Teacher Zone
Understanding how the careers team are working with your young person.
The careers team will be delivering a programme to each year group which ensures that The Appleton School meets the government’s guidance on careers education. Which is the following;
Careers guidance in schools, colleges and universities (England)
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7236
Since September 2013, local authority-maintained schools in England have been under a duty to provide impartial careers guidance to pupils from years 8 to 13 (ages 12-18). The Department for Education has published statutory guidance (most recently updated in July 2021) for maintained schools on their duty to provide careers guidance. In September 2022, this duty will be extended to pupils in year 7, and to all academies.
Careers Hubs, run by the Careers and Enterprise Company, work with schools and colleges to train staff to improve careers advice and provide opportunities to engage with employers.
DfE Careers Strategy and the Skills and Post-16 Education Act
The Department for Education’s Careers Strategy was published in December 2017. It set out a series of measures to be implemented between 2018 and 2020 to improve careers guidance in England, including the introduction of new benchmarks for careers education.
Gatsby benchmark
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees 6 - Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
Baker Clause statements
- All advice given will be impartial ensuring that all post 16 pathways are explained and available to all students
- The Academy will actively promote the engagement from all post 16 providers and make them available to all learners and ensure all sectors are represented in careers activities and initiatives.
- There will be no bias attributed to academic, vocational or work opportunities as part of any part of the curriculum or careers guidance
- All efforts will be made to ensure that the Gatsby benchmark threshold in achieved and this will be reviewed half termly as part of quality assurance and the review process.
Provider access legislation
The updated provider access legislation (PAL) has now been enacted. It specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education for all their students:
- Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
- Two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
- Two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase’ (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend
For further reading;
Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on providing careers guidance https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-provision-for-young-people-in-schools
National Careers Service https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk
The Careers and Enterprise Company https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk
The Careers Development Institute https://www.thecdi.net/Home
Unifrog
All staff and students have access to the Unifrog careers platform. The programme provides a learning journey that equips students with knowledge about the world of work, it impartially informs them about opportunities and encourages aspiration.
Unifrog is a data base which enables the user to research career paths, search for courses at colleges, sixth forms, access live apprenticeship opportunities, explore higher education routes and much more. Students can then store the information and create a short list, giving them responsibility and ownership of their own destination options when leaving school and moving on to their next steps.
Unifrog sessions are delivered termly during period 1 tutorial.
Students can Click here to log in https://www.unifrog.org/sign-in
If your student is having trouble logging in to their account, they can see Mrs Moyo or Miss Kingsley during your break or after school, or email careers@theapppletonschool.org
Unifrog Learning Journey:
Information about events and opportunities for students can be found on your Careers Google Classroom. This is updated regularly, so ensure your child checks in, so they don’t miss out!
All year 11 student will be given the opportunity to attend a careers interview with a Level 6 Qualified Careers Guidance Practitioner to discuss their aspirations and next steps. Careers Interview will be by appointment and it is vital that students attend promptly. Interview times are sent to your student school email.
The careers office will be open during breaks and after school for students to drop in for further support and advice.
As part of the Careers programme students in year 7 to 13 will have opportunities to take part in workshops, hear from guest speakers and attend aspirational visits to further and higher educational sites.
For more Careers Information, Advice and Guidance visit:
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/job-profiles/home
https://www.essexopportunities.co.uk
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles
http://www.plotr.co.uk
http://www.careersbox.co.uk
http://www.icould.com
http://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk
http://www.studential.com
https://www.mooc.org
Key Dates:
Green Careers Week: 3rd – 8th March 2025
National Apprenticeship Week: 10th – 16th February 2025
National Careers Week: 3rd – 8th March 2025
Year 12 Work Experience
30th June – 4th July 2025
In Year, the students will be going out into the community to undertake work experience placements. This provides our students with a real practical experience of what to expect entering the work place.
Teacher Guides
Keep up to date and support students with their career decision making and planning.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-provision-for-young-people-in-schools
https://www.thecdi.net/CDI/media/Write/Documents/CDI_120-Career_Guidance_in_Schools-2021-FINAL.pdf
https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/resources/careers-guidance-and-access-education-and-training-providers
https://www.tes.com/jobs/careers-advice
https://www.ucas.com/advisers/guides-and-resources/adviser-news/news/teachers-role-building-careers-curriculum
Further Education at College and Sixth Form
Are you thinking of Further Education at College or Sixth Form? There are a range of subjects and qualifications you could opt for.
The academic route is A levels. You will typically study three complimenting subjects for 2 years. Each Subject studied will end in an examination. You could then continue on to higher education at University or enter the world of work, embarking on your chosen career.
The vocational route includes a range of qualification types including BTEC, NVQ, CACHE, UAL. You will be focusing on one particular subject or industry. These courses are very practical and you may be required to attend a work placement too. These courses are mainly coursework-based, although some do include assessments for some units studied.
T Levels are an alternative to A levels, apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses. Equivalent in size to 3 A levels, a T Level focuses on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships.
- Attend as many College and Sixth Form Open Evenings as possible. These are usually with in the first term of Year 11. You can find dates and times advertised on the college web sites, in the career’s office and on your Careers Google Classroom.
- Choose subjects you enjoy, excel in or that will support your next steps and career aims.
- Consider the distance how you will travel each day.
- Ask about a bursary. You may be eligible for financial support to help with the cost of travel or study equipment.
- Ensure that the College or Sixth Form can provide the additional support you require.
Sixth Forms & Colleges:
The Appleton School info@theappletonschool.org
USP College www.uspcollege.ac.uk
South Essex College http://www.southessex.ac.uk
Writtle University College http://www.writtle.ac.uk
The Basildon Upper Academy https://www.basildonupperacademy.org.uk
Beauchamps Sixth Form mainoffice@beauchamps.essex.sch.uk
The Billericay School info@billericayschool.com
The Bromfords School office@bromfords.essex.sch.uk
The King John's School kjs@thekjs.com
The Fitzwimarc School info@fitzwimarc.com
Mayflower High School educate@mayflowerhigh.essex.sch.uk
Westcliff HS for Boys office@whsb.essex.sch.uk
Westcliff HS for Girls generalenquiries@whsg.info
South Essex College Southend learning@southessex.ac.uk
St. Bernard's High School office@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
Shoeburyness High School office@shoeburyness.secat.co.uk
St. Thomas More High School office@st-thomasmore.southend.sch.uk
The Swayne Park School admin@sweynepark.com
Southend HS for Girlsoffice@shsg.org
Cecil Jones enquiries@ceciljones.net
Southend HS for Boys enquiries@shsb.org.uk
Chase High School chasehigh.school@chasehigh.org
Belfairs Academy enquiries@belfairsacademy.org.uk
First Intuition https://www.firstintuition.co.uk
Chelmer Valley High School school@chelmer.essex.sch.uk
Chelmsford County High School for Girls office@cchs.co.uk
Greensward Academy contactus@greenswardacademy.org
The King Edmund School adminoffice@kes.essex.sch.uk
Shoeburyness High School office@shoeburyness.secat.co.uk
St Bernard’s High School office@stbernards.southend.sch.uk
Apprenticeships
If classroom-based learning is not for you, you may want to consider an Apprenticeship.
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS: You will work, typically, for 4 days a week, whilst being paid and then take part in formal training one day a week, either in the workplace, at a local college or with a training provider that will lead to a recognised qualification.
Links for live apprenticeship vacancies:
www.amazingapprenticeships.com
www.apprenticeships.gov.uk
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
www.thelightbulbapprenticeships.com
www.seetec.co.uk
www.southessex.ac.uk
www.nationalapprenticeshipweek.co.uk
Traineeships
What does a traineeship offer? Traineeships are a work-based education. You will be trained in the skills needed for a particular job. Usual training programs with work experience for young people are unpaid.
Links for Traineeship providers:
GOV.UK www.gov.uk/find-traineeship
J&E Training, Hairdressing Academy www.j-etraining.com
Changes Training Academy http://www.changestraining.co.uk
Eden Training, Health and Social Care www.edentraining.co.uk
Vocational Training Service www.vts.ac.uk
Central Training Group www.centraltraininggroup.com
Hall of Ivy www.hallsofivy.co.uk
Life Skills www.learnaliving.co.uk
TCHC Group www.tchc.net
The Princes Trust www.princes-trust.org.uk
Volunteering
Volunteering is a great way to support your community whilst gaining vital skills essential to the world of work.
For local opportunities got to:
www.ngagethurrock.org.uk
www.volunteeressex.org
- Volunteer work adds value to your CV.
- You can gain confidence and develop your social skills.
- It may lead to paid work.
Higher Education
Are your students thinking if going to University?
These are the key dates for 2025 entry.
www.ucas.com
https://www.open.ac.uk
https://www.timeshighereducation.com
https://russellgroup.ac.uk/about/our-universities
Adult Education
The learning never stops! You may also be looking are looking to upskill or change your career path. There are lots of options open to you too
USP www.uspcollege.ac.uk/courses-apprenticeships/our-courses/our-adult-courses
South Essex College Workforce www.southessex.ac.uk/workforce/adults
ACL Essex aclessex.com/?doing_wp_cron=1662457837.7978639602661132812500
National Careers Service nationalcareers.service.gov.uk
Amazing Apprenticeships amazingapprenticeships.com
Ucas www.ucas.com
Open University https://www.open.ac.uk
Free Resources
Looking for support creating a CV, cover letter or need interview tips? Follow the links below for some great advice.
www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/cvs/cv-templates
www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/cover-letters/cover-letter-templates
www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/interview-techniques/job-interview-tips
