Pittville Careers

At Pittville School our careers program is delivered throughout Years 7 to 11 through:

• Our PSCHE program
• Dedicated presentations to parents and students during school and after school
• Post-16 Careers Evening
• Assemblies
• Guest speakers
• Tutor sessions
• One to one careers interviews
• Work Experience
• Workshops and competitions
• Careers TEAMS

YEAR 11

This is a crucial year for students as they apply for post-16 places as well as preparing for GCSEs. In England students are required to stay in some form of training or education until their 18th birthday. The options are:

• Full-time education e.g. at a school or college.
• An apprenticeship or traineeship.
• Part-time education – as well as being employed, self-employed or volunteering for 20 hours a week or more.

Our aim is to ensure that all students have places that will prepare them for their chosen careers so it is vital that they think carefully about their applications. Information is provided through PSHE sessions, tutors, assemblies, presentations and workshops. In addition, materials are available in the careers library and online. Support is provided with writing applications, producing CVs and personal statements, interview techniques and selecting courses.

The most common destinations for our students are Balcarras, Bournside, Cleeve, Cirencester College, Gloucestershire College and Hartpury. Other destinations include Pate’s Grammar School, Sir Thomas Rich’s School, Crypt, Stroud College, Cheltenham Town, Stage Door Learning, local apprenticeships and the armed services.

YEAR 10

Year 10 begin the process of looking at their post-16 options and preparing for applications in the summer term. They also take part in work experience at the end of the summer term with each student being responsible for organising their own placement. Support is provided during tutor time and through independent careers advice. This is a key opportunity for students to experience life in the workplace, learn new skills and find out about the sort of career that will suit them. This is also forms an important part of applications to post-16 providers.

YEAR 9

Year 9 pupils will choose their Keystage 4 courses during Year 9. This process starts at the end of the autumn term when students will hear about the options process and is completed at the start of the spring term. Parents are invited to an Options Evening and a Parents’ Evening so they have the opportunity to speak to teachers and careers advisors before helping students make their final choices.

YEAR 8

Year 8 pupils begin to look at the skills that will be valuable to them in employment and how to develop them as they progress through school. They look at their relationships and the network of people they have around to support them and extend their understanding of the range of employment opportunities available to them.

YEAR 7

Early careers education begins by teaching children how to recognise their own skills and talents and how to set targets for themselves. They are introduced to some of the employment and qualification opportunities available to them in later life.

ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF OUR PROVISION

The impact of individual interventions is largely assessed via student feedback. We also monitor access and uptake to the interventions offered by different groups of students. The overall effectiveness of the careers programme at Pittville School is assessed by looking at the following key indicators:

• The proportion of students successfully completing a work experience programme
• The percentage of students who have post-16 provision in place before they start their GCSE exams in Year 11.
• A comparison of target grades with destination and level of course for each student as an assessment of student aspiration.
• Post-16 destination data
• NEET data

APPRENTICESHIPS AND TECHNICAL QUALIFICATIONS

Students are given information about apprenticeships and technical qualifications through sessions on post-16 options delivered to students and parents; from outside speakers including local colleges and employers; through tailored sessions in Year 11 and through one to one careers advice sessions. Local apprenticeship opportunities are posted out to Year 11 students throughout their final year and support provided for students applying for apprenticeships.

GATSBY BENCHMARKS

The eight 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

These benchmarks are used to put together our careers programme and ensure our students receive high quality careers provision at Pittville School. Please see our curriculum offer below: