Guildford County School

Teaching and Learning / Careers
  

 

Guildford County School Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Policy

 
Guildford County School is committed to providing Careers Education, Advice and Guidance to all students through the curriculum and organised activities. We are presently working towards the Investor in Careers Award to ensure the quality of our careers provision.
 
Careers Guidance will focus on the specific needs of the individual student to promote self-awareness and personal development. It will aim to provide current and relevant information to enable each student to make informed decisions about their future. It will be impartial, confidential and differentiated to suit the requirements of each individual student.
 
Aims
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) should promote the following to all students:
• Self-development – assessing their strengths and weaknesses to develop positive self-esteem.
• Career exploration – through the provision of a wide range of resources: books, computer software,       
   posters and access to a Connexions Personal Advisor
• Work place experience – through the Yr11 Block Work Experience 
• Progression planning – through the provision of Information and Guidance (IAG) from a Connexions PA, support across the curriculum, organised progression activities and events and association with local colleges and businesses.  Developing understanding of the changing nature of work, learning and career choices.  
 
Commitment
Guildford County School Staff and Governors are committed to all providing a planned programme of careers education, information and guidance for students in all Years in partnership with the Connexions Service. All students will leave Guildford County School with the skills and knowledge required to support their entry to further education or employment. Guildford County School actively promotes parent/carer involvement through events, forums and ensuring access to information throughout the year.
 
Entitlement
Students are entitled to careers education and guidance that is impartial and confidential. It will be integrated into their experience of the whole curriculum, based on a partnership with students their parents or carers. The programme will promote equality of opportunity, inclusion and anti-racism.
 
Provision
The careers programme is managed by the Key Stage Leaders and delivered by staff and co-ordinated by the Personal, Social & Health Education (PSHE) & Citizenship Leader, Careers & Work Related Learning Coordinator and other vocational related provision is co-ordinated by the Work Related Experience (WRL) Co-ordinator.
 
Careers resources, available in the Careers Library for all students, are relevant and up-dated regularly. Access to careers software (Pathfinder) and the internet is easily available.
 
Participation in activities, both in school and off-site, provide employer contact and further information. A designated Connexions Personal Advisor attends school most weeks offering scheduled and drop-in appointments. The school has a resident Connexions Youth Relational Worker, Miss Hazel Amour and Connexions PA for Ethnic Minorities (Moira Lemprière).
 
Careers focused activities delivered through the PSHE curriculum are provided and managed by the
Careers & WRL Co-ordinator and the Head of PSHE.
 
Training needs are identified and offered to all relevant staff as opportunities arise. Information is then brought back in to school and shared with other staff members. Careers & WRL Co-ordinator attends panel meetings for Career updates as necessary.
 
Students will be consulted on the impact of the CEG programme and changes may be made as a result. Auditing of the whole school approach will also take place and support offered where required.
 
 
Key Stage 3 Provision;
 
• A visit to College Taster Days or equivalent  such as the Skills Festival where possible.– a chance
   to develop interests and gain hands on     
   experience in a wide range of employment areas.
• Curriculum support in all subjects promoting related job advice.
• Allotted time through PSHE lessons for self-development focusing on lifestyle and progression.
• Access to the careers library, computer software and the school’s careers advisor.
• Y9 will be invited to attend the Pre-Options Evening held at Guilford College
• An introduction to the careers library and related resources
.  Assemblies and other information on KS4 options including 14-16 Skills Programme the Diplomas    
   and other vocational and alternative courses.
 
By the end of Stage 3, all students will have:
 
• A better understanding of themselves as individuals
• Used the Connexions Resources/Careers Library to research information about opportunities
 and apply their findings to help to make informed choices for Key Stage 4 Options.
• Received appropriate advice and guidance on Key Stage 4 options
 
 Key Stage 4 Provision;
 
• One week block work experience placement with Health and Safety Guidance
• College presentations
• Priority access to a Connexions Personal Advisor and individual appointments.
• Information on College Open dates
• Support with completing College Application forms and access to computers for on-line
 registration
• Mock Interviews
• Supported CV and Personal Statement sessions
• Parent evenings and some assemblies are supported by the Careers Co-ordinator
 and/or the Connexions Personal Advisor to talk to students and parents.
. Close monitoring of vulnerable students
 
 By the end of stage 4, all students will have:
 
• Enhanced their self-knowledge, career management and employability skills
• Used the Connexions resource Centre, IT software and other sources of advice to
   investigate and explore future choices and progression routes
• Experienced the World of Work through a work placement.
• Been given direct access to employers, colleges and training providers
• Provided with the resources to apply for post-16 posts and given information about
 appropriate available funding
 
Key Stage 5 Provision
 
 
1. The School is committed to the provision of opportunities for high quality Careers Information, Education and Guidance, recognising that such activities help students to raise the level of their achievements and to develop their skills for career management and lifelong learning.
 
2. Careers Information, Education and Guidance is co-ordinated and evaluated by the School Careers Department, working in partnership with Connexion, who provide information, advice and guidance.
 
3. The School aims to provdie equality of opportunity for all its students in its provision of Career Information, Education and Guidance.
 
4. Impartial and (when requested) confidential, Careers Information, Education and Guidance is part of the student entitlement and is available to students at all stages in their progression as members of the sixth form
 
5. The School aims to faciitate and monitor the progression of its students to the next stage of their lifelong learning, assisting them to make progress towards their career objectives by: 
 
• encouraging self-development through self-assessment of strengths, limitations, aspirations, values, needs, and potential;
 
• providing appropriate information sources and helping students to explore, research and evaluate the opportunities open to them in terms of employment, training schemes, further education, gap year activities and higher education;
 
• helping students establish criteria for their career management decisions, and assisting in their transition from  one stage of their career to the next through the co-ordination of application procedures.
 
The School endeavours to ensure that : 
 
• co-ordinated programmes of World of Work activities within the Tutorial Programme and elsewhere, appropriate to the needs of different groups of students;
 
• opportunities exist for Experience of Work.
 
• an individual careers interview with a Connexions Personal Advisers takes place within fifteen working days of a student formally requesting one;
 
 
 
 
This policy recognises and is applied in accordance with the school’s policies for teaching and learning, PSHE; Citizenship; Enterprise; Work Related Learning; Equal Opportunities; Health and Safety; Special Educational Needs, Inclusion and Looked after Children and supports the ‘Every Child Matters’ framework. Policy will be reviewed annually by a group of staff including members of the Leadership and Pastoral Teams. Next review date:- May 2009
 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Guildford County School
Investors in Careers
 
 
What does Investor in Careers mean for Guildford County School?  Investor in Careers is a kite mark for quality in careers work. It shows that we are actively linking with National requirements and guidance for careers education, information, advice and guidance including;
  • The National Quality Standards for Young People’s Information Advice and Guidance (IAG)
  • The National Framework for Careers education and guidance 11 – 19
  • The frameworks and programmes of study for personal development, work-related and enterprise learning
  • Inspection requirements
 
Investor in Careers provides;
·        A framework for monitoring, reviewing, evaluating and improving the leadership, management and delivery of careers work – supporting continuous improvement in response to young people’s needs
·        A benchmarking and assessment tool – making it easier to identify strengths and weaknesses, areas for development and action to improve
·        Support for collaborative work in individual organisations and across local areas and 14 – 19 consortia – encouraging joined-up curriculum and IAG provision
·        evidence to use in reports, submissions and applications – including to governors and board members, funding and commissioning bodies and the Diploma Gateway
·        Evidence to use when contributing to the self- evaluation and self assessment that are the starting points for all Ofsted inspections
 
Why become and Investor in Careers?
Investor in Careers helps organisations to provide the good quality careers education, information, advice and guidance that support young people’s achievement and equip them to manage their career development, including learning.
There is strong evidence that young people who receive good quality careers education and IAG achieve more and are less likely to drop out or change courses than those who do not.
Investors in Careers will help the school to achieve the highest level of quality careers guidance and education to help young people to access good quality impartial IAG. This information is at the heart of personalised learning and contributes directly to the achievement of the five Every Child Matters outcomes – which is why Ofsted inspections look at how well careers work helps young people to achieve good outcomes.
Ø      The raising of expectations agenda – this focuses on helping young people to participate in education and training until age 18. It includes providing careers education and IAG early enough to influence young people’s aspirations and expectations (eg by tackling misunderstandings and challenging stereotyped and traditional thinking) and support them in making decisions that lead to success in learning and work.
Ø      14 – 19 reforms – these widen young people’s choices and extend the range of progression pathways open to them. Collaborative delivery of IAG is one of the key assessment criteria for passing through the Diploma Gateway and features in the 14 – 19 Progress Checks. Good quality careers work also plays a key role in supporting the achievement of local post- 16 progression targets and shaping the post-16 progression information that will be published in school profiles from 2009.
 
 
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