Intent, Implementation and Impact
Intent
The careers programme reflects the school's intention to prepare students for life in modern Britain and fulfil the mission statement of 'engaging minds, broadening horizons'. We want our students to make a positive contribution to their local community now and in the future, as well as recognise and embrace the wealth of opportunities that are available to them within the north-east and also beyond. We want to help the young people of Seaham make informed decisions about their own futures, managing key transition points with confidence and positivity. The careers programme reinforces key elements of the school's overall vision, which includes (but is not limited to) developing:
Our '6R's' of being responsible, respectful, reflective, resilient, responsive and also a risk-taker.
A lifelong 'love for learning' and curiosity about the world around us
Students' ability to debate with others, listen to different points of view and contribute their own ideas
Awareness of British Values and their relevance in the society in which we live
The skills that will be required to be a productive member of a twenty-first century workforce
Students' emotional and physical well-being, and their capacity to be independent
Links between the school, the regional business community and further / higher education establishments
Implementation
Our CEIAG provision starts from Year 7, and focuses around employability skills and preparation for key milestones such as the options process in Year 9 and decisions relating to post-16 choices that are made in Year 11. The entitlement for each student includes the following:
Careers guidance that is independent and impartial
Access to high-quality, relevant and current information on the full range of education, employment and training opportunities that are available to them
A stable programme of advice and guidance that is delivered by people with appropriate training, experience and qualifications
Opportunities to engage with employers and education and training providers at key transition points
Meaningful encounters with employers and / or employees linked to different curriculum areas
Access to high quality LMI (labour market information) that can be used to help make informed decisions
At least one careers guidance interview with a Level 6 qualified careers professional, on a 1:1 basis
At least one experience of a workplace (either in-person or virtual)
The delivery of CEIAG incorporates a wide variety of delivery methods:
Careers-themed units within weekly timetabled PHSE lessons for all year groups (the careers-related 'Living in the Wider World' content comprises one-third of the PHSE curriculum)
NECOP activities e.g. 'FutureMe' programmes with Y10 students
Use of 'Unifrog', an online careers platform for which each student their own account (and can continue to access for two years after they leave school)
Posting opportunities for students e.g. college open evenings and apprenticeship vacancies on a dedicated section of the careers portal
Extra-curricular activities and enrichment events (e.g. guest speakers, online Q+A sessions, motivational speakers, careers talks)
Visits to post-16 providers e.g. sixth-form colleges and universities
Careers-themed assemblies that are calendared as part of the school's assembly programme
Explicit links to careers and the labour market within regular timetabled lessons, which are commented upon in quality assurance activities
Opportunities to develop key skills by getting involved with projects such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the National Citizenship Service
Individual careers guidance interviews with a qualified careers professional. These usually take place in Y11, but students can self-refer if they feel they need support earlier.
Additional support from Durham Works e.g. mentoring, groupwork sessions and employer engagement opportunities for a cohort of eligible students each academic year
Activities to coincide with National Careers Week on an annual basis
Impact
The impact of the school's CEIAG provision is audited on a termly basis, by using Compass+ to assess the extent to which each Gatsby Benchmark is being met (see section under 'information for parents'). The careers leader meets regularly with the Careers Hub Facilitator from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership to discuss best practice and review the school's provision, and is also in contact with other careers leaders from schools within the academy trust. Perhaps the clearest indicator of the success of the careers programme is the number of students who become NEET (not in education, employment or training) after they leave school. This figure has historically been very low, and reflects the success we have in supporting students to take their next steps.
2022: 2.2% of students NEET (County Durham average 3.1%)
2021: 1.3% of students NEET (County Durham average 2.9%)
2020: 1.2% (County Durham average 3.1%)
2019: 0.7% (County Durham average 2.6%)
2018: 2.6% (County Durham average 2.6%)
Figures taken from the local authority's annual indicative activity survey reports. 2022 %data published is reflective of recent NEET updates from the retrospective survey report.