Careers, Information, Education, Advice & Guidance (CIEAG)
‘The Government’s careers strategy sets out a long term plan to build a world class careers system that will help young people and adults choose the career that is right for them. To achieve this aim, the careers strategy sets out that every school providing secondary educations should use the Gatsby Charitable Foundation Benchmarks to develop and improve their careers provision…The Gatsby Benchmarks are not a statutory framework but by adopting them, schools can be confident that they are fulfilling their legal duties.’ - DfE January 2018 (Careers guidance and access for education and training providers)
St John’s CE Middle School Academy has been working since the publication of this document, along with ‘Careers Strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents’ (DfE Dec 2017), to put in place a well-structured careers service for our pupils in Key Stage 3. The school has adopted the Gatsby Benchmark Toolkit and has started working with The Careers and Enterprise Company to assist in ensuring best practice for our pupils in the provision of careers information, advice and guidance.
We use the Compass Careers Benchmark tool to help the school to devise a coherent offer for our pupils.
The Benchmarks are as follows:
Benchmark 1 - A Stable Careers Programme
Benchmark 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
Benchmark 3 - Addressing the needs of each pupil
Benchmark 4 - Linking curriculum learning to careers
Benchmark 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
Benchmark 6 - Experiences of workplaces
Benchmark 7 - Encounters with further and higher education
Benchmark 8 - Personal Guidance
CIAG Leader at St John’s CE Middle School Academy
Mrs Gallinagh, Deputy Headteacher, has been appointed as the senior leader for CIAG and is working with Miss Kelly in this area. They work with a Careers Advisor, local middle schools and link high Schools to ensure that our pupils are able to access a range of opportunities throughout Key Stage 3.
Curriculum
| Year Group | Opportunities for providers | Gatsby benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| Year 5 | Teaching careers focussed PSHE lessons – pupils learn about enterprise and different routes into a range of professions. | 5, 7, 4 |
| Year 6 |
One off day after SATS with the new initiative STEM Children’s University |
|
| Year 7 |
Teaching careers focussed PSHE lessons – pupils learn about enterprise and different routes into a range of professions. |
5, 7, 4 |
| Year 8 |
Earn to Learn Young enterprise day visit
Visit Worcestershire skills show Trips and visits to industry and workplaces Teaching careers focussed PSHE lessons – pupils learn about enterprise and different routes into a range of professions. Worcester Apprenticeship assembly |
1,2,3,5 and partially 4 and 8 5, 6 and 8 2, 5 and 4 5, 6 and 7 5, 7 and 4 5 |
Choices Magazine
Pupils, Parents and Carers may like to access a new online careers tool for Worcestershire which is aimed at supporting schools, pupils and parents with information about the Worcestershire labour market and employers in Worcestershire, as well as supporting careers advice and events. The website can be accessed from the following link:
http://www.skills4worcestershire.co.uk/
Sector Profiles
