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.
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
At St Martin’s School, we run a diverse careers curriculum throughout the school, starting with all Year Groups signing up to a START profile. START is an online careers platform, designed to connect 11-18 year olds with their future career potential. With hundreds of partners, including Vodaphone, Microsoft and the NHS, it combines the most comprehensive source of information with a personalised pupil experience and tracking system for teachers and parents/carers.
Pupils are encouraged to produce an individual portfolio including a CV, personal statement and achievements.
There are varied opportunities throughout each department within the school. Each area is dedicated to providing skills and information related to the subject area, and providing encounters with relevant employers.
Years 7 – 9
Pupils in years 7 - 9 are given the chance to develop their entrepreneurial skills during enterprise events, which are run at various points during the school year. There are also frequent events, including assemblies on GCSE and career options in years 8 and 9. Pupils in Year 9 also receive advice regarding their GCSE choices, and the pathways attached to those.
Years 10-11
- Careers advice and guidance, including a 1:1 appointment with a professionally trained impartial careers adviser.
- Talks by professional speakers from a spectrum of professions.
- Dedicated careers civics and tutor sessions.
- Appropriate information and advice on applying to university, apprenticeships and preparing for the world of work at key points of Key Stage 4.
- Encounters with employers through the different subject departments.
Pupils/Students
Pupils and students 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 career activities designed to help pupils/students 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 we are implementing the benchmarks in the school setting. Please see the link below for a more in-depth explanation of the benchmarks.
Careers Policy including Provider Access Statement
Further information for pupils and parents/carers:
Paths to Careers a Parent's Guide
www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/
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 Lead
Telephone: 01277 238300
Email: afrappell@st-martins.essex.sch.uk
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 Lead
Telephone: 01277 238300
