Careers Programme

What is the Careers Programme 2024-25 (to be reviewed June 2025)

The Careers and Enterprise Company defines a ‘Careers Programme' as the provision of opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of work and to develop skills for employability through direct experiences of work.

Outline of Careers Programmes

Contacts: Careers Lead Mr a McCarthy amccarthy@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk on 0208 8359235 Independent careers adviser Ms Yvonne Levene-Fearnside ylevene-fearnside@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk

Information on how these platforms are used and which year groups are targeted can be found here in the 2024-2025 Careers Programme.

Why is it necessary?

With an ever-changing labour market, it can be largely overwhelming for young people to know what is required of them to reach their career goals. Careers Programme learning ensures that all students have encounters with employers and employees in order to make informed decisions and find out about the various industries and job roles available. In addition, work-related learning ensures all young people have information on the range of pathways beyond Year 11 and Year 13 in order to open up their choices and challenge misconceived stereotypes which esteem to some paths over others. It is important all students are provided with objective up-to-date labour market information in order to build successful career.

How the school measures and assesses the impact of the careers programme on pupils

We measure the impact of the Careers Programme through student panels, we use surveys within Compass + to review careers activities. Also the usage figures in Unifrog and destination data which we compiled each year.

What does a Careers Programme look like in practice?

How is the Careers Programme implemented at Bishop Thomas Grant School?

Partnership with the Lambeth Careers Cluster
26 week project with Repowering London
26 week project with The Army
Lambeth Council Take Over Challenge
British Airways work experience
BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra studio tour visit and 1Xtra Inspire ME Tour Assembly
Magistrates’ Court Mock Trial competition
Step into the NHS competition
10-month work experience and mentorship in partnership with EY Foundation Smart Futures Programme
The Brokerage work experience placements
Assemblies led by employers and employees
Library Assistant positions for students
School council roles
Head Girl and Head Boy positions
Work placements as part of BTEC course requirements
Sixth Form enrichment

Monitoring and recording student’s core career management skills

Bishop Thomas Grant School employs the use of online software to track pupils’ career aspirations, achievements and skills which allows staff to monitor their progress during PSHE sessions and registration periods. If you would like more information on how best to support your child’s achievements and progress, please contact Mr McCarthy in the Careers Department on careers@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk or by telephone on 02088359235

https://www.unifrog.org/

https://www.mycareerspringboard.org/

https://www.fasttomato.com/

Application for Provider Access

Rationale

High quality careers education and guidance in school or college is critical to young people’s futures. It helps to prepare them for the workplace by providing a clear understanding of the world of work including the routes to jobs and careers that they might find engaging and rewarding. It supports them to acquire the self-development and career management skills they need to achieve positive employment destinations. This helps students to choose their pathways, improve their life opportunities and contribute to a productive and successful economy.

As the number of apprenticeships rises every year, it becomes increasingly important that all young people have a full understanding of all the options available to them post-16 and post-18 including wider technical education options such as T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.

Commitment: Bishop Thomas Grant School

The is committed to ensuring there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access students, for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Bishop Thomas Grant School is fully aware of the responsibility to set students on the path that will secure the best outcome which will enable them to progress in education and work and give employers the highly skilled people they need. That means acting impartially, in line with the statutory duty, and not showing bias towards any route, be that academic or technical.

Bishop Thomas Grant School endeavours to ensure that all students are aware of all routes to higher skills and are able to access information on technical options and apprenticeships (The Department of Education, July 2021: “Baker Clause”: supporting students to understand the full range of education and training options, and the Provider Access Legislation, January 2023).

Aims

Bishop Thomas Grant School policy for Access to other education and training providers has the following aims:

To develop the knowledge and awareness of our students of all career pathways available to them, including technical qualifications and apprenticeships.

To support young people to be able to learn more about opportunities for education and training outside of school before making crucial choices about their future options.

To reduce drop out from courses and avoid the risk of students becoming NEET (Young people not in education, employment or training).

Student Entitlement

Bishop Thomas Grant School fully supports the statutory requirement for students to have direct access to other providers of further education training, technical training and apprenticeships. The school will comply with the new legal requirement to put on at least six encounters with providers of approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships. This will be done in assemblies in National Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week, in addition to providers attending careers events at school.

Development

This policy has been developed and is reviewed annually by the Careers Leader and Line Manager Miss B Boyle, Head teacher based on current good practice guidelines by the Department for Education.

Links with other policies

It supports and is underpinned by key school policies including those for Careers, Child Protection, Equality and Diversity, and SEND.

Equality and Diversity

Access to other providers is available and promoted to allow all students to access information about other providers of further education and apprenticeships. Bishop Thomas Grant School is committed to encouraging all students to make decisions about their future based on impartial information.

Requests for access

Requests for access should be directed to Mr A McCarthy, Careers Leader. Mr A McCarthy may be contacted by telephone or email, amccarthy@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk, Tel 0208 835 9235.

Opportunities for Access

The school offers a comprehensive Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance programme and an overview of this programme can be seen in the School’s Careers Charter which can be seen on the school website.

Please speak to our Careers Advisor to identify the most suitable opportunity for you.

The school will make a suitable space available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available ICT and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Advisor or a member of their team.

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature with the Careers Advisor so that they can be displayed in the Careers Section of the school library.

Grounds for granting requests for access

Access will be given for providers to attend during school assemblies, timetabled Careers or Life lessons (PSHE), and Careers or Raising Aspirations events that Bishop Thomas Grant School is arranging. Students may also travel to visit another provider as part of the trip to be organised in partnership with Bishop Thomas Grant School.

Details of premises or facilities to be provided to a person who is given access

Bishop Thomas Grant School will provide an appropriate room or assembly hall to be agreed. All rooms have computers, projectors and screens provided. Computer rooms can also be arranged. The Careers Leader or Careers Adviser will organise this, working closely with the provider to ensure the facilities are appropriate to the audience. Appropriate safeguarding checks will be carried out. Providers will be met and supervised by a member of the Careers Team who will facilitate.

Live/Virtual encounters

Bishop Thomas Grant School will consider live online encounters with providers where requested, and these may be broadcast into classrooms or the school assembly hall. Technology checks in advance will be required to ensure compatibility of systems.

Parents and Carers

Parental involvement is encouraged, and parents may be invited to attend the events to meet the providers.

Management

The Careers Leader coordinates all provider requests and is responsible to his senior management line manager.

Complaints Procedure

Any complaints about this policy should be raised to Miss S Weir, email: sweir@btg-secondary.lambeth.sch.uk

Mrs Weir will raise the complaint to Ms B Boyle, Head teacher of Bishop Thomas Grant School.

Monitoring review and evaluation

The Policy is monitored and evaluated annually via the Senior Leadership Team.

Policy Coordinator: Mr A McCarthy

Policy Reviewed: January 2024

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