Careers Policy

Staff Responsible: Kathryn Burns (KBU)

SLT Responsible: Gwyn Ap Harri (GAP), Andy Sprakes (ASP) & Jamie Portman (JPO) 

Trust Governor Responsible: Dr. Jean Harris-Evans

Created: November 2019

Next Review: November 2021

Introduction

Careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) is an essential part of the support we offer to learners at XP School. Effective careers support can help to prepare young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life in the real world; it can help them to make decisions and manage transitions as learners and workers. As options for young people become more varied and complex, it is vital that we support them to develop the knowledge and skills they need to make informed decisions for their future. As a result, the careers programme has a whole-school remit designed to complement the rest of the school curriculum.

The school has a designated and committed careers lead who is responsible for the implementation of this policy and to liaise with external partners, such as employers, learning providers and careers guidance services to ensure that the various elements of the whole school’s CEIAG provisions are coordinated and managed through a stable, embedded programme that meets the expectations set out in the Gatsby Benchmarks. The school also has a named partnership and transition lead who ensures the learners journey into the school, throughout their school life and onto their next destination, is planned, sequential and ensures that a broad and varied range of experiences and opportunities are made on offer available. 

This policy sets out explains how CEIAG provisions are embedded in the curriculum and explains what all stakeholders can expect from the careers programme.

Aims and objectives

The XP School careers programme aims to:

• Provide a stable and embedded programme that meets the expectations set out in the Gatsby Benchmarks 

• Provide each learner with high quality, impartial advice on Careers.

• Provide a range of opportunities and experiences to nurture and develop the essential employability, enterprise and life skills required to thrive in a modern world

• Be fully embedded into the learners’ experience of the whole curriculum

• Encourage all learners to carefully consider their career options throughout Key Stage 3 and 4

• Encourage all learners to explore and experience a range of potential destinations and higher education pathways throughout their post-16 programmes

• Encourage all learners to develop confidence in making informed decisions and career choices which are suitable and ambitious for them

• Develop an understanding of the world of work and how to respond effectively to the demands of... changes in today's workplace

• Raise aspirations and promotes equity whilst tackling perceived barriers and stereotyping of the labour market

Learner Entitlement

All learners are entitled to be fully involved in an effective CEIAG programme.

They are encouraged to take an active role in their own career development, so the careers programme emphasises learner participation with a focus on self-development, learning about careers and the world of work and developing career management and employability skills.

During their time at school, all learners can expect:

• Support and guidance needed to help learners make informed choices when deciding their pathways and progression choices at important stages of their school journey such as 'common mission' curriculum at Y9, GCSE subjects, Post 16 and entry into employment or HE.

• Access up-to-date and unbiased information on future learning and training, careers and labour market.  This is supported by the use of the XP careers hub webpage and START profile  

• Support to develop self-awareness and career management skills 

• Career sessions during crew time from Y7 to Y13 covering reflection of career encounters, options and pathways post 16 and post 18, the world of work, the labour market, jobs for the future and career skills. These are captured digitally as an on-going process through the learners journey at the school.

• Throughout each year to experience many meaningful encounters with representatives from experts, external and internal stakeholders, local employers and the world of work, each school year; this could be through work placements, internships, World of Work workshops, community meetings, careers links embedded in each expedition, field work and visits.

• To hear from a range of education and training providers, including colleges, universities and apprenticeship programmes; this will include visits and taster days, as well as crew community meetings and workshops. Mentors from businesses and employers will deliver master classes and a ‘day in the life’ sessions

• The opportunity to relate what they learn through expeditions to their life and careers beyond school

• Regular opportunities to talk through their career and educational choices with expedition teachers, learning coaches, crew leaders, assistant principles and the careers lead.

• Access to one-to-one guidance with a trained, impartial careers lead every year at XP. Further meetings upon request and access to an adviser independent of the school can also be requested.

• The school to keep parents/carers informed of their progress and provide parents/carers with information to support students’ career planning and decision-making. Learners will also be expected to include careers from the expeditions in their SLC to parents/carers. Parents/carers can attend careers meetings, by prior arrangement. The evidence will be recorded in the learners start profile which can be viewed at any time by parents or employers

• To be asked their views and critique about the service they have received to ensure that the service continues to meet the needs of the learners.

Parental involvement

Young people do not make career decisions in isolation and parents/carers can have a substantial impact, as well as a clear interest in the right outcomes for their young person. The school is keen to foster parental involvement in the careers programme, wherever possible. Specific sessions giving advice on career pathways and opportunities will be offered to parents throughout the learners journey at school.

Events for parents and carers

Using the start profile, crew leaders will collate learners’ career aspirations for a minimum of three times a year to allow discussions around progress relating to next steps, career ideas and career planning, as well as academic progress which is presented during SLCs.   

Parents and carers can access start profile to be kept up to date with career-related events and activities affecting their son/daughter in addition to letters and texts home, the school’s careers hub website and social media. 

In addition, specialist information events for parents and carers include key stage 4/GCSE choice “common mission”, apprenticeship opportunities, as well as options and pathways to post-16 and post-18. Parents and carers are welcome to attend careers meetings, by prior arrangement and are welcome to contact the careers lead at school, should they have any questions or concerns.

elivery of the Careers Programme

The content of the taught careers education programme is based around the learning outcomes outlined in the CDI Careers Framework (see references).

Year 7

Key activities: Introduction to careers; KS4/GCSE options choices

Working alongside experts and completion of fieldwork, expeditions include the world of work, how salaries relate to different jobs, stereotyping around jobs, how to find out about jobs, the skills needed for work, the jobs of the future, the geography of jobs. 

Activities which will support the “common mission” KS4/GCSE choices process.

By the end of Year 7, all learners will have had the opportunity to:

• Be registered and have further developed a personalised start profile which is bespoke and responsive to their passions and interests

• Be introduced to career resources to help them understand their preferences and the options open to them

• Develop their self-awareness by presenting careers related to their expeditionary work during SLCs

• Hear from or talk to expedition experts, stakeholders and representatives from the world  of work

• Attend a one-to-one initial careers meeting supported by start profile

Year 8

Key activities: Develop a deeper understanding of careers; KS4/GCSE options choices

Activities which will support the “common mission” KS4/GCSE choices process.

By the end of Year 8, all learners will have had the opportunity to:

• Be registered and have further developed a personalised start profile which is bespoke and responsive to their passions and interests

• Develop their use of career resources to help them understand their preferences and the options open to them

• Develop their self-awareness by presenting careers related to their expeditionary work during SLCs

• Hear from or talk to expedition experts, stakeholders, representatives from the world  of work

• Receive support to make the right “common mission”, KS4/GCSE choices from school community

• Complete the Peter Jones, Tycoon enterprise programme 

• Attend a one-to-one developmental careers meeting supported by start profile

Year 9

Key activities: Develop a deeper understanding of careers; KS4/GCSE options choices

Activities which will support the “common mission” KS4/GCSE choices process.

By the end of Year 9, all learners will have had the opportunity to:

• Be registered and have developed a personalised start profile which is bespoke and responsive to their passions and interests

• Develop their use of career resources to help them understand their preferences and the options open to them

• Develop their self-awareness by presenting careers related to their expeditionary work during SLCs

• Hear from or talk to expedition experts, stakeholders, representatives from the world  of work

• Receive support to make the right “common mission”, KS4/GCSE choices from school community

• Attended at least one University Engagement Day

• Completed a careers skills day

• Attend careers workshops on choices, pathways and the benefits of HE and apprenticeships

• Attend a one-to-one developmental careers meeting supported by start profile to support common mission choices

Year 10  

Key activities: Work placements and mock interviews

Lessons delivered during crew include preparing to find and carry out work placements; CVs, applications and interview technique in preparation for mock interviews; an introduction to post-16 options. These activities are supplemented with after-school support sessions in Extended Study with device access.

By the end of Year 10, all learners will have had the opportunity to:

• Be registered and have developed a personalised start profile

• Develop a deeper understanding of Post -16 progression, including entry criteria and the different routes to University, Apprenticeships and college.

• Develop their self-awareness and career management skills, including writing a CV

• Experience at least one week workplace

• Complete an assessment day provided by an external employer

• Be interviewed by someone from the world of work

• Experience taster sessions in XP16 as well as other post-16 providers

• Attend one-to-one careers meetings supported by start profile to establish employer options for workplace 

r 11 

Key activities: Post-16 applications

Learners will learn how to write a personal statement for post-16 applications; get support on completing post-16 applications; hear from the Head of XP16, guest speakers about sixth form, college and apprenticeships during crew and community crew meetings; attend group sessions discussing the different post-16 pathways and key considerations when choosing post-16 options. These activities are supplemented with after-school support sessions in Extended Study with access to devices.

By the end of Year 11, all learners will have had the opportunity to:

• Use a range of sources of information (with support, as required) to explore Post-16 options

• Attend events in and out of school to speak to employers, colleges, training providers and universities

• Develop their self-awareness and career management skills

• Continue to develop the skills needed for a successful transition

• Attend a one-to-one careers meeting supported by start profile to develop post-16 progression and destinations 

• Apply for Post-16 options 

Career guidance meetings

Learners are entitled to appropriate guidance to meet their individual needs. The XP careers programme provides all learners at least one careers guidance meeting every academic year.  All learners are entitled to additional meetings upon request with the XP careers lead, Mrs Burns (kburns@xpschool.org)

Bespoke interventions and needs-based referral

The referral procedure works as follows:

• Head of school, Assistant Principals, crew leaders and SENCO should identify students who would benefit from early intervention, for example learners who are uncertain of their next-steps; learners with SEND; certain learners receiving pupil premium funding; or those who have potential to become NEET (Not in Employment Education or Training).

• In Y11, the Assistant Principal will prioritise further bespoke support to any learners based on their readiness to make post-16 decisions and the support they might need throughout the post-16 options process.

For those learners identified as being at risk of NEET, further interventions are arranged as appropriate for each learner. This support could include personalised curriculum in KS4, visits to colleges and training providers, contact with parents, support from other agencies and ongoing contact as the learner leaves school.

Learners may refer themselves for a careers meeting at any point, directly via the careers lead or crew leaders. An appointment with the careers leader will then be arranged. Learners are made aware of the careers advisor through assemblies and via crew sessions.

The careers advisor will record action plans on the SOS system at school as well as the online start profile. Learners will receive a copy and parents and staff have the option to see this information so they can support the process. 

Career information

Career information is available through relevant displays, Careers Hub website, cascaded via crew leaders and through community meetings. The careers library includes a range of university and college prospectuses, career guides, apprenticeship and employer information, as well as guides on job-search activities. The school careers website provides online resources and a range of reliable websites. 

Experts & External providers 

A prominent feature at XP schools is the benefit of the expeditionary model of curriculum and the involvement of real world learning, employer contact and an abundance of experts contributing to the curriculum delivery. This ensures a range of external providers are invited into school to support expeditions and the careers programme. These also include local colleges, universities, training providers, apprenticeship organisations, employers, school alumni, or staff from various projects and external partnerships. In all cases, such staff and organisations will be guided and supported to make their contributions as suitably bespoke and applicable to our student needs and interests. vetted for suitability by the relevant staff at school.

Management and staffing

The careers lead is responsible for taking a strategic lead and direction for the career programmes throughout the school and its curriculum working with the school leadership team, governance, management leads and Assistant Principles of each year.

The school also contracts a qualified independent from Doncaster Skills Academy to offer career guidance 

Careers is a part of all XP’s staff’s roles when delivering the academic and careers programmes. A broad range of further staff expertise and support is given throughout careers activities and careers learning at school including Assistant Principles, crew leaders, learning coaches and subject teachers. Dany Green & Mel Hewitt take a key role in supporting and administering career-related activities and events.

ff Development

A full and accessible calendar of training and support is available for all staff through internal staff days and external events. 

Crew leaders are supported in understanding the concepts, aims and programme for CEIAG at XP School at staff days, planning meetings and in-year team meetings. Sharing of good practice sessions and reflections on prior delivery are incorporated into our review processes and staff training days. 

The development of on-line resources and career information websites are promoted and available for all staff to further develop their personal development.

Dany Green attend conferences and careers network meetings, as well as SLT and governor links in order to keep up to date with best practice and legislation.

Updates and reports are given to the leadership and governance members at regular times throughout the year and governor links and visits into the school allow for further opportunities for staff development and career updating.

Resources

The school is committed to providing the resources to enable an effective careers programme, including adequate staffing, staff training and resources including startprofile.com.  

Links with employers, businesses and other external agencies continue to grow at XP School; by building on local community connections; as well as through the support of the Mel Hewitt. Enterprise adviser, Saj Karim, from local business Screwfix provides a range of careers related activities and enterprise opportunities throughout the school.  

The school is keen to promote equal opportunities, challenge stereotypes and address limiting beliefs. All students can access advice and guidance tailored to their needs with support to explore options that suit their preferences, skills and strengths. The safeguarding officer and SENCo work on early-identification of students requiring additional support, with no limit placed on how many times a student might access the careers advisor, Kathryn Burns 

Role models including alumni, apprentices and university learners will be brought in to raise aspirations and demonstrate what is possible after XP School, while non-traditional routes are supported and encouraged.

The destinations of school-leavers are tracked, and trends identified in order to inform future planning and suitability of activities and provision

The use of the start profile to produce Gatsby benchmark specific reports informed by actual student preferences and experiences throughout their careers programme will  give further valuable evidence on the impact and progress of the schools programme

Monitoring and evaluation

When monitoring the success of the careers programme, the school considers formal and informal measures, qualitative and quantitative data and hard and soft outcomes for learners.

A nominated member of leadership is linked to the careers programme and reports to the Governance and Director members of the Trust. 

The careers programme is evaluated in a number of ways, including:

• Learners critique on their experience of the careers programme and what they gained from it

• Staff critique on careers lessons, work shadowing, mock interviews etc

• Gathering informal feedback from external partners and from parents

• Quality assurance of careers lessons as part of the crew time programme

• Learners destination figures post-16 and post-18.

• Careers and enterprise compass report

XP School will be working to achieve the Gold Quality Award in CEIAG (Prospects)