1. Our Approach to Careers
Our careers programme will guide and assist students and their families through their academic journey, in particularly during key transition points.
Careers is delivered in a number of ways at Pitcheroak. These include:
- The RSHE Curriculum – Students have dedicated RSHE sessions a weekly where the curriculum is linked to the PHSE association. RHSE is part of the ethos of Pitcheroak School and is embedded in all parts of the student’s day to day learning.
- Careers Curriculum – from Key Stage 3 upwards pupils have weekly careers lessons which support their understanding of careers and the local job market.
- Focus Weeks –These include British Values, Black History Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, National Careers Week and Apprenticeship Week to just name a few.
- Careers Events – information about upcoming events, open days across all the region and information about a range of pathways is sent out to all parents and carers. The school also hosts an annual Life Beyond School Event which every Year 7 and above student attends and completes activities to support them with engaging with and understanding their options. Parents and Carers are also invited to attend and are supported by our Information, Advice and Guidance worker and our Family Support Workers through workshops and one-to-one support.
- Subject-specific – All subjects are required to inform students of career pathways and opportunities. Links are made between study and the real world. Teachers inform students about different pathways.
- External Support – Visits to Further Education Colleges, speakers from alternative provisions including traineeships, internships and support internships visit students on a rotational visit speaking plan.
- Students also engage in local and national enterprise activities including young enterprise.
| Benchmark | |
| 1. A stable careers programme | Small group session or 1-2-1 meeting KS3 – 2 x year KS4 – 3 x year 1-2-1 session before Annual Review focusing on future plans. KS5 – 3 x year 1-2-1 session before Annual Review focusing on future plans. FLC – 1-2-1 session before annual review. 1-2-1 college meeting Feb. Transition plan. Create website which offers advice and guidance for parents and carers. Transitions pathway. |
| 2. Learning from career and labour market information | Life beyond school event May |
| 3. Addressing the needs of each pupil | Creating a program of resources and activity for the Pre-formal and semi-formal pupils to allow for careers based learning throughout the school from the early years. |
| 4. Linking curriculum learning to careers | As part of the whole school curriculum development develop pre-formal and semi-formal careers, citizenship and RHSE medium term planning. Deliver CPD training for staff. |
| 5. Encounters with employers and employees | Create long term plan of speakers/ careers visitors for KS2/3/4/5 in line with the school LTP and MTP for careers. |
| 6. Experiences of workplaces | Expand WEX to KS3 |
| 7. Encounters with further and higher education | Tracking tool/ database linked to the long-term plan. Use of compass+ to monitor progress as part of SEND school pilot. |
| 8. Personal guidance | IAG advisory sessions to be delivered across the school Life beyond schools event to be delivered in conjunctions with advisory lesson Attendance to the Life Beyond school event Develop tools to ensure that all young people are able to share and express their views as part of the annual review program. |
| PALs | Create a rolling programme of PALS across KS3/4 and 5. |
Application for Provider Access
Introduction
This document 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. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
Pupil entitlement
All pupils in years 7-13 are entitled:
- to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
- to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies group discussions and taster events;
- to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.
Management of provider access requests
Procedure
A provider wishing to request access should contact Rachel Adams
Telephone: 01527 65576
Email: Rachel.Adams@pitcheroakschool.co.uk
Opportunities for access
The school offers a comprehensive Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance programme and an overview of this programme can be seen in the School’s Careers Charter which can be seen on the school website.
Please speak to our Careers Advisor to identify the most suitable opportunity for you.
The school will make a suitable space available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available ICT and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Advisor or a member of their team.
Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature with the Careers Advisor so that they can be displayed in the Careers Section of the school library.
