Careers Education

Education, Advice and Guidance: Dean Trust Rose Bridge Vision for Careers

At Dean Trust Rose Bridge Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance is a part of every pupil’s entitlement and here at Dean Trust Rose Bridge. We are committed to providing high quality, impartial careers guidance which will help pupils to make informed choices about which courses suit their academic needs and aspirations. We use a variety of learning experiences to help young people manage the key decision points in their lives. This includes:

• Visiting colleges in Years 10 and 11 were pupils will be able to explore the different college courses available to them which will help them to make informed decisions about their next steps.
• All pupils across the school attend a Careers Fair to speak to a range of employers, colleges and Further Education insistutes to make informed choices. 
• Careers Cafes with specialist employers coming into school to discuss how they achieved their job. This could be Solicitors, Nurses or builders and is in a direct response to what pupils express and interest in through pupil voice.
• We value pupil feedback and ask for pupil evaluation after each event. In this way our strategy is continually being reviewed and updated to meet the needs of our learners.

Dean Trust Rose Bridge Aims:

1. To provide a stable careers programme
2. To provide opportunities for pupils to learn from career and labour market information
3. Ensure that pupils individual needs are addressed
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers through lessons and careers activities
5. To provide pupils with multiple encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces through visiting employers and work-place visits
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance through our Local Authority partnership.

Pupils will get the opportunity to meet with a careers adviser at key decision points in their school life, and at other times if they are in particular need of support. At this time, they can talk about their ideas for the future, explore the range of options after they leave school and plan the steps to achieve their end goal. Pupils can expect advice and guidance that is personalised, comprehensive and impartial.

Support on offer to pupils includes:

• Career choices
• Career planning
• Planning the next stage of your studies
• Making Further Education and Higher Education Choices
• Applying to Sixth Forms and Colleges
• Applying for Apprenticeships
• Completing job applications
• Preparing for interviews

Curriculum to Careers

Within all lessons, and for all year groups, the importance of careers is explicitly taught as part of our ‘Curriculum to Careers’. This may take the form of Recall 5 activities, home learning opportunities and/or research tasks. Each subject area has a designated member of staff in the role of ‘Careers Champion’, who will ensure that their departments are providing curriculum-related careers opportunities for pupils.

Assemblies

Guest speakers, such as employers, training providers, companies and college representatives are regularly invited to school at assemblies to talk about their field of expertise.

Mock interviews

A range of local employers give up their valuable time to support our pupils in developing their skills.  We operate this as a speed networking event where pupils will communicate with a minimum of 4 employers during the Summer Term.

Visiting professionals

Pupils are involved in activities run in school by visitors and their organisations, examples of these can be seen below in the Careers Events section.

Careers Fair

All pupils and parents get the opportunity to attend our annual Career Fair which took place on  Tuesday 20th September. Visitors from colleges, training providers, universities and also employers attend provide a range of information and support for our pupils.

Careers Cafes

Throughout the academic year, we aim to run working lunches where pupils voluntarily attend to speak to a wide range of employers from different sectors of the labour market about their role.

Careers Cafe – 24/01/23

Careers Library

In the School library there is a dedicated section to careers information, advice and guidance. This is updated regularly and includes a suggestion area for pupils to add in what information they would like to see added the Careers library. Please see photographs below in the Careers Information section.

Higher Education Experience

College and university representatives visit school for assemblies, interviews, information evenings and all parents evenings to help to support pupils through the application process.  College open events are also advertised on the school TV screens and in assemblies.

All College Open days and evenings are included at the top of this page.

 Taster Days, Visits and Trips

All Year 10 have the opportunity to visit colleges with school. They also have a work-place visit and contact with a university.  This provides them with the necessary experiences for the future planning. Many Higher Education trips take place during the year to HE fairs, or subject specific visits.

 Careers Week

National Careers Week is a celebration of careers guidance in education in the UK. This year Dean Trust Rose Bridge will be taking part in it from Monday 4th March – Friday 8th March.During careers week all students from Year 7-11 are given the opportunity to take part in a variety of careers-based activities both within and outside of lessons.We will have an exciting array of opportunities that will be shared on this page in due course.

 Vulnerable Pupils

Pupils with an EHCP receive 1:1 CEIAG meetings from Year 9-11, and in Year 11 the support is limitless.  The Careers Adviser attends Annual Review meetings from Year 9-11, to liaise with relevant agencies to support parents and carers with the transition too.  The EHCP Mentor will also provide support with individual needs, supporting travel arrangements, attendance at open events and interviews.

Pupils with a SEND status will be prioritised above non-SEND. The Careers Adviser is familiar with the individual’s SEND and make appropriate suggestions for post-16 options, collaborating with the providers and the in-school Mentors.  Parents are kept informed at events and also with hard copies of interview records posted home. SEND pupils receive additional support when required with their applications, additional transitional visits or opportunities to discuss their needs with college professionals and extra careers guidance sessions.

Depending on any additional needs, CLA pupils will then be seen in advance of any pupils without a specific profile.  Their action plans and supporting information will be provided to relevant stakeholders.

Measuring Impact

The impact of our careers strategy is measured through various means. Through pupil voice, the uptake of our pupils in post 16 opportunities and through the Compass Tracker where we track our progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks. We ended the academic year on 100% across all of the Gatsby Benchmarks and aim to reach the same this year.

Get The Jump! Skills for Life – National Careers Service

iCould

Amazing Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships

UCAS

Career Pilot

Employers – How can you help?

It is important that pupils have access to the world of work and with your help we can make that happen. We want pupils in all year groups to understand the world of work through employer engagement so that all our young people will successfully transition out of secondary school life ready, equipped for work and life-long learning. As an employer you can play a significant part in helping us achieve our goal.

If you are interested in providing any of the following, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

• Work Experience
• Careers Talks
• Pupil mentoring
• Offering a work place visit
• Providing resources/ sponsorship

If you can help with our Careers provision in anyway please contact:

Sara Austin, Careers Lead & Advisor: SaraAustin@deantrustrosebridge.co.uk