Student entitlement

At Ferryhill School, all students are entitled to a high-quality programme of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG). This entitlement ensures that every student receives the support, information and guidance they need to make informed decisions about their future. 

Ferryhill School’s CEIAG programme is designed to meet the needs of all pupils from Year 7 through to Year 11, in line with the Department for Education’s statutory careers guidance, updated in June 2026. The programme is differentiated to ensure progression and accessibility, with targeted support for disadvantaged pupils, those eligible for Pupil Premium, Looked After Children, students with SEND and others who may face barriers to progression.  We actively promote equality of opportunity and inclusion.

Our CEIAG programme is informed by the updated Gatsby Benchmarks, which are now the framework used to plan and evaluate high-quality careers provision. It is supported by the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), alongside a range of trusted employers and education and training providers. 

Leadership & Strategic Responsibility

The careers programme at Ferryhill School is strategically led by Miss Hanson (Careers Leader) and overseen by the Senior Leadership Team and Governing Body, ensuring that careers provision is fully embedded within the school improvement plan. Regular reports on careers provision and student destinations are shared with SLT and governors to monitor impact and progress.

Our careers programme is formally reviewed each year, using feedback from students, parents, staff, and employers to ensure it remains relevant, ambitious, and high quality. Student voice is central to shaping our careers programme, with regular feedback gathered through surveys and focus groups. 

Careers Programme Overview

We publish a year‑by‑year careers programme plan on our website, outlining the key activities for each year group, including lessons, trips, employer encounters, and personal guidance. This enables pupils and parents to see the opportunities available at each stage.

Personal Careers Guidance

Every Year 11 student receives a one-to-one personal guidance meeting with an appropriately qualified careers adviser, trained to Level 6 or above. Guidance is impartial and personalised and supports students to consider their interests, skills, aspirations and the full range of post-16 pathways.

Additional or earlier guidance is available according to individual need, particularly when students are making significant study or career decisions or require additional support. Students, parents/carers and staff can request additional careers guidance by contacting the Careers Leader.

Provider Access & Encounters

In line with Provider Access legislation, pupils at Ferryhill School receive the mandatory provider encounters that apply during Years 8–11.

These comprise:

• two mandatory encounters during Year 8 or between 1 September and 28 February of Year 9

• two further mandatory encounters during Year 10 or between 1 September and 28 February of Year 11.

These encounters take place during the standard school day, are mandatory for all pupils in these year groups, and within each key phase pupils encounter two different providers. 

These encounters enable pupils to learn directly from providers about technical education qualifications, apprenticeships, progression routes and what learning or training with different providers is like.

Ferryhill School also provides additional encounters with colleges, training providers, universities and employers to broaden students’ understanding of future pathways.

Further information can be found in our Provider Access Policy Statement.

Employer Engagement & Labour Market Information

We work closely with a broad range of local, regional and national employers to help students understand the world of work, the skills employers value and the opportunities available within different sectors. 

Every student should have at least one meaningful encounter with an employer each year from Year 7 onwards. 

Students and parents/carers are also supported to access and use up-to-date labour market information so that career and progression decisions are informed by current local and national opportunities. 

Higher Education & Raising Aspirations

Although Ferryhill is an 11‑16 school, we ensure pupils are aware of higher education opportunities through visits, workshops, and outreach activities with local universities. Our careers programme is designed to challenge stereotypes and raise aspirations, empowering every student to pursue ambitious pathways.

Work Experience

Ferryhill School is developing a progressive programme of meaningful experiences of workplaces in line with the strengthened Gatsby Benchmark 6 and the Department for Education’s statutory careers guidance, updated in June 2026.

Across Years 7–9, students take part in multiple, varied and meaningful employer-led work experience activities. These are designed to help students explore different industries, careers and workplaces and to develop their understanding of the skills, behaviours and opportunities associated with the world of work. Wherever possible, activities will take place within workplaces and involve meaningful interaction with a diverse range of employers.

Across Years 10–11, students have the opportunity to undertake meaningful, in-person and immersive work experience placement activity. At Ferryhill School, all Year 10 students take part in the school’s one-week work experience placement, giving them the opportunity to experience a real working environment, interact with employees and develop workplace knowledge, skills and behaviours.

Meaningful work experience should have a clear purpose and learning outcomes, provide opportunities for students to undertake relevant activities or tasks, include interaction with employees and employer feedback, and be followed by opportunities for students to reflect on what they have learned.

From September 2026, schools are expected to begin reforming their work experience programmes towards the government’s ambition that every pupil has the opportunity to take part in two weeks’ worth of work experience during Key Stages 3 and 4. This is made up of:

• one week’s worth of work experience activities across Years 7–9

• one week’s worth of work experience placement activity across Years 10–11.

Ferryhill School is continuing to develop its careers and employer-engagement programme towards this model, ensuring that experiences are progressive, inclusive and accessible to all students.

Curriculum & Careers in Subjects

Careers learning is embedded across the curriculum so that students understand how the knowledge and skills they develop in school relate to future education, training and employment. 

Every year, in every subject, every pupil should have opportunities to learn how the knowledge and skills developed in that subject can help people enter and succeed in a wide range of careers. 

Subject staff highlight relevant careers, progression routes, qualifications and employability skills within their curriculum. Careers learning is further supported through Personal Development, tutor activities, Careers Week and other whole-school opportunities.

Skills Development

Students are supported to develop the knowledge, confidence and essential skills needed for future education, training and employment. This includes communication, teamwork, problem solving, planning, adaptability and leadership. 

Students also receive practical support with CV writing, interview preparation, applications and understanding academic, technical, vocational and apprenticeship pathways. 

Tracking & Evaluation

We use Compass+ to monitor progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks and to record students’ participation in careers activities and personal guidance.

We also use information about aspirations, intended destinations, actual destinations, student participation and agreed careers actions to identify where additional support may be needed. 

The impact of the programme is reviewed using student, parent/carer, staff, employer and provider feedback, Future Skills Questionnaire information where used, destination data and sustained destination information. 

This evidence is used to identify strengths, address gaps and continually improve careers provision. 

What Students Are Entitled To (Years 7‑11)

All students are entitled to:

• impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance from Year 7 to Year 11

• access to information about the full range of academic, technical, vocational and apprenticeship pathways

• at least one meaningful employer encounter each year from age 11

• meaningful experiences of workplaces and work experience

• encounters with further education, apprenticeship and training providers

• opportunities to learn about higher education

• careers learning linked to curriculum subjects

• access to current labour market information

• at least one personal-guidance meeting with a careers adviser by the age of 16

• tailored support where additional needs or barriers to progression exist

• support with applications, employability skills and transition to post-16 education or training.

Equality, Inclusion and Additional Support

The careers entitlement applies to every student. 

Opportunities and support are tailored where appropriate for students with SEND, disadvantaged students, Looked After Children, students who are persistently absent, those at risk of becoming NEET and others who may experience barriers to progression. 

Our careers programme actively seeks to raise aspirations, challenge stereotypes and misconceptions and ensure that every student is encouraged to consider the widest possible range of pathways and careers. 

Where a student has an EHCP, careers guidance is informed by their aspirations and preparation-for-adulthood outcomes. 

Accessing Careers Support

Students, parents/carers and staff are encouraged to engage with the careers programme and can request additional support at any time.

Miss Hanson, Careers Leader, can be contacted: 

• In person

• By phone: 01740 651554

• By email: cha@ferryhill.school or careers@ferryhill.school

Students can also access careers information and resources through this website, school careers activities and the Careers Library.