Careers
There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. The landscape of education, training and employment opportunities that students need to navigate is more complex and more challenging than that faced by previous generations.
We support students in making well-informed decisions by providing access to differentiated, impartial and independent information and guidance about the range of options (including academic, vocational, apprenticeships) that are most likely to help them to achieve their ambitions. By helping students with decisions at crucial stages, informing them of all their options and introducing them to the world of work, we aim to prepare them for the world of work whichever pathway they choose.
Aims of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at Penwortham Priory Academy:
- to raise students’ aspirations and to broaden their horizons
- to inspire and to empower students to make informed realistic decisions at key transition points in learning and work
- to provide good quality independent and impartial careers advice to students which inspires them and motivates them to fulfil their potential
- to provide advice and guidance which is in the best interests of the student
- to provide opportunities to work in partnership with employers, training providers, local colleges and others to provide opportunities to inspire students through real-life contact with the world of work
- to develop enterprise and employability skills including skills for self-employment
- to support inclusion, challenge stereotyping and promote equality of opportunity
The Academy Careers Plan sets out how the academy provides a fit for purpose careers programme which provides our students with the knowledge and inspiration to succeed in their chosen careers paths. The Academy Careers Plan is based on the DfE Careers Guidance and access for education and training providers (July 2021), DfE White Paper document Skills for jobs: Lifelong learning for opportunity and growth (January 2021), House of Commons Careers guidance in schools, colleges and universities Briefing Paper (January 2020), CDI Framework for careers, employability and enterprise education (January 2020) and "High quality careers education and guidance in schools is critical to young people’s futures” DfE Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers (July 2021).
Our Independent Careers Adviser can help pupils to identify ambitious education, training and career options, and progression routes and enabling them to reach an informed career decision an empowering them to move forward.
The careers programme is reviewed and updated each July on an annual basis.
Provider Access Policy
Penwortham Priory Academy actively welcomes external providers into school on a regular basis. The policy statement in the 'Careers Support Documents' tab below sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer.
The Gatsby Benchmarks
Penwortham Priory Academy careers plan supports the achievement of the eight Gatsby benchmarks:
Benchmark 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.
Benchmark 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 the best use of available information
Benchmark 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.
Benchmark 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 careers paths.
Benchmark 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.
Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces
- Every student should have first-hand experience of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing, and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.
Benchmark 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.
Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance
- Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers 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. They should be expected for all students but should be timed to meet their individual needs.
Post 16 Pathways and Progression
All young people in England must continue in education or training until 18 years of age. Young people have the following choices at the end of Year 11:
- Full time study at a college, sixth form or training provider
- Full time work or volunteering combined with part time education of training
- An apprenticeship
- A traineeship
As part of our careers programme, Year 11 students are provided with a one to one guidance interview with a qualified careers adviser. Parents are welcome to attend these meetings.
Students and parents of students in Year 7-11 can request a careers guidance interview by e-mailing t.smith@priory.lancs.sch.uk
Employer Links
To support our delivery of careers, the academy has strong partnerships with a wide range of educational institutions, training providers and employers who contribute to our careers programme through:
- raising aspirations and increasing motivation – helping young people identify educational and occupational goals
- demonstrating the relevance of the knowledge and skills learnt in subjects to future opportunities in learning and working
- demonstrating the links between living, learning and earning
- providing work enrichment opportunities including work experience, workplace visits, guest speakers, curriculum support.
Labour Market Information
Labour market information informs you about the local and/or national demand there is for different skills and from different industries. Labour market information can tell you:
- Which jobs are likely to be easiest or hardest to find in your area
- Which are the big employers in different areas and which ones have jobs on offer
- What skills employers are looking for and which are in short supply
- How much you can expect to be paid in specific jobs
- What working conditions are like?
- What qualifications will be most helpful if you want a certain career?
- What the jobs of the future might look like and which jobs might disappear?
The Lancashire Skills & Employment Hub has developed and created a range of evidence-based reports and resources. The links to these can be found here:
- https://www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/FINAL_Lancashire_LEP-REPORT_12.05.2020.pdf
- https://www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk/our-people/evidence-base/
2020 (Pre COVID-19) Lancashire Labour Market Intelligence Toolkit
The toolkit consists of seven reports based on defined geographical areas, just click to open the LMI report or LMI presentation you would like to know more of below:
LMI Reports
- Lancashire LEP
- Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Rossendale, Ribble Valley
- Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre
- Burnley and Pendle
- Lancaster and Morecambe
- Preston, Chorley and South Ribble
- West Lancashire
LMI Presentations
- Blackburn with Darwen, Hyndburn, Rossendale, Ribble Valley
- Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre
- Burnley and Pendle
- Lancaster and Morecambe
- Preston, Chorley and South Ribble
- West Lancashire
Labour Market Information
CEIAG Departmental Plans
Measuring the impact of our careers programme
The Academy’s progress towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks is evaluated using the online Compass tool. This is carried out on an annual basis by the careers leader. The CEIAG development plan is based upon the outcomes of the Compass audit.
Provision is also monitored through regular feedback from students, staff, governors and our partners. This feedback is collected through questionnaires and focus groups following key careers activities and at the end of each academic year. This is analysed by the careers leader with actions fed back to staff via CEIAG team meetings. Key action points are also included in the annual CEIAG development plan and the academy development plan.
External provision is monitored and evaluated through the Academy’s Quality Assurance procedures including observations, work scrutinies, student, and if appropriate parental, voice.
The effectiveness of our careers guidance will be reflected in the higher numbers of students progressing to positive destinations such as apprenticeships, technical routes, sixth form colleges, further education colleges, universities or employment. Destination data (DfE) is used to assess how successfully students make the transition into the next stage of education or training, or into employment and to inform future CEIAG provision. This is analysed by the careers leader with key trends and actions fed back to the senior leadership team and governors.
The CEIAG policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the careers leader. This is ratified by governors.
Destination Data
CEIAG Parent & Pupil Support Documents
At Penwortham Priory Academy, we have a whole academy approach to careers with all staff supporting the delivery of CEIAG through the pastoral system and within curriculum areas. In addition, we have a designated CEIAG team who co-ordinate and monitor the delivery of the Academy Careers Plan:
- Mr N Gee (Assistant Principal/Careers Leader
- Ms T Smith (Careers Leader, Careers Curriculum, Careers Adviser)
- Mr M Bullock and Mrs V Eastham (Work Experience)
- Mrs L Shaw (Careers Curriculum)
- Mr M Russel (Link Trustee)
Contact Details
Mr N Gee, Assistant Principal / Careers Leader
Ms T Smith Lead Practitioner for Personal Development / Careers Leader
01772 320250
Useful resources for students and parents:
Books on various careers is made available to pupils in the library. The school has been given £300 worth of books from How2Become who are seen as one of the leading publishers of careers advice in schools. Further resources and be found at www.How2Become.com.
- The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help students make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice and is supported by qualified careers advisers. You can chat with an adviser using webchat (8am to 10pm, 7 days a week). Or you can call 0800 100 900 to speak to an adviser (8am to 10pm, 7 days a week). Calls are free from landlines and most mobile numbers.
icould provides career inspiration and information for young people through free access to over 1000 personal video stories, detailed job information, plus practical tips, insight and advice. - The National Apprenticeship Service website offers guidance on how to apply for an apprenticeship as well as listing current local apprenticeship opportunities. More information on apprenticeships can be found at http://amazingapprenticeships.com.
- CareersBox is a free online library of careers related videos, news and information.
Careers Advice for Parents aims to give parents an easy-to-read overview of all the essential facts on finding jobs and apprenticeships or choosing further and higher education courses which could make a real difference to their child's future career prospects. - CASCAID Parents Guide to Careers Guidance
- Labour Market Information (LMI) - this website provides up to date LMI for the north west region including labour market profiles and vacancy data.
- Parental Guidance offers advice and information on all aspects of the process of career choice for young people aged 13 to 25
- Labour market North West – https://www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Preston-Chorley-and-South-Ribble-Factsheet.pdf
-
Nomis – Official Labour Market Information
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