Careers, Education, Information, Advice & Guidance

Careers Strategy 2022 - 2023
Why? Our school mission states, “All Ark Acton students thrived at university or a real alternative and therefore lived a life to be proud of”.
Aims:
1. To ensure our students are prepared for life beyond Ark Acton Academy, for university and for the world of work.
2. To provide students with a range of opportunities to engage with employers, further education, and higher education throughout their time at AAA.
3. To ensure careers and labour market information is part of everyday school life; students use quality information, advice, and guidance to make informed subject and post-16 choices.
Intent
The aim of our careers programme is to ensure that all our students are prepared for life after Ark Acton Academy, for university and for the world of work. We particularly want to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed for the changing job market which we set out to achieve through giving students a range of opportunities to engage with employers, further education, and higher education providers through their time at the Academy.
Ark Acton Academy uses the Gatsby Benchmarks as a guide to plan our careers guidance programme. As part of our commitment to informing our students of the full range of learning and training pathways on offer to them, we are happy to consider requests from training, apprenticeship, and vocational education providers to speak to students.
Ark Acton Academy also proactively seek to build relationships with these partners as we plan our Pathways and Enrichment activity throughout the school year to ensure that providers have multiple opportunities to speak to students and their parents across years 7- 13, to offer information on vocational, technical and apprenticeship qualifications and pathways.
If you would like to find out more about working with us as an employer, requests by providers should be sent to the Academy’s Pathways Lead, Nickael Briggs nbriggs@arkacton.org or if you would like to contact us specifically in relation to 6th form progression, please contact our Head of 6th Form Lynsey Evans, levans@arkacton.org
Key Stage 3 programme
YEAR | PROVISION FOR ALL STUDENTS |
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7 |
All pupils explore who they are and who they would like to be in the future [identification of personal skills and qualities]
• PSHE unit: Developing skills and aspirations [1] • PSHE unit: Financial decision making [includes business practices] [1] • Guest speakers – students will receive a minimum of two career talks from a variety of fields throughout the year [5] |
8 | All pupils explore how self-estee and confidence can have an impact on behaviour, achievements and future aspirations.
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9 |
All pupils further explore who they are and begin to refine their future career aspirations.
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Key Stage 4 programme
Year | PROVISION FOR ALL STUDENTS |
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10 |
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11 |
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Key Stage 5 programme
YEAR | PROVISION FOR ALL STUDENTS |
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12 |
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13 |
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Impact
We measure the success of the Programme in the following ways:
- Destinations Data – we monitor destinations data each year, to ensure we understand what our students go on to do after Ark Acton Academy and whether the Information, Advice and Guidance they received during their time here has had an effect.
- Pupil reflections – pupils reflect on their experiences when they visit workplaces or hear from speakers. This allows us to identify which experiences pupils enjoyed and which they didn’t, as well as providing a record for the pupil they can use in future applications.
- Evaluation of the programme – each year, we have an annual review of the programme with Ark Schools, who assess how many of the Gatsby Benchmarks we are meeting and identify strategic goals for us to work on over the next year.
Outlining the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats
Strengths |
Weaknesses |
- Careers is included on the Academy Improvement Plan - A careers team is in place - We have purchased 120 days from Connexions which includes impartial careers guidance and employer engagement events - SLT overseeing the careers strategy - A solid PSHE programme and co-curricular programme which incorporates careers |
- No concrete plan for work experience for Y10 and Y12 - Staff lack knowledge on careers education - Time constraints - Predecessor school was special measures but has since become an Ark school - Covid 19 impact has meant limited number of external visitors allowed on site
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Opportunities |
Threats |
- Assistant Principal is currently a participant of the Teach First careers leader programme - 2-year contract with connexions – 120 days of impartial careers advisors - Strong internal team of level 6 qualified advisors - A committed SENDCO in place to assist with SEND pupils. - 2 level 6 internal qualified HOYs of Y11, 12 and 13 |
- Covid 19 and limited access to different employers - A new school has opened nearby - low staff morale and high workload - Lack of time |
Careers Team
Careers Team member |
Strengths (technical or personal) |
Their short-term actions or objectives |
Required knowledge of support |
Assistant Principal (Nickael Briggs)
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Head Of Year 12/13 (Nathan Davis) |
1. Level 6 Qualified 2. Influence 3. Knows the pupils |
1. Ensures students have 1-2-1 interviews by the end of year 13 2. Co-ordinated careers events relevant to the needs of sixth form |
1. Connexions contact 2. A Microsoft Forms to help track student interviews |
Head of Year 11 (Chris Birch)
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1. Level 6 Qualified 2. Knows the pupils |
1. Ensures students have 1-2-1 interviews by the end of year 11
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1. Connexions contact 2. A Microsoft Forms to help track student interviews |
Connexions (Impartial Advisor) Lynette |
1. Knowledge of LMI 2. Knowledge of pathways 3. Knowledge of careers guidance |
1. To provide students with impartial careers guidance 2. To co-ordinate careers carousel and workshops during careers week |
1. Liaise with Nickael 2. Have a designated room in the school to carry out careers interviews |
Lynsey Evans Assistant Principal Head of Sixth Form |
1. Written ability |
1. To have strategic oversight over Y12/13 personal development which includes careers |
1. Knowledge of pathways available to post 16 and post 18 students |
Vice Principal for Curriculum (Matt Gray) |
1. Influence 2. Curriculum design expertise |
1. Ensure heads of department understand the rational for careers in the curriculum 2. Pilot careers in the curriculum content in her own teaching (planned by me) |
1. The evidence base behind careers in the curriculum 2. A slide to use in heads of department meetings |
Strategic Objective |
Success Criteria |
Milestones – Autumn |
Milestones – Spring |
Milestones – Summer |
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1. All students, parents, teachers have access to career and labour marker information via the school website, school bulletin, display boards, well-resourced library for students
2. 50% of surveyed students in KS4 demonstrate improved knowledge (compared to baseline assessment in previous year) of local and international LMI trends |
1. Baseline assessment of LMI launched with student annual survey 2. Targeted workshops designed based on baseline survey |
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1. Increase in use of LMI when choosing options in Year 9, and post 16 and 18
2. Data shows 40% increase in use of software to research LMI over the year
3. Staff feel more confident in their knowledge of LMI and how to use in relevant lessons |
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How to apply for higher education
Information on applying to higher education, including the options available, tips on making your application, and how the process works, is available on the UCAS website: www.ucas.com/. Year 12 students can use it to search for undergraduate courses. Year 13s can use it to track their applications.
Complete university guide
Great website for looking up universities’ ranking for different subjects, include break down on student’s satisfaction and employment rate.
https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/
Other advice and resources
Apply to Uni
An excellent university comparison site full of unbiased advice on how to choose a university
www.applytouni.com
Whatuni?
Whatuni helps students find the right university and it allows them to search for a course by Entry Requirements or by University Ranking. The website is full of advice, student reviews, free prospectuses, open days, videos and much, much more.
www.whatuni.com
Unistats
The official website for comparing course data from UK universities and higher education colleges.
www.unistats.direct.gov.uk
University of London Taster Courses
This website has links to taster courses in a variety of subjects taking place at universities and colleges across London.
www.london.ac.uk/tasters
Open Days
This website allows you to browse the university and college open day calendar and book your free place. It also has loads of advice on what to do at open days to make the most of the experience.
www.opendays.com/calendar
Student Finance
The official Website for all up to date information and to apply for student finance.
www.gov.uk/student-finance
Bright Knowledge
Bright Knowledge is the essential guide to careers, education and student life.
www.brightknowledge.org
Careers Advice
http://www.lmiforall.org.uk/widget/
Watch the career videos and take the buzz quiz to find out which career might suit you.
Career advice for parents.
https://www.careersadviceforparents.org/
Useful online courses to widen your skills and knowldege
MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) website at: https://www.mooc-list.com/
Future Learn https://www.futurelearn.com
Virtual work experience
Virtual-Work-Experience-leaflet-1.pdf
Virtual-work-experience-links-1 (1).pdf
For help finding high-quality work placements, visit the Mayor’s Fund for London’s Access Aspiration website: http://access-workplacements.org/.
Please follow this link to access the Ark Acton Careers Bulletin (Autumn 1 2019)
Other useful websites
The Student Ladder
For 15-18 year old students offering advice on A levels, degrees and alternative programmes for 18 year olds and also work experience, gap year and career options.
www.studentladder.co.uk
Pure Potential
Free of charge support for students making decisions about their future, including plenty of useful advice on applying to university, school leaver programmes, work experience and choosing a career. There is also a section for parents
www.purepotential.org
Directions
Register for updates on work experience, school leaver schemes, apprenticeships and career events in Finance and Law.
www.directions.org.uk
Arch
Arch specialises in getting young people into great careers in IT, Digital, Marketing, Financial Services and Business through the Government backed Apprenticeship programme.
www.archapprentices.co.uk
Future-talent.com
future-talent.com is the fastest-growing online resource for school and college leavers across the UK and hosts a range of opportunities from apprenticeships and sponsored degrees to gap year and free training programmes.
www.future-talent.com
All About School Leavers
An excellent site full of the latest Apprenticeships and School Leavers Programmes, advice on writing cover letter and interview tips. You can also take a Career Test.
www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk