Careers Guidance
Work experience at Grange Academy
The Government's careers strategy aims to make sure that all young people in secondary education get a programme of advice and guidance that is stable, structured and delivered by individuals with the right skills and experience.
At Grange Academy we use the Gatsby Benchmarks to measure the quality of our provision.
The Gatsby Benchmarks
https://www.goodcareerguidance.org.uk/
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1. A stable careers programme |
Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers. |
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2.Learning from career and labour market information
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Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information. |
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3.Addressing the needs of each student
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Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout. |
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4.Linking curriculum learning to careers
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All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths. |
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5.Encounters with employers and employees
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Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes. |
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6.Experiences of workplaces
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Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks. |
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7.Encounters with further and higher education
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All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace. |
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8.Personal guidance
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Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made.
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A stable careers programme
At Grange Academy careers guidance is embedded into our curriculum from primary all the way through to secondary during our life skills sessions, in assemblies, during off timetable days, during subject teaching and during form time. In Key Stage 4 students who are able to will participate in a work placement program. This may be generally as a form out in the community or a 1-2 day placement, 1 week placement or ½ day release for an extended period of time.
Student in year Sycamore class who are not on placement participate in a programme of study to develop skills that will develop their confidence, understand their strengths and weaknesses and prepare them for transition and the world of work. This includes discussions about work experience, encounters with employers, employees and higher education providers, interview technique, CV writing, personal research in individual areas of interest and post 16-18 opportunities/pathways.
Learning from career and labour market information
In form times we use specific careers programmes and government websites to gather up-to-date information and learn about and explore live job, college and apprenticeship opportunities. We encourage all year 10 and 11 student to visit open days and also arrange bespoke Post 16 visits for parents and students so that they can get information about future study options.
Addressing the needs of each student
Students have different amounts of career guidance at different stages of their time with us. Opportunities for advice and support are tailored to the needs of each student and our careers programme promotes and supports equality and diversity considerations throughout. Aspirations are discussed with all pupils at the end of each term and pupil views are added to their termly reports. They are also discussed as part on the annual EHCP review process. The Head of secondary is responsible for mapping out an appropriate flight plan for all year 10 and 11 pupil so that future opportunities can be explored and appropriate information is shared with pupils and their families.
Linking curriculum learning to careers
All subject teachers are keen to highlight the relevance of their subjects for future career paths and suggested career pathways are discussed in lessons. Where possible, visits to local businesses linked to subject areas are made.
Encounters with employers and employees
At Grange Academy we invite employers and employees into school to deliver workshops and talks to our students. We also encourage parents to take their children to open days, careers events and host enterprise activities to inspire, motivate and teach our pupils core skills relating to the world of work. We invite past students to talk to our current students about moving on, careers choices and life experiences since leaving Grange Academy.
Experience of workplaces
At Grange Academy we have a work experience programme that starts in Year 10 and continues into our 6th Form. This builds in terms of time and variety of experiences over the three years.
Encounters with further and higher education
Our careers programme is designed to ensure that all students understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges and in the workplace.
Personal guidance
This is provided in school by the Job Centre Plus team, Bedford College, Youth Inspired and the National Citizen Service Team. More information can be found on the following websites:
Parents may find the following links helpful:
https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/help-your-child-make-most-work-experience
https://www.careeropportunities.org.uk/?bing=1&msclkid=789a5ea7026013a8f9c400f0adac7b03
https://www.ucas.com/careers/buzz-quiz
Destinations 2019
The following gives the destinations of our Summer 2019 Year 11 and Year 12 leavers.
Year 11 and 12
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Provision |
Number of students |
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Bedford College |
9 |
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Moulten College |
1 |
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Youth Inspired |
1 |
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Apprenticeship |
2 |
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Ridgeway |
2 |
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Total |
15 |
Year on Year Comparison
Most recent data available - taken from Analyse School Performance
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Destinations |
2017 cohort |
2018 cohort |
2019 cohort |
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% of students still in education, employment or training the year after completing 16-18 study |
100 |
93.3 |
100 |
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% of disadvantaged students still in education, employment or training |
100 |
88.9 |
100 |
Work Experience
Grange has worked in partnership with some of the following organisations to provide work experience for our pupils. They have had a positive impact on developing our pupils’ aspirations, confidence, self-esteem and key skills required to successfully integrate into the work of work and we are very grateful to them for their support.
Gibbs and Dandy Builder Merchants – Bedford Galone’s Ice Cream Parlour- Bedford
The Giddy Goat Nursery School – Riseley Bake 360 - Kempston
Bedford Day Care Hospice – Kempston Rivermead Care Home – Kempston
Brookside Care Home – Kempston Jacky Guy Hairdressers - Bedford
Roll Back – Bedford Grange Academy School Kitchen
Co-Op – Kempston CATS Protection – Kempston
Herring Farm – Cotton End Millbrook Golf Course - Bedford
Balliol Primary – Kempston Bedford Athletic Stadium
Wootton Library
Can you help?
If any parents, friends or employers are willing to give up 30 minutes of their time to talk to a group of students or deliver a workshop based on their career or profession we'd love to hear from them.
If you are able to offer a young person in Year 11 a week's work experience or a Sixth Form student a weekly work placement one day a week please contact Mrs Morris directly.
We are always looking for quality work placements for our students.
If you have any questions about our careers guidance programme please contact Angie Morris, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Our Careers Policy, which is reviewed annually, can be viewed here: Careers Policy
Resources
Opportunities in Education booklet
Routes into Work Guide (This guide provides information about options for young people with SEND to help them move into paid employment)
National Careers Service
Apprenticeships
Universal Job Match
|
1. A stable careers programme |
Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers. |
|
2.Learning from career and labour market information
|
Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information. |
|
3.Addressing the needs of each student
|
Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout. |
|
4.Linking curriculum learning to careers
|
All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths. |
|
5.Encounters with employers and employees
|
Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes. |
|
6.Experiences of workplaces
|
Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks. |
|
7.Encounters with further and higher education
|
All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace. |
|
8.Personal guidance
|
Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made.
|