Every school will be expected to publish details of their careers programme for young people and their parents. Tewkesbury School has this information published on the school’s website.
The statutory duty requires governing bodies to ensure that all registered pupils at the school are provided with independent careers guidance from Year 8 (12-13 year olds) to Year 13 (17-18 year olds).
Independent careers guidance must be: :
Careers Education and Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) makes a major contribution to preparing young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life, in order to help them make a successful transition to adulthood by:
All young people need a planned programme of activities to help them choose 14-19 pathways that are right for them and to be able to manage their careers and sustain employability throughout their lives.
Tewkesbury Academy is committed to providing all students in years 7-13 with a planned programme of activities. The programme is delivered through a combination of methods, including the discrete Personal, Social, Health and Education (PSHE) programme, Year assemblies, presentations from external speakers the ‘Futures’ programme in the Sixth Form, employer visits, work experience in the Sixth Form, workshops and 1:1 sessions with a careers specialist. Additionally, a number of special events are held such as Careers Days, STEM activities, UCAS presentations, Young Enterprise, Employability Days and Mock Interviews with invited local employers and governors, Careers and Apprenticeship Fairs
To provide high quality, impartial careers guidance which helps students to make informed choices about their futures and help them to choose courses which meet their needs and aspirations.
To ensure students are suitably prepared for the next stage of their education, employment, self-employment or training.
The Vice Principal has strategic responsibility for the management of CEIAG and the oversight of the Careers Coordinator who coordinates the day-to-day delivery of the CEIAG programme.
The VP and Careers Coordinator will review this policy biennially and evaluate the provision with all stakeholders including young people and feedback from stakeholders, taking into account the destinations of pupils and the appropriateness of progression routes.
All staff are expected to contribute to CEIAG through their roles as tutors, subject teachers and support staff. Careers Education lessons in Years 7 8 &9 are delivered within the PSHE programme. The CEIAG programme is evaluated annually by the Vice Principal who will be asked to report to the Academy Council. Impartial and accurate IAG at transition points, such as the Year 9 Options process, is the responsibility of all teaching and support staff. One-to-one guidance is given to all students and the impartial careers adviser is available for students and parents. The needs of disadvantaged and other targeted students are prioritised in relation to individual IAG interviews as well as support to secure suitable work experience placements. Careers information is available in the Careers Library which is overseen by the school librarian. There are additional transition meetings between the Careers Adviser, Vice Principal and post-16 providers to discuss SEND and safeguarding requirements of our most vulnerable students. Identified SEND students will also have the opportunity for 1:1 meetings with a specialist careers advisor from GCC in year 11 to ensure their very specific needs are considered in the support given.
The CEIAG programme includes careers education sessions, career guidance activities (group work and individual interviews), information and research activities (using software) and work-related learning (including one weeks’ work experience in Year 12.
Business links are extensive and local apprenticeships are beginning to grow. Business lunches are held at the School and the neighbouring special school. There are strong links with engineering particularly given the number of such businesses in the locality and the strength of the subject at the school. Mock interviews take place in Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 where students have the opportunity to construct application letters and CVs before meeting with a local professional for a formal interview and feedback.
Pupils at Tewkesbury Academy are entitled to receive a programme of work related and career related learning, careers information and impartial advice and guidance, designed to help them to recognise and develop their skills and abilities, know what opportunities are available in the world of work and to make plans to help them achieve their education and career goals. Our aim is to follow the Gatsby Benchmarking in full to ensure that every student’s experiences meet the eight expectation points during their career at the school.
Pupil interactions and outcomes are recorded on the Unifrog Platform. An annual GROWS return details data relating to uptake of interactions and student opinion.
