The Joseph Whitaker School

All students in Year 10 have a 1:1 Careers Meeting in school with either Steve or Yasmin from A.C.E Guidance Services,  both are Leve 6 qualified, independent careers advisors.  This is a high quality, nationally recognised professional qualification and is the sector’s standard for career development professionals. As members of the Career Development Institute (CDI), they work in accordance with the CDI’s Code of Ethics. As a Registered Career Development Professional (RCDP), they are required to update knowledge and practice through annual continued professional development activities.

Any students in Year 7 to 11 who would like to book an appointment can see Mrs Adams (Careers Lead)

For further information about A.C.E Guidance Services please visit their website here : https://www.aceguianceservices.co.uk/

Personal Career Guidance

What is 1:1 Personal Career Guidance? 

• An opportunity to speak to a qualified and impartial career guidance professional about your educational, training and work options, interests and goals. 
• Time to reflect on your experiences and skills and how these relate to different careers that interest you. 
• A chance to ask questions and check understanding of your options, course entry requirements and different qualification levels available. 
• Advice on what resources will help you to independently research your options, including up to date labour market information and guidance on how to use this effectively.  
• An opportunity to make an agreed plan of action that will help you to move forward towards an identified career. 

Good career guidance can help you to make good and informed decisions from the options available to you. 

We understand the importance and strongly encourage  meaningful encounters  between our students and employers with the aim to equip out students with the knowledge, understanding and skills to make a successful transition from education to the workplace.  

Each year, all our students have opportunities to engage with employers through our Careers Programme. (can we link back to the first page for the programme?)

This includes: 

• Mock Interviews
• Career and Pathway Talks
• Work Experience
• Careers Fair

Photo from careers fair and ISD??

We are very proud of our links with local and national businesses and are always looking to expand our partnerships.

We are particularly keen to hear from employers who can help link our subject-related curriculum in the classroom to the world of work/employment.  This could include visiting a class and running or supporting a lesson for example.  

The Joseph Whitaker School adheres to the Baker Clause that came into force in 2018. Providers of technical education, alternative 14-16 providers, FE colleges and apprenticeship providers are able to speak with our students about the opportunities available to them.

If you interested in providing any support for our students, please contact us and one of our Careers Leaders will be able to help facilitate this.

More information can be found in our Provider Policy.

Parents

 

Throughout the year we have various different career related events in school, these include an annual careers fair, our Year11 mock interview day. We also want to do more to link our students’ learning to the world of work.

If you or the company you work for would like to support us with these events then please get in touch here.

Below you will find an excellent list of information resources tailored to parents/carers.  These will help you to understand the educational and training options available to your child and how to support them with decision making. 

The UCAS website has specific information on post-16 education and training: https://www.ucas.com/further-education/post-16-finance-and-support/parents-and-carers 

For information about all things apprenticeships: https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/parents/their-career  

Parent information resources for apprenticeships can be downloaded: https://amazingapprenticeships.com/resources/  

Student Loans: https://www.slc.co.uk/students-and-customers/parents-and-partners-of-students.aspx 

Student Loan Repayments: https://www.slc.co.uk/students-and-customers/loan-repayment.aspx 

 

Key Stage 3 (Year 7, 8 and 9)

Year 7

• You will be delivered a series of PSHCE lessons looking at your soft skills, changes in life, your place in society and looking into the future.
• You will attend a careers fair where you will have encounters with a variety of employers and further and higher education providers.
• You will take part in a curriculum based projects with direct links to an employer.

Year 8

• You will undertake a series of lessons entitled ‘The World of Work’ You will be looking at self awareness, making decisions, goal planning, gender stereotypes and skills, values and qualities.
• You will attend a careers fair where you will have encounters with a variety of employers and further and higher education providers.
• You will take part in a curriculum based projects with direct links to an employer.

Year 9

• You will undertake a variety of lessons linked to the Options process, looking at your strengths and weaknesses, reasons for choosing a subject and where you would like to be in the future. You will also be introduced to UNIFROG, Start, ICould and the National Careers Website.
• You will have the opportunity to attend the Options Information Evening at the school in preparation for making your choices
• DANCOP will deliver ‘Where will my qualification take me?’, ‘Careers outside the box’, ‘Introduction to Careers in STEM’ sessions.
• You will attend a careers fair where you will have encounters with a variety of employers and further and higher education providers
• You will take part in an Enterprise competition that is delivered through a series of PSHCE lessons and concludes with a final judged by employers invited in from outside of school.
• You will take part in a curriculum based projects with direct links to an employer

What Next?

All staff are available to talk to you about option choices.

There are a number of websites to explore (If you are in Year 9 you will already have accessed some of these in your PSHCE lessons) Visit the Careers Hub to find the links to these resources

Key Stage 4 (Year 10 and 11)

Year 10

• You will be delivered a series of lessons during Life and Moral Skills looking at your skills and qualities and where you see yourself in the future. You will be supported in creating a CV.
• You have the opportunity to take part in work experience. You will be guided through this process and supported in contacted potential employers.
• You will take part in a ‘Employer Networking’ event which will involve you meeting a number of employers and finding out about their career field. You will also get the chance to ‘Have a Go’ in a number of different industries.
• DANCOP will deliver a number of sessions during Life and Moral skills, including ‘ Employability’, ‘Interview Skills’ and a ‘Transferable Skills’ in a workshop form.
• You will attend a careers fair where you will have encounters with a variety of employers and further and higher education providers

Year 11

• Interview Skills Day – this is a chance to experience a real interview with an outside employer. They will have a copy of your CV and treat you as a potential employee taking part in an interview for their company. It is a chance for them to support you with interview skills and give you pointers and tips on both interview technique and your CV.
• You will have a variety of careers presentations and talks during registration.
• You will have a number of different employers and further education providers delivering careers assemblies.
• You will attend a careers fair where you will have encounters with a variety of employers and further and higher education providers

Work Experience

All students are encouraged to take part during the dedicated Work Experience week in the summer term. You will receive guidance and support from your Life and Moral Skills teacher, your form tutor and other members of staff in school. You will create a CV that you will be able to send to employers with a supporting letter or email.

You will be introduced to a database and provided with a username and password to find employers that have previously taken work experience students. You will have a half term to secure a place and when this has been confirmed you need to fill in a work placement form and hand it in to student services. From there, the school will use a company named ‘Safety Measures’ to carry out the health and safety checks and then your placement will be confirmed.

You will be briefed before you attend your placement and your form tutor will ring during the week to check your progress. On returning to school you will be de-briefed and evaluate the experience.

What Next?

• Talk to staff about different subjects post-16
• Attend careers/other providers assemblies and sign up to careers presentations and talks within school
• Look out for open days of different providers and the school Sixth Form
• Explore the websites listed in the careers hub

Labour Market Information

Understanding labour market information (LMI) is becoming increasingly important as the world of work changes. If you have asked any of the questions below you have been asking about LMI!

Understanding LMI can help inform and future proof your career choices, as well as support your career planning.

Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help research future jobs in the local area, understand the skills needed for certain roles and the demand for future employment.

LMI helps to break down the complex ‘world of work’– ranging from descriptions of different careers, their entry routes, promotional prospects, salaries paid, skills and qualifications needed, etc. Crucially for young people, LMI also covers future demand – what kinds of jobs will be in demand after leaving school and what kinds of skills will be needed.

We have sourced some links and resources for you to explore Labour Market Information both locally and nationally.

• www.nomisweb.co.uk/
• https://d2n2lep.org/data-centre/

Useful Links 

 All students have access to our unifrog platform which allows them to research options and opportunities, complete activities and record their careers-related interactions in one central place.  This includes Post 16 and a18 pathways. 

Students are encouraged to log on regularly to update their profile.  Sign into unifrog here: https://www.unifrog.org/sign-in

Career Advice and Labour Market Information:

Labour Market Information –

LMI Widget - http://www.lmiforall.org.uk/widget/

Career Advice –

Career Sectors: https://targetcareers.co.uk/career-sectors

National Careers Service: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/

Job Profiles: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

Job Descriptions: https://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/job-descriptions

Find a course: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/course-directory/home

Choosing a Career: https://targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/choosing-your-career

Skills Health Check: https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/skills-health-check/home     

 Employability:

Skills Development Opportunities and Experiences –

Duke of Edinburgh Award (DoE): https://www.dofe.org/

 Work Experience:

https://targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/skills-and-experience/388-work-experience-for-school-students-what-you-need-and-how-to-get-it

School Leaver CV:

https://targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/applications-and-interviews/198-how-to-write-a-cracking-school-leaver-cv

Post 16 and Post 18 Options:

Choosing A Levels:

 https://targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/a-level-choices/315491-what-a-level-subjects-should-i-take

Apprenticeships –

To search and apply for apprenticeships: https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch

Apprenticeship Resources: https://www.gov.uk/topic/further-education-skills/apprenticeships

Amazing Apprenticeships: https://amazingapprenticeships.com/

Apprenticeship Vacancies: https://amazingapprenticeships.com/vacancies/

Apprenticeship Resources: https://amazingapprenticeships.com/resources/

Degree Apprenticeships: https://www.ucas.com/alternatives/apprenticeships/apprenticeships-england/what-apprenticeships-are-available/degree-apprenticeships

Traineeships –

Traineeships: https://www.gov.uk/find-traineeship

University –

Choosing Degree Course: https://targetcareers.co.uk/uni/degree-subject-guides

Choosing University: https://targetcareers.co.uk/uni/choices-about-uni 

University Open Days: https://targetcareers.co.uk/uni/choices-about-uni/313867-how-to-make-the-most-of-university-open-days

Applying For University: https://targetcareers.co.uk/uni/applying-for-uni

UCAS: https://www.ucas.com/

Personal Statements: http://purepotential.org/

Student Finance: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance

Alternatives –

Sponsored Degrees etc.:  https://targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/work-v-uni/20-alternatives-to-university-after-a-levels-highers-or-the-ib

Gap Year: https://targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/gap-years/180-how-to-have-a-well-planned-gap-year

 

 

 

 

Did you study at The Joseph Whitaker School?
..What are you up to now?
....It would be great to hear from you!

We would like to create an alumni network to support current students with meaningful encounters with people in the world of work.

Can you imagine the benefit of speaking to someone who grew up in your community, went to your school and has now achieved a fulfilling and satisfying career? You could help demonstrate to current students just what is possible!

There are many ways in which you can help support current students such as:

• Providing information about your achievements for us to use in school
• Giving an assembly
• Taking part in a workshop
• Providing work experience
• Attending our annual careers fair

If you think this is something that you would like to be part of then please contact the school.

All our teachers embed careers learning through their subject classroom teaching in accordance with Gatsby Benchmark 4 (see below).  

Teachers can find useful careers-related resources linked to their curriculum area on the My Learning, My Future resources page - https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/ 

These resources help subject staff to: 

• Highlight the relevance of their subject to future careers and opportunities 
• Support students to understand pathways from each subject to future careers and opportunities 
• Highlight to students how they are developing essential skills in each subject 
• Embed careers in curriculum teaching and learning 

• Identify extra-curricular and employer engagement opportunities to enhance engagement in subject areas.  

All teachers also have access to the Unifrog platform which hosts a wealth of information about careers and post 16 and 18 pathways including FE/ HE apprenticeships, t-levels and more.