Careers Programme

We are living through a time of enormous change; none more so than in the world of work. Our young people need to have the appropriate skills and mindset to adapt to this changing world, and it is the school’s responsibility to ensure that our students remain ahead of the curve as they consider the choices they will need to make when they leave us. University will remain the right option for some students, but for others, the developing apprenticeship ladder will provide them with the experience and training they need to get a head start in their professional careers.

At Lytchett Minster School we will work in partnership with local business and industry groups, local universities, FE colleges, schools, other interested groups (such as Young Enterprise and Rotary), and the Careers and Enterprise Company.

Our careers and enterprise strategy is based very much around the 8 Gatsby benchmarks:

  1. A stable careers programme (delivered through PSHE sessions from Years 7 to 13)
  2. Learning from career and labour market information (delivered through assemblies)
  3. Addressing the needs of each pupil (through a tailored curriculum and 1:1 interviews with our Careers Advisor, provision of Unifrog (an online programme))
  4. Linking curriculum learning to careers (through use of Unifrog, UCAS, Apprenticeship websites, Careers College and schemes of work)
  5. Encounters with employers and employees (through mock interviews with local business people in Years 10 and 12, careers fair)
  6. Experiences of workplaces (through work experience in Years 10 and 12, site visits, and enterprise opportunities including the Tenner Challenge)
  7. Encounters with further and higher education (through visits to and links with Weymouth and Kingston Maurward Colleges, Bournemouth, Southampton and Oxford universities, careers fair)
  8. Personal guidance (through House guidance interviews, SLT interviews, mock interviews and careers interviews)

The key employability skills we will seek to develop are:

Verbal and written communication
Able to express ideas clearly and confidently in speech and writing.

Teamwork
Work confidently within a group.

Problem-solving
Gather information systematically to establish facts and principles. Problem solving.

Initiative and self motivation
Able to act on initiative, identify opportunities and proactive in putting forward ideas and solutions.

Drive
Determination to get things done. Make things happen and constantly looking for better ways of doing things.

Planning and organising
Able to plan activities and carry them through effectively.

Flexibility
Adapt successfully to changing situations and environments.

Time management
Manage time effectively, prioritising tasks and able to work to deadlines

IT skills
Able to use Word, Excel and Powerpoint

Numeracy skills
Able to deal with numbers in a work place environment

Arrangements for providing Lytchett students with access to information about further education (policy statement)

The school policy is to ensure all our students have unrestricted access to information about vocational courses and apprenticeships available at further education establishments in the area. Bournemouth and Poole College, Kingston Maurward College and Weymouth College are all invited to have a stand at our annual careers fair (which in 2020 will be a virtual event). In addition, all Year 9 students attend the Careers College at Weymouth College in the summer term.

Our Careers Manager informs students of all appropriate available courses, so that they can make informed choices.

Years 7 to 11 Programme of Study for Careers, Economic Wellbeing, and Work-Related Learning

Year 7

  1. Self-awareness (who am I?) and goal setting (encouraging students to be aspirational) (PSHE)
  2. Introduction to financial awareness and careers; exploring the link between qualifications and ability to choose your own lifestyle: ‘The Real Game’ (PSHE)
    • Money – cash, cheques, debit and credit cards
    • Banks – how to keep your money safe
    • Dream lifestyle (e.g. house, car, luxury items)
    • Personal budgeting
    • Understanding principles of income and expenditure
    • Types of jobs (e.g. working in an office) and patterns of working (e.g. shift work)
    • Jobs – salary
    • Understanding the link between qualifications and lifestyle in adulthood
    • The changing world of work (and the role of training)
  3. All Year 7 students to be encouraged to strive for Headmaster’s Award (character-building programme)
  4. Review of year and target setting
  5. The Tenner Challenge (enterprise activity)
  6. Understanding the labour market – consider the changing world of work (Headmaster’s assembly).

Year 8

  1. Employability skills (PSHE)
    • What are the key skills employers are looking for?
    • Communication (verbal and written)
    • Problem-solving
    • Ability to work in teams
    • Leadership qualities
    • Independent working
  2. Personal finance – spending, saving, borrowing and giving (PSHE)
  3. Understanding the labour market – consider the changing world of work (Headmaster’s assembly).
  4. (Voluntary) leadership course open to students in Year 8
  5. All Year 8 students to be encouraged to strive for Headmaster’s Award (character-building programme)
  6. The Tenner Challenge (enterprise activity)

Year 9

  1. Self-awareness, having a positive self-image and target setting
  2. Decision-making – (linked to self-awareness, peer pressure, KS4 and KS5 options, careers)
  3. Understanding the different range of qualifications – GCSE, BTEC, A levels, Apprenticeships, degrees and the principle of ‘Progression’ (Options Evening)
  4. KS4 options process (including options evening)
  5. Careers college at Weymouth College/Kingston Maurward (whole day – July)
  6. Introduction of the idea of the CV (PSHE)
  7. Enterprise day (one day activity based on ‘The Apprentice’)
  8. (Voluntary) Leadership course open to students in Year 9
  9. All Year 9 students to be encouraged to strive for Headmaster’s Award (character-building programme)
  10. The Tenner Challenge (enterprise activity)
  11. Introduction to careers session (PSHE)
  12. Financial awareness (PSHE)
  13. Understanding the labour market – consider the changing world of work (Headmaster’s assembly).

Year 10

  1. Career choices – using KUDOS  and Work Experience database
  2. Writing a CV (English lessons)
  3. Writing a letter of application for a job, including addressing the envelope (English lessons)
  4. Work Experience preparation (PSHE)
    1. Health and safety at work
    2. Understanding rights and responsibilities at work
    3. Completion of CV writing and letter of application
    4. Health and safety at work
    5. Understanding rights and responsibilities at work
  5. Interview technique (including, ‘making a positive first impression’) – PSHE
  6. Mock interview week (January)
  7. Work experience (2 weeks in February)
  8. Review of work experience and evaluation of what has been learnt
  9. 1:1 careers interviews for targeted students (e.g. disadvantaged students, potential NEETS – students with poor attendance, history of exclusions)
  10. DofE Bronze Award (leadership skills, employability skills such as resilience, problem solving, working in a team)
  11. The Tenner Challenge (enterprise activity)
  12. Careers talks organized through Young Chamber
  13. Understanding the labour market – consider the changing world of work (Headmaster’s assembly).

Year 11

  1. Updating a CV
  2. How to access information about careers
  3. Personal budgeting (PSHE)
  4. Post-16 progression routes including further education (6th form and colleges), higher education (universities) and apprenticeships (work and college)
  5. 1:1 careers interviews (open to all) with school careers advisor
  6. 1:1 careers interviews (for potential NEETs) with Careers advisor
  7. Post-16 options process
  8. Enterprise challenge activity based on ‘The Apprentice’ (PSHE)
  9. The Tenner Challenge (enterprise activity)
  10. Careers talks organized through Young Chamber (PSHE)
  11. Understanding the labour market – consider the changing world of work (Headmaster’s assembly).

Careers Education post-16

  1. Year 12 work experience
  2. Year 12 and 13 visits to workplaces (e.g. Bank of New York)
  3. Year 12 young enterprise programme
  4. Year 12 employability skills programme
  5. UCAS conference
  6. Apprenticeships conference
  7. Unifrog training session
  8. Careers talk
  9. Careers fair
  10. Finance and budgeting sessions
  11. 1:1 tutorials and careers interviews
  12. Leadership opportunities in the Senior Team
  13. Volunteering opportunities
  14. DofE Silver Award (leadership skills, employability skills such as resilience, problem solving, working in a team)
  15. Understanding the labour market – consider the changing world of work (Headmaster’s assembly).

 

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