Careers Guidance and Post 16

CAREERS GUIDANCE: Years 7-11

Careers Leader: Philippa Peploe

 Email: ppeploe@newparkacademy.org | Tel: 0161 532 3263

Careers Programme:

• Every pupil from year 7 to 11 has access to 1:1 independent careers advice from the school’s Careers Connect adviser
• All pupils have access from education and training providers at least once a year (see Provider Access Policy)
• The careers programme is underpinned by the Gatsby Benchmarks, and all planning, provision and evaluations are referenced against these

New Park continues to offer an extensive guidance package for year7-11 students. From year 7, students are encouraged to start thinking about their own futures in careers lessons – where they see themselves in the future, the things they want – and what they need to do to achieve these goals. This extends to other curriculum areas, where subject-specific skills are linked to potential jobs and careers, and further supported by external employers and training providers, who come into school to meet with students. They engage the students in a range of discussions, question and answer sessions, and sometimes set up mini projects over a number of weeks, where students are given the opportunity to learn and practise new skills that may be needed in a range of industries.

Provision becomes more sharply focused I year 11, on the transition to post-16 provision. All students have continued and regular access to a Careers Guidance Officer who is available one day a week. During year 11, the officer attends the reviews and assists with applications, interviews, CV writing, arrangements of visits to Colleges and Training Providers, sharing clear pathways for our students with the young people, their parents/carers and school staff, supported by school’s own counsellor who also has dedicated time for Post 16 Support. During the autumn term, time is also set aside for the previous year 11s who may have stumbled at the first post-16 hurdles, and regular exchange takes place between all parties, including parents/carers, college and training providers, to ensure the initially identified provision is still meeting the young person’s needs.

The Annual Review of students’ EHC Plans provide an opportunity for parents/carers to be kept up to date with the school’s provision, and to contribute to the planning of future provision.

If you would like to discuss any of this – whether you are a parent/carer, or a training provider/employer who would be interested in becoming a friend of the school, please contact Ian Thomas (details above)

 Transition New Park continues to offer an extensive guidance package for year 8-11 students, with particular focus on the transition from year 11 to Post 16 Provision. All students have access to a Careers Guidance Officer who is available one day a week. During year 11, the officer attends the reviews and assists with applications, interviews, CV writing, arrangements of visits to Colleges and Training Providers, sharing clear pathways for our students with the young people, their parents/carers and school staff, supported by school’s own counsellor who also has dedicated time for Post 16 Support. During the autumn term, sometime is also spent on the previous year 11s who may have stumbled across the first barriers, and regular exchange takes place between all parties, including parents, college and training providers to ensure the initially identified provision is still meeting the young person’s needs. Although there was a slight increase in the percentage of last year’s school leavers not meeting the duty to participate – 16.7% as opposed to 15% last year – it still shows improvement from the 24% and 22.7% from 2014 and 2015 respectively