At Castle Mead Academy, our careers programme is experienced as a rich culture that shines throughout the school. Strong leadership drives an inspirational, progressive programme that offers every scholar key life skills and valuable experience of the world of work. Scholars are inspired to explore a wide variety of options and future pathways.
The Roots & Wings programme aims to support the aspirations of all our scholars and to everyone with regular access to employers, career guidance and work experiences to support scholars in making progress and succeed in learning and work. We believe that careers education supports the functioning of our social mobility at grassroots level
Our Careers Leader, Mrs H Morar, is suitably experienced and qualified to lead our careers strategy at Castle Mead. If you have any queries regarding careers at Castle Mead, please do direct them to Mrs Morar in the first instance ([email protected]).
Employers and Education Providers
We are always looking to invite employers from different sectors to come in and work with our scholars. If you are an employer or provider who would like to add to one of our events or help us with our careers work?
Please click here or alternatively email our Careers Leader, Mrs Morar on [email protected]
Progress to date against the Gatsby Benchmarks (October 2021)
| GATSBY BENCHMARK | SUMMARY OF PROGRESS TO DATE
| FURTHER ACTIONS PLANNED |
| A stable careers programme | Careers strategy has explicit backing of the senior leadership team. Career programme has started to take place. Continue to work alongside Enterprise Advisor and Co Ordinator. All staff and governors have been presented the vision for careers. Career Champions are established | Take up opportunities offered by local business as to employer engagements.
Evaluations to be conducted through the year with Scholars and stake holders to support any improvements and ensure it is a progressive careers plan. Career Champions will be supporting the delivery of Careers |
| Learning from career and labour market information | Local career and labour market information displayed on the CMA website. Career posters displayed in classrooms Used information regarding future careers from 2030 to underpin the careers strategy/ programme Shared labour market information with parents | To carry on using this information to shape careers programme. Scholars will learn about labour market information this academic year. Share Labour market information with parents |
| Addressing the needs of each pupil | Disadvantaged scholars have been interviewed by the Y7 Pupil Premium co-ordinator (Yr8/ 9 completed previously). There are systematic records of the individual advice given to each student, and subsequent agreed decisions. All students will have access to these records to support their career development. Mentoring schemes are taking place to support scholars that require support | Take pupil voice and other such feedback on careers knowledge and ambitions of pupils, to inform careers programme. Careers mentoring programme to be in place to support scholars that require support/ aspiration building. The records of advice given should be integrated with those given at the previous stage of the student’s education where these are made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition. To have a range of employers speak to scholars from a variety of backgrounds to support in challenging stereotypes and inequalities. |
| Linking curriculum learning to careers | Considered as part of line management schedule for Curriculum Leaders. Subject specific careers display in classrooms. Career Champions to support with Buzz moments in classrooms and supporting colleagues in linking careers in classrooms.
| To consider meaningful opportunities for careers to be linked to curriculum areas, whilst the curriculum is continuing to be mapped at this stage. Throughout the programme of study (and by the end of their course) every student should have had the opportunity to experience how their subjects help people gain entry to (and be more effective workers within) a wide range of occupations. |
| Encounters with employers and employees | Talks planned for Yr7, 8 and 9 scholars, in NHS, green futures, apprenticeships, STEM and Army Everyone should have had at least one meaningful encounter with an employer. | Take up opportunities offered by local business as to employer engagements. Careers fair to be planned. Every year, from the age of 11, scholars should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer. |
| Experiences of workplaces | To follow towards the end of KS3 and into Y10 with work experience placements. | |
| Encounters with further and higher education | Higher education visits and knowledge encountered Further education encounter planned for year 9 before GCSE options. Talks planned for apprenticeships and technical routes to speak to scholars of all years. | Continue to establish relationships with universities, engaging again with Widening Participation leads. Building this systematically into the ‘CMA journey’. |
| Personal guidance | Unifrog has been rolled out to Year 9s and will be this academic year to year 7 and 8. Careers Leader/ Advisor appointed to lead and give guidance to scholars | Careers Leader to be Level 6 qualified. |
Careers Programme 2021 – 2022
| Autumn | Spring | Summer | |
| Year 7 | Putting Enterprise Skills into action | Talks from external speakers Apprenticeship/ T Level- information talk Careers in the NHS and mental health Careers in Army – Assembly Talks from external speakers – Atmospheric scientist | Brilliant Club Unifrog Introductions and personality/ interests’ quiz How to make safe financial choices Ethical and Unethical practices and consumerism Meet the Army activity day Saving, spending and budgeting How to manage risk-taking behaviour Introduction to Labour market information Future Skills Questionnaire |
| Year 8 | Inclusivity & Diversity in the workplace Racism in the workplace Introduction to higher education
| Talks from external speakers – Atmospheric scientist Apprenticeship/ T Level- information talk Careers in the NHS and mental health Equality of opportunities in Careers and life choices and how to challenge stereotypes and discrimination in work and pay Employment, self-employment and voluntary work Brilliant Club Unifrog introductions and personality/ interests quiz Careers in Army – Assembly | Army Team Work Activity Introduction to Labour market information
|
| Year 9 | Unifrog Introduction and personality/ interests quiz Higher Education – the benefits of attending HE Introduction to working in… different subject areas/ sectors | Apprenticeship/ T Level- information talk Women in STEM- employer talks Talks from external speakers – Atmospheric scientist Brilliant Club Careers in the NHS and mental health GCSE Choices, choices, choices – supporting scholars to make informed choices Local college students visit to speak about how to succeed in Year 9 Personal development training – Army | Skills for enterprise and employability How to give and act upon constructive feedback (How to succeed in an interview) Habits and strategies to support progress How to manage your ‘personal brand’ online/ Employability and online presence Careers Fair- Event for providers of technical education/apprenticeships to include Further Young people’s employment rights and responsibilities Introduction to Labour market information Future Skills Questionnaire |
| Year 10 | Setting goals- My Careers action plan Personal StatementCareer pathways and Post 16 options | Skills & Qualities CVsWriting a letter of applicationWork experience preparation sessionsWork Experience | One to one careers guidance for targeted scholars |
| Year 11 | Post 16 options and career pathways refresher/ more detailed Review personal statement Applying to Post 16 courses One to one careers guidance Visits to local post 16 providers | Mock interview day Post 16 interviews One to one careers guidance | Future Skills Questionnaire Confirmation of post 16 education destinations for all scholars |
Careers Education Review
This is to be reviewed in Autumn 2022. The Careers programme is constantly under review and refinement. A formal, annual review takes place every Autumn term when we publish the intended careers programme for the academic year ahead.
Qualifications and Pathways
There are several post-16 options explained in: LLEP WORLD OF WORK LEICESTERSHIRE
Resources for Scholars
Please click link below to aid research in careers.
Useful websites for further help or research in careers
Upcoming activities/ webinars are posted on Satchel One to support you with your careers
Resources for Parents/ Carers
LLEP-10-ways-to-achieve-careers-education-at-home-v1.pdf (orchard-tmet.uk)
Apprenticeship resources for schools, teachers, parents (amazingapprenticeships.com)
Student finance: what parents need to know – The Uni Guide
LLEP WORLD OF WORK LEICESTERSHIRE
Pick a route | Informed Choices
Future Of Work 2020-2030 | How Will This Impact Young People? (successatschool.org)
Destinations Data
Currently there isn’t Year 11s leaving school, we will have leavers destination report available from 2025. We will be holding evaluations regularly with Scholars and Parents to enable us to enhance our Careers programme and the delivery of the events.
Growing A Community Of Excellence