Careers Guidance
Careers Guidance at St Martin’s School
“Good career guidance helps inspire students towards further study and enables them to make informed decisions whenever choices are open to them. It helps them to understand enough about the world of work to know what skills and qualifications they need to succeed. It is critical for social mobility because it helps open students’ eyes to careers they may not have considered.” Sir John Holman, senior advisor to the Gatsby Foundation.
At St Martin’s School, we ensure that all of our pupils have the opportunity to access a varied ‘Careers and Employability’ education. The Careers provision is regularly reviewed to ensure that we are meeting The Gatsby Benchmarks as detailed in the Government’s Careers Strategy.
Careers Policy including Provider Access Statement
The Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are:
1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance
https://www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance.
St Martin’s School Careers Curriculum, has been designed as a seven-year journey from when pupils start at our school in Year 7 until they leave after GCSEs or A Levels. Our intent is for pupils to have a clear understanding of the opportunities around them. In turn, they can utilise these to pursue a career that gives them job satisfaction and hones their skillset.
The Careers Curriculum is delivered through PSHE lessons, where every pupil in Years 7 to 11, has a short scheme of work on careers, relevant to their age group, assemblies, drop-down sessions and Careers and Aspirations Week in the Summer Term.
KS3
In Year 7, pupils start to consider their goals and aspirations, become aware of the local labour market and begin to meet employers. By Year 9, pupils have become increasingly aware of life beyond St Martin’s School, as they choose their GCSEs, already thinking about their Post-16 choices, including our Sixth Form and other local providers such as Chelmsford College.
In Year 9, pupils create an account on the career platform Unifrog, where they are able to take personality quizzes, explore subject and careers libraries and start logging their activities. Parents/carers are encouraged to create a parent account where they can track their child’s progress, and also make suggestions on pages for them to read and explore.
KS4
In Year 10, pupils are given the opportunity to create their CV on Unifrog, with a workshop delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions in the Autumn term. This prepares them for a 30 minute 1:1 interview with an employer using their CV in the Spring Term. Pupils receive personalised feedback on their interview technique and answers. In the Summer Term, pupils complete a week long Work Experience placement and gain invaluable insight into the working world, in a career path of their choice. This ensures that our pupils in Year 10 are ‘work ready’.
Pupils are also encouraged to complete virtual work experiences through Springpod, and there are numerous opportunities for pupils promoted on the homework app; Satchel.
During KS4, pupils receive 1:1 careers advice from the school’s Careers Advisor, Mrs Hobbs. The careers meeting and suggestions for their next steps are logged on Unifrog. Pupils can then proactively pursue the path that is right for them. Pupils in Year 11 are supported through their applications for either St Martin’s Sixth Form or, at least, two other providers.
KS5
Progressing into our Sixth Form, careers support continues with further opportunities to meet employers, complete Work Experience and receive 1:1 careers advice. Students in Year 13, are supported through their UCAS application. Our students will receive tailored support, depending on the university they are applying to. Students applying for apprenticeships or employment will receive support in updating their CVs, and they will be invited to take part in practice interview workshops.
Pupils
Pupils can access guidance from the Careers Team by appointment. This appointment can be made by emailing lhobbs@st-martins.essex.sch.uk or by dropping in to the Careers Office during break or lunch.
Parents/Carers
Every Year Group enjoys a set of bespoke careers activities designed to help pupils to develop the skills and confidence to make realistic and informed decisions about their futures, and to manage the transitions from one stage of their education, training and work to the next. This information will be reviewed annually in July.
A good careers programme is vital to all pupils to help raise their confidence, aspirations and to help them capitalise on the opportunities that are given to them. To ensure that we are providing the best careers programme we can, we have to follow the Gatsby Benchmarks. The eight benchmarks form a clear framework that has been put in place to ensure that we are following the statutory guidance, and it is our job to ensure that we are implementing the benchmarks in the school setting. Please see the link below for a more in-depth explanation of the benchmarks.
Further information for pupils and parents/carers:
Paths to Careers: a Parent's Guide
Contact Details:
Our Careers Lead, Alex Frappell, runs and promotes our Careers Programme throughout the school. If you wish to be part of the programme, please contact:
Mrs Alex Frappell, Careers and Aspiration Lead
Telephone: 01277 238300
Email: afrappell@st-martins.essex.sch.uk
