Career Related Learning

The Academy supports legislation, national standards and best practice in careers. The academy’s careers education, information and guidance is overseen by Mrs T Meeks [Assistant Headteacher] Tel: 0115 822 1244 or Email: ceiag@parkvaleacademy.org.uk.

Park Vale Academy believes that:

Every student should have high quality, independent careers guidance to encourage them to be well informed when making subject and career decisions.
All students should participate in a range of activities to develop a range of employability skills preparing them for a working life which is right for them; will be enjoyable and provide economic well-being.

All students at Park Vale Academy should:

Expect information, advice and guidance as an entitlement and know where to access up to date information about work, training and educational opportunities.
Be given the opportunity to experience work related learning including a period of work experience (Y10).
Experience a range of career related activities including employer talks, career fairs, motivational speakers, college and university visits and mentors. [Baker Clause Policy 2022-2023]

Students are further encouraged to be good citizens and to: volunteer in the community; do charity work; raise funds for charities; respond to international situations; take care of the environment; recycle and play a part in the development of the Academy and the community.

Students will receive face to face guidance and support with careers research to ensure they are fully ready to make well informed decisions about their career pathways. All students will undertake career learning as part of their tutor time activities. All students have access to Unifrog – a whole-school careers and destinations platform that allows students to compare apprenticeships, School Leaver Programmes, and Further Education courses in the UK, as well as MOOCs worldwide.

The Government’s careers strategy 4, published on 4 December 2017, sets out a long term plan to build a world class careers system that will help young people and adults choose the career that is right for them. To achieve this aim, the careers strategy sets out that every school and academy providing secondary education should use the Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Benchmarks to develop and improve their careers provision.

The New Career Development Framework 2021

The Career Development Institute has identified the six career development skills that people need to have positive careers. These six skills are the learning areas that career development programmes and interventions should focus on. The Academy uses the New Career Development Framework to help design and implement our careers programme.

Monitoring and Evaluation

Monitoring of the activities and the guidance taking place will include observations by SLT and feedback from students and those engaged in activities (e.g. parents, colleges, and employers). Outcomes will be reported to Governors on an annual basis.

Impact will be measured by:

Attainment and destination of students – closing the gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and others.
NEET figures.
Questionnaires – trend analysis
Focus groups

Our career programme is developed with reference to:

The Career Development Institute – CDI’s Framework for career development sits alongside the Gatsby Benchmarks as an important planning document for career leaders in schools and colleges

Careers Guidance Action Plan – Government Response to Recommendations from Ofsted’s Thematic Review & National Careers Council’s Report – September 2013. DFE-00169-2013

Career Strategy – making the most of everyone’s skills and talents. December 2017. DFE-00310-2017

Career Guidance and access for education and training providers – statutory guidance for governing bodies, school leaders and school staff. October 2018. DFE-00002-2018

The Eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance

1. A stable careers programme	Every school should have an embedded programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents and carers, staff, governors, employers and other agencies.	Every school should have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of governors, the headteacher and the senior management team, and has an identified and appropriately trained careers leader responsible for it. • The careers programme should be tailored to the needs of pupils, sequenced appropriately, underpinned by learning outcomes and linked to the whole-school development plan. It should also set out how parents and carers will be engaged throughout. • The careers programme should be published on the school’s website and communicated in ways that enable pupils, parents and carers, staff and employers to access, and understand it. • The programme should be regularly evaluated using feedback from pupils, parents and carers, teachers and other staff who support pupils, careers advisers and employers to increase its impact.
2.Learning from career and labour market information	All pupils, parents and carers, teachers and staff who support pupils should have access to good-quality, up-to-date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities. Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers may require different or additional information. All pupils will need the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of available information.	During each Key Stage, all pupils should access and use information about careers, pathways and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options or next steps. • Parents and carers should be encouraged and supported to access and use information about careers, pathways and the labour market to inform their support for pupils in their care.
3.Addressing the needs of each student	Pupils have different careers guidance needs at different stages. Careers programmes should help pupils navigate their concerns about any barriers to career progression. In addition, opportunities should be tailored to the needs of each pupil, including any additional needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils, young people with SEND and those who are absent.	A school’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge misconceptions and stereotypical thinking, showcase a diverse range of role models and raise aspirations. • Schools should keep systematic records of the participation of pupils in all aspects of their careers programme, including the individual advice given to each pupil, and any subsequent agreed decisions. • For pupils who change schools during the secondary phase, information about participation and the advice given previously should be integrated into a pupil’s records, where this information is made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition. • All pupils should have access to these records and use them ahead of any key transition points to support their next steps and career development. • Schools should collect, maintain and use accurate data for each pupil on their aspirations, intended and immediate education, and training or employment destinations to inform personalised support. • Schools should use sustained and longerterm destination data as part of their evaluation process and use alumni to support their careers programme.
4.Linking curriculum learning to careers	As part of the school’s programme of careers education, all teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. Subject teachers should highlight the progression routes for their subject and the relevance of the knowledge and skills developed in their subject for a wide range of career pathways.	Every year, in every subject, every pupil should have opportunities to learn how the knowledge and skills developed in that subject helps people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers. • Careers should form part of the school’s ongoing staff development programme for teachers and all staff who support pupils.
5.Encounters with employers and employees	Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.	*• Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer.***A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.
6.Experiences of workplaces	Every pupil should have first-hand experiences of workplaces to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks.	By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful experiences of workplaces. • By the age of 18, every pupil should have had at least one further meaningful experience.
7.Encounters with further and higher education	All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them, including academic, technical and vocational routes. This should incorporate learning in schools, colleges, independent training providers (ITPs), universities and in the workplace.	By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful encounters with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and ITPs.A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in that environment. • By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying for university should have had at least two visits to universities to meet staff and pupils.*
8.Personal guidance	Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance meetings with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These meetings should be available for all pupils whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be scheduled to meet their individual needs. The careers leader should work closely with the careers adviser, SEND coordinator (SENDCO) and other key staff to ensure personal guidance is effective and embedded in the careers programme.	Every pupil should have at least one personal guidance meeting with a careers adviser by the age of 16, and a further meeting by the age of 18. Meetings should be scheduled in the careers programme to meet the needs of pupils. • Information about personal guidance support and how to access it should be communicated to pupils and parents and carers, including through the school website.

To secure the Gatsby Benchmarks at the academy each year group will undertake a range of activities:

Year 11 :-

1-2-1 action planning through career guidance with the Academy’s Career Guidance Mentor.
Support with all post 16 applications.
Online career guidance and further information/ Unifrog.
Visiting speakers from post 16 providers to inform students of opportunities available to them.
Visiting representatives from business and industry to inform students of careers and career routes.
Career and Apprenticeship Fairs
Visiting speaker from National Citizenship Service.
6th Form and University visits.
Individual target setting reviewed at progress evening with parents/carers.
Continue with self-improvement work and character development to ensure that students have the skills, qualities and capabilities that employers need from the future workforce.
Revision planning and techniques workshops
Continual review of CV and update when appropriate.
1-2-1 mentoring.
Post 16 Induction Days.
Apprenticeship guest speakers.
Various subject related visits.
Careers Aspiration questionnaire.
Digital profile awareness.
After school enrichment.
Student leadership opportunities
Performing Art productions in school.
Returning students as a way of them inspiring our current students and for us to continue to share in their achievements. (Our Alumni Network)

Year 10 :-

1 weeks work experience
1-2-1 action planning through career guidance with the Academy’s Career Guidance Mentor.
Online career guidance and further information.
Visiting speakers from post 16 providers to inform students of opportunities available to them.
Visiting representatives from business and industry to inform students of careers and career routes.
Career and Apprenticeship Fairs.
Questionnaire – My Future.
Guidance by teachers about the links between curriculum learning and real life work.
Online career guidance and further information/ Unifrog
Preparation for work experience.
1-2-1 career guidance from Career Advisor to provide independent & impartial careers advice and promote the best interest of the student to whom it is given.
1-2-1 mentoring.
Individual target setting reviewed at progress evening with parents/carers.
Continue with self-improvement work and character development to ensure that students have the skills, qualities and capabilities that employers need from the future workforce.
Create CVs and personal statements of strengths and weaknesses.
Continue exploring pathways.
Continue fund raising.
Digital profile awareness.
After school enrichment.
Student leadership opportunities
Performing Art productions in school.
Debrief of work experience week.
Sports – representing the Academy.
Duke of Edinburgh Award.

During Year 9 students will be exploring a variety of careers and pathways suitable to their own individual aspirations and option choices

Year 9 :

Individual target setting reviewed at progress evening with parents/carers.
Careers & Apprenticeships fair.
Visiting representatives from business and industry to inform students of links between classroom learning and work.
Making well informed option choices. Options evening consultation with parents and students – personal choices to be made in the best interest of the students’ future aspirations.
Peer Mentoring.
Students are given general advice by CTL’s/HOD about the courses offered by subject areas.
Post 16 providers at option evening to provide advice.
Online career guidance and further information/ Unifrog
Face to face career guidance to provide independent & impartial careers advice and promote the best interest of the student to whom it is given.
Visiting speakers.
Recognise the need for self-improvement.
Develop soft skills, e.g. team working, determination, resilience, self-confidence etc. as part of their character development in preparation for the world of work.
Careers research on National Careers Service website.
1-2-1 Career destination coaching – where do they see themselves in 5 years and how do they achieve it?
Continue exploring pathways.
Sports – representing the Academy.
Charity fund raising and community projects.
After school enrichment.
Student leadership opportunities
Performing Art productions in school.
Digital profile awareness.
After school enrichment.

Year 8 :

Mentoring advice to selected students on an individual basis against achievement.
Online career guidance and further information/ Unifrog
Visiting speakers.
Visiting representatives from business and industry to inform students of links between classroom learning and work.
Individual target setting reviewed at progress evening with parents/carers.
Peer Mentoring.
Sports- representing the Academy.
Develop soft skills, e.g. team working, determination, resilience, self-confidence etc. as part of their character development in preparation for the world of work.
Careers research on National Careers Service website.
Charity fund raising and community projects.
Digital profile awareness.
Student leadership opportunities
Performing Art productions in school
School student reception experience

During Year 7 students will be working with their own tutor group and year group on a range of careers related activities. The key area will be self-awareness and to identify their own strengths, weaknesses, skills and capabilities and how these relate to academic subjects and employability skills.

Year 7 :-

Recognition of own strengths and own areas of development.
Recognition of own skills, qualities and capabilities.
Personal development target setting to be discussed at Progress evenings with parents/carers.
Tutor mentoring.
Researching career websites/ Unifrog
Charity fund raising and community projects.
Problem solving – activities that will develop creativity and overcoming a problem in a team.
Sports – representing the Academy.
Digital Etiquette and safety.
Presentation Skills – develop skills needed for presenting.
School leadership opportunities
School student reception experience

Our Key Careers-related Memberships and Partnerships:

Careers Hub – Nottinghamshire South (Futures / D2N2 / Careers and Enterprise Company)

Business Network

Online careers-related resource platform. The Academy subscribes to the Unifrog platform which enables all students to explore their post-16 and post-18 options and labour market information.

Career programme evaluation tool

Member of the UK Register of Career Development Professionals

Next review: July 2026