useful information and develop their employability skills.

Year 8

Students increase their knowledge of the job market and their own self-awareness of what motivated them to help them be successful. There is a focus on aiming high, and a call to social action.

Year 9

Students receive information to support them with their GCSE subject choices and pathways for the future. We consolidate their knowledge and begin to develop their understanding of behaviours for work and their own self-development. Students receive careers interviews from an Independent Careers advisor during the course of the academic year.

Year 10

Students begin the process for Work Experience which will take place in the Summer Term of that academic year. An assembly introduces them to the process and we support students in finding their own placements with preparation for a CV and covering letter. Our careers programme also begins to explore post-16 options with students and job application processes.

Year 11

Students review and debrief from their work experience placements and identify lessons learned from this process. We continue to support students in understanding different qualifications and routes available to them and in recognising skills needed for the workplace.

Work Related Learning

The school offers all students work related learning from Year 7 – Year 11 through a wide range of subjects, specific work experience, personal development lessons, form time and employer contact. All teaching members of staff contribute to careers education and guidance through their roles as tutors and subject teachers.

Science, technology and mathematics teachers (STEM) subject teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.

Careers information is also shared during assemblies, Personal Development lessons, subject lessons, Parent Information Evenings, Parents’ Evenings and specialist careers events.

National Careers Week is celebrated in March with a specific focus on supporting students and a Careers Fair.

Additional Support

Students on the SEN register and qualifying Pupil Premium students. Selected Year 10 students attend small workshops to assist with understanding work experience, preparation and applications.

Evaluation and Measures

The school records all destination information for Year 11 leavers and adapts the careers programme to reflect the changing trends amongst our students and the labour market.

We complete the Gatsby Compass evaluation tool each year to monitor the impact of our careers programme.

Students and staff complete yearly evaluations of the careers programme and this is used to adapt and improve the programme

Please contact Miss Boughton – Assistant Headteacher and Careers Lead for any careers related queries – careers@bwsboys.org