We have developed a broad and varied careers curriculum for students across all year groups. The aim is to create an atmosphere of awareness on career options from Year 7 forward, with an increasing focus on paths and further outcomes as our students enter their final Year at the Academy. A details table of what is offered for each year group and when can be found below.
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Developing Through Career, Employability & Enterprise Education |
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| Area of learning from the CDI’s 17 areas of learning | KS3 Learning outcome statement | KS3 Activities | Y7 | Y8 | Y9 | Key Stage 4 Learning Outcome Statement | KS4 Activities | Y10 | Y11 | |
| 1 | Self-awareness:
Individuals who realistically appraise their qualities and skills, roles and responsibilities, values and attitudes, needs and interests, aptitudes and achievements are better able to understand themselves, make informed choices and relate well to others. Self-awareness provides individuals with the foundation for enhancing their self-esteem, developing their identity and achieving personal wellbeing. |
Describe yourself, your strengths and preferences. | Students complete a range of self-assessment activities and record the results in their Careers Zone journals. | Recognise how you are changing, what you have to offer and what’s important to you. | Students complete an occupational interest’s task including the Buzz quiz and discuss the results with their tutor/mentor.
Students describe what they like about how they have changed since Year 7. One to one careers guidance interviews. Career action plans developed. |
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| 2 | Self-determination:
Self-determination enables individuals to develop personal autonomy, self-efficacy and personal agency. It boosts hope, optimism, adaptability and resilience. Self- determination empowers individuals to realise their aspirations and manage their careers. |
Tell positive stories about your wellbeing, progress and achievement. | Students produce their own personal profile/personal shield- to identify who they are and tell others. | Explain how you use positive versions of your own story to manage your wellbeing, progress and achievement. | Students set personal and learning targets to build on their strengths
and identify strategies for improvement. Career action plans developed. |
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| 3 | Self-improvement as a learner:
Self-improvement fosters positive attitudes to lifelong learning and the skills of planning, review and reflection. Understanding what they have learned, what they need to learn next and how they learn best enables individuals to develop their potential. |
Explain how you have benefited as learner from careers, employability, enterprise activities/experiences. | Students review and reflect upon their experience of careers experiences e.g interview visitors,(careers talks, careers fair, workplace visits.)
Students update their skills log using their Sandhill View Pupil Passport. |
Review and reflect upon how you have benefited as a learner from careers, employability and enterprise activities and experiences. | Students who have had placements in similar working environments compare and contrast what they have learnt from their work experience.
Students set personal learning targets with subject teachers to build on their strengths and identify strategies for improvement. |
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Learning about careers and the world of work (Careers Exploration) |
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| Area of learning from the CDI’s 17 areas of learning |
KS3 Learning outcome statement |
Suggested KS3 activities | Y7 | Y8 | Y9 | Key Stage 4 Learning Outcome Statement | Suggested KS4 Activities | Y10 | Y11 | |
| 4 | Exploring careers and career development:
Career exploration expands individuals’ horizons and opportunities. A better understanding of career processes and structures enables individuals to make sense of and manage their own careers. It also enables them to appreciate the career experiences of others. |
Describe different ways of looking at people’s careers and how they develop. | Students find out how the careers of different members of staff have developed reflecting on the similarities and differences between them. Students create career timelines to summarise the career of someone they admire.
Employees deliver career learning activities- assemblies, careers talks, use of video case studies in Careers Zone programme. |
Explain key ideas about career and career development. | Students weigh up the pros and cons of several types of careers, e.g. single-track careers, serial careers, portfolio careers and lifestyle careers. *This could be through a series of careers talks presented in a ‘speed-dating’ exercise.
Students investigate career development through employer encounters including careers talks, workplace visits, work experience. |
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| 5 | Investigating work and working life: Investigating people’s experiences of work enables individuals to understand the meaning and purpose of work in people’s lives. They learn what constitutes good or decent work and how to find it for themselves. | Identify different kinds of work and why people’s satisfaction with their working lives can change. | Students research a job family and give ‘table presentations’ at their own careers fair.
Students explore the purpose of work; reading case studies about work and working life, website video clips careers talks, assemblies, careers fairs, workplace visits. |
Explain how work is changing and how this impacts on people’s satisfaction with their working lives. | Students talk to a range of people including: past students, guest speakers, business representatives, etc about how their jobs are likely to change in the next 5- 10 years.
Students analyse stories in the news about the factors that affect the mental health of workers. DWP schools advisor assembly includes how local labour market has changed and possible future changes and how this impacts on the local area. |
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| 6 | Understanding business and industry: Understanding types of business and business functions enables individuals to prepare for employment and to appreciate the contribution of business and industry to social and economic life. | Describe the organisation and structure of different types of business. | tudents list the types of businesses and the careers and jobs involved in getting an everyday items to consumers.
Students make a spider diagram of the contractors and suppliers linked to our Academy and jobs / careers linked to each organisation. DWP- LMI assembly. |
Explain different types of businesses, how they operate and how they measure success. | Use of videos, icould etc. to explore different types of businesses and how they operate. Students look at the pros and cons of different kinds of business entities, e.g. sole trader, partnerships, company and franchise in the private sector. multinationals. | |||||
| 7 | Investigating jobs and labour market information (LMI):
Individuals need to know how to access, analyse and act on relevant and appropriate job and labour market information when choosing and planning for careers.
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Be aware of what job and labour market information (LMI) is and how it can be useful to you. | Students investigate opportunities for women in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) industries.
Students attend GIMME event. Students analyse local job vacancies using job vacancy websites and other sources to research local LMI. DWP- LMI assembly. |
Find relevant job and labour market information (LMI) and know how to use it in your careers planning. | Students analyse national and local data on the destinations of last year’s leavers and consider possible implications for their own plans. Students use comprehensive websites to research local LMI and use this information when considering part-time work.
DWP advisor assembly. ASK apprenticeship assembly, workshops. Students investigate opportunities in STEM industries (STEM ambassadors). |
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| 8 | Valuing equality, diversity and inclusion:
Individuals need to recognise that the commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in British society benefits them as much as others. By resisting the damage caused by stereotyping, discrimination and prejudice, individuals can realise their own ambitions and help others to do so. |
Identify how to stand up to stereotyping and discrimination that is damaging to you and those around you. | Challenging stereotypes in the workplace – reading and discussion of case studies / news story clips.
Students gain advice on how to combat stereotyping and discrimination. |
Recognise and challenge stereotyping, discrimination and other barriers to equality, diversity and inclusion; and know your rights and responsibilities in relation to these issues. | Challenging stereotypes in the workplace –discussion of case studies / news story clips including the tackling of the ‘glass ceiling’ in key professions (medicine, law, engineering, architecture.
Employer talks designed to challenge stereotyping as part of the careers programme including STEM ambassadors. STEM days. |
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| 9 | Learning about safe working practices and environments:
Learning about safe working practices and environments helps individuals to keep themselves and others healthy and safe at work. |
Be aware of the laws and by-laws relating to young people’s permitted hours and types of employment; and know how to minimise health and safety risks to you and those around you. | A local employer talks about the importance of the laws and as an employer what are their responsibilities to their employees.
Students write a true or false quiz to test other students’ knowledge of the laws and bylaws relating to the employment of school-age children. |
Be aware of your responsibilities and rights as a student, trainee or employee for following safe working practices. | Students research health and safety requirements and guidelines for tools and equipment that they use, e.g. machine tools in D&T subjects and for work experience placement opportunities.
Business-led assemblies on rights and responsibilities at work |
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Developing career management, employability and enterprise skills (Careers Management) |
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| Area of learning from the CDI’s 17 areas of learning | KS3 Learning outcome statement | Suggested KS3 activities | Y7 | Y8 | Key Stage 4 Learning outcome Statement | Suggested KS4 activities | Y10 | Y11 | ||
| 10 | Making the most of careers information, advice and guidance (CEIAG):
Individuals need to learn how to recognise trusted sources of information, advice and guidance and how to make effective use of all the sources of help and support available to them, including one-to- one guidance. |
Identify and make the most of your personal network of support including how to access the impartial careers information, advice and guidance and distinguish between objectivity and bias. | Students create a mid-map or visual representation of their networks of careers influences and supporters.
*Students produce a guide to ‘making the most of information, advice and guidance’ in their school. Employers are invited to deliver career learning activities to get the most out of developing networking skills including year 8 STEM Inspiration, careers fairs, careers talks. |
Build and make of your personal network of support including making effective use of impartial careers information, advice and guidance and distinguish between objectivity and bias. | Students discuss their options with family, friends, school staff and career specialists and carefully weigh up the advice received.
Students examine through case studies what impartiality means when it is applied to careers guidance practice. Students are introduced to employers through careers talks, assemblies and collapsed timetable days One to one career guidance interviews. DWP and ASK workshops – applying for an apprenticeship, soft skills. |
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| 11 | Preparing for employability:
A priority for individuals is to gain the skills and experience that will enable them to get jobs and sustain themselves in employment. |
Recognise the qualities and skills needed for employability and provide evidence for those you have demonstrated both in and out school. | Students maintain their Pupil Passport skills log recording their best demonstrations of the qualities and skills needed for employability.
Leadership roles within the Academy. Employer led sessions – importance of employability skills; careers talks. Workplace visits. |
Show that you have acquired and developed qualities and skills to improve your employability. | Students use their career journals to record their key skill development.
Students practise filling out application forms that ask them to provide evidence of the skills and qualities that they have demonstrated. Employers and DWP provide CV workshops demonstrating the latest thinking in CV presentation, what they expect to see and what they will not accept. Employers are involved in the work experience programme. |
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| 12 | Showing initiative and enterprise:
Showing initiative and enterprise helps individuals to learn about risk, effort and making to most of opportunities. |
Recognise when you are using the qualities and skills that entrepreneurs need. | Students gain experience of enterprise projects during careers focus days. | Careers Focus Day | Careers Focus Day | Careers Focus Day | Show that you can be enterprising in the way you learn, carry out work and plan your career. | Local employers run sessions through ‘Work Discovery Week’ and ‘Work Discovery Sector Days’.
Applying for leadership roles within the Academy including (dep) head boy and girl. Local employers provide longer term business competitions to develop enterprising and entrepreneurial skills via Work Discovery events |
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| 13 | Developing personal financial capability:
The increasing cost of training and further and higher education makes it essential for individuals to know about managing their money. They need to know how to make decisions about spending, saving and investing to ensure their economic well-being now and in the future. |
Show that you can manage a personal budget and contribute to household and school budgets. | Students take part in a simulation that challenges them to manage a household budget. Students use a personal budget planner to work out a budget.
Charity and fundraising. |
Careers Focus Day | Careers Focus Day | Careers Focus Day | Show you can manage your own money, understand personal financial documents know how to access financial support for further study and training. | Students calculate the cost of higher education against an apprenticeship and how the return on their investment can be managed. *Students complete modules explaining tax and national insurance matters. *Students attend careers fairs to research the implications of choosing one pathway over another.
NECOP Ambassador workshop. |
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| 14 | Identifying choices and opportunities:
Individuals need to be able to research and recognise suitable progression pathways and qualifications, Using networking, negotiation, information and evaluation skills enables individuals to maximise their choices and opportunities, including those that. |
Look systematically at the choices and opportunities open to you when you reach a decision point. | Students produce subject posters giving the facts about the qualifications, skills and jobs that can gain by studying particular subjects.
Employer led career learning; including STEM ambassadors, business led importance of literacy and numeracy (KS3 assembly, careers talks, FE and HE visits / workshops. |
Annual Careers Fair | Annual Careers Fair | Research your education, training, apprenticeship, employment and volunteering options including information about the best progression pathways through to specific goals. | Students draw up a list of questions to ask stallholders that they want to meet at a forthcoming careers fair.
Students get involved with ‘Work Discovery Week’ and ‘Work Discovery Sector Day’ activities. |
Annual Careers Fair | Annual Careers Fair | |
| 15 | Planning and deciding:
Individuals need to know how to get information, clarify values and references, identify alternatives, weigh up influences and advice, solve problems, review decisions and make plans. It also involves being able to cope with chance events and unintended consequences. |
Know how to negotiate and make plans and decisions carefully to help you get the qualifications, skills and experiences you need. | Groups form small company teams to solve a problem. They have to negotiate their roles in the team and the main features of the campaign (enterprise projects).
Students engage in target-setting and review activities with their tutors and subject teachers. |
Know how to make important plans and decisions carefully including how to solve problems and deal appropriately with influences on you. | Students learn how to weigh up different factors affecting their decisions. Students take part in role plays to practise using the three main styles of communication and conflict resolution (i.e. being passive, assertive or aggressive). | |||||
| 16 | Handling applications and interviews:
Promoting themselves in a way that attracts the attention of selectors and recruiters as well as managing the applications process requires individuals to develop a range of self-presentation and marketing skills that they will need throughout their lives. |
Know how to prepare and present yourself well when going through a selection process | Students apply for trips, projects, leadership roles in the school, e.g. as Student Voice representatives, peer mentors and other roles.
Employer led career learning on presentation skills. |
Know your rights and responsibilities in a selection process and the strategies to use to improve your chances of being chosen. | Students take part in a mock interview for a suitable position (e.g. and apprenticeship, a college place or a job) and prepare a CV beforehand. *Students complete a ‘true’ or ‘false’ quiz about questions relating to equality of opportunity that interviews are not allowed to ask candidates. | |||||
| 17 | Managing changes and transitions:
Plans and decisions can break down if individuals fail to prepare for the careers moves that they need to make. Awareness of how to cope with life changes and transitions, partly gained from reflecting on previous moves, can support lifelong career development and employability. |
Show that you can be positive, flexible and well-prepared at transition points in your life. | Students prepare for their options process by attending the careers fair, options assemblies, options evening, etc. Year 8 students have back-up plans in case they cannot have all their first-choice options.
Students write a guide/blog for Year 6 students on how to make a success of the move from primary to secondary school. |
Annuals Careers Fayre | Review and reflect on previous transitions to help you improve your preparation for future moves in education, training and employment | Students recall the range of experiences that they and others had when making decisions at 13+ and suggest how the lessons learnt can be applied to their decisions at 16+.
Students say what they think should be in an induction programme for young people going to college, work-based learning or an apprenticeship. |
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Summary of CEIAG at Sandhill View Academy
Summary of CEIAG at Sandhill View Academy
There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. At Sandhill View Academy we have a critical role to play in preparing our students for the next stage of their education or training and beyond. Our students will be embarking upon a career pathway which is more challenging and complex than that faced by previous generations. To help them to prepare for this, our careers programme provides them with the careers education, information, advice and guidance to enable them to make an informed decision about their future. Careers education As part of our SMSC curriculum all students from Y7-Y11 take part in a careers education programme which focuses on the four key areas: ‘Careers Exploration’; ‘Self-Awareness’; Decision Making’ and ‘Employability Skills and Careers Management. This weekly programme is delivered by tutors in ETT (Extended Tutor time) This extensive programme is complemented by visits from representatives from employers and post-16 trainers and universities as well as our 3 Careers Focus days which take place every year. Impartial Advice and Guidance The Academy’s professionally trained careers guidance practitioner provides personal careers guidance to our students. We also use Connexions, to ensure our students receive the impartial advice that they need. Links with Post-16 Education Providers and Trainers All Y10 and Y11 students take part in a series of taster sessions with local sixth forms and colleges to see for themselves the wide range of opportunities available in further education. Students also have the opportunity to meet with a range of other post-16 education -providers and trainers. Our strong links with universities allow students to find out for themselves the opportunities that higher education can offer them. Links with Employers Our annual careers fair enables all students and their parents and carers to meet with employers and training providers as well as colleges and universities to find out about the many careers opportunities available. Our links with the North-east Chamber of Commerce and the City of Sunderland’s Work Discovery programme and sector days give our students an insight into the world of work and the career options which are open to them. Work-Related Learning Opportunities Students in Y10 take part in work experience every Wednesday afternoon from October to May. This is an opportunity for students to spend some time with an employer or other organisation, allowing them to explore possible career pathways. All students in Y9 have the opportunity to take part in our annual “Take Your Child To Work Day in May. Students are able to accompany and work shadow a parent/carer throughout a normal working day allowing them to experience as far as possible the hours, working conditions and regulations they may encounter when they go to work themselves.
Careers Education Programme Overview - Student Entitlements
Careers education programme overview- student entitlements
By beginning careers education at the very start of their time at Sandhill View, students’ aspirations and motivation are increased; they are more equipped to make better informed decisions at key transition stages.
Year 7 - Students identify personal traits, strengths and skills and develop confidence and have high expectations of themselves.
- Students begin to think about what they might like to achieve after school.
- Students are introduced to the world of work and how it is constantly changing.
- Students investigate different types of businesses.
- Students are introduced to labour market information.
- Students participate in the Y7 practice interview programme
- Students have opportunities to engage with a local business, FE, HE and training providers
- Students are introduced to careers resources and websites.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers via a referral system.
Year 8 - Students build on personal strengths and begin to link personal qualities and skills to specific careers enabling realistic and informed decisions at key transition stages.
- Students complete the Buzz Quiz in preparation for thinking about possible careers they may be suited to.
- Students investigate different types of businesses and industries and job families.
- Students investigate their teachers’ career pathways and reflect upon the differences.
- Students reflect on how changes to the world of work may affect their own future career pathways
- Students begin to think about GCSE options in terms of career pathways and plan their future.
- Students link curriculum areas to careers to help prepare them for choosing their GCSE options
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers via a referral system.
- Students use careers resources and websites and learn where to find out more about specific courses/careers.
- Students have a range of opportunities to engage with a local business, FE, HE and training providers
- Students attend careers talks and fairs and take part in workplace visits
Year 9 - Students are encouraged to re-assess personal strengths with a focus on employability skills.
- Students are encouraged to reflect on their decision-making skills and how this may impact upon their career planning.
- Students investigate different jobs and careers and what they mean in terms of lifestyle, budgeting and a good work/life balance and develop financial capability
- Students reflect on how work is changing and how it impacts upon people’s lives
- Students are encouraged to recognise and challenge stereotypes within the world of work (including the glass ceiling) and traditional job roles.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers via drop in sessions. They are also encouraged to use careers resources and websites and learn where to find out more about specific courses/careers and how to access LMI independently.
- Students have a wide range of opportunities to engage with a range of local business, FE, HE and training providers.
- Students attend careers talks and fairs and take part in workplace visits
- Students take part in ‘Take your child to work day’ and reflect upon how they have benefited.
Year 10 - Students explore post- 16 pathways in in more detail
- Students have a wide range of opportunities to engage with a range of local business, FE, HE and training providers.
- Students attend careers talks and fairs and are encouraged to access LMI independently.
- Students reassess personal strengths with a focus on transferable skills in preparation for CV completion and mock interviews
- Financial capability is developed further and students are encouraged to think about employability, which careers appeal to them and to identify and set themselves realistic future goals.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers via a referral system. They are also encouraged to use careers resources available and informed where to find out more about specific courses/careers.
- Students arrange and complete work experience and reflect upon how they have benefited.
- Students develop interview techniques and complete a mock interview with a local employer.
Year 11 - Students are supported with post- 16 choices and encouraged to consider all their options including further study and apprenticeships.
- Students are encouraged to consider how LMI is relevant to their post- 16 options.
- All students have a one to one guidance interview with a careers advisor (L6 qualified and matrix accredited). They are also encouraged to use careers resources available and informed where to find out more about specific courses/careers.
- Students use careers interviews to help understand different career pathways and entry requirements and are encouraged to make contingency plans should results be better/worse than expected and set personal targets for development.
- Students are encouraged to think about the kind of behaviour potential employers look for.
- Students are encouraged to attend careers talks, fairs, college open days and taster days with employers.
- Students are assisted further with CV writing and encouraged to have completed a CV and cover letter before the application process begins.
- Students are kept up to date with post 16- deadlines, open evenings and appropriate internal and external careers events.
