Key Stage 1
Career Pathways
Our Careers programme aims to provide pupils with the skills they require to make informed career choices, lead positive lives and to engage in learning opportunities which build resilience, increase confidence, develop self-belief, increase self-awareness, raise aspirations and prepare for transition to Further Education or Work Based Learning.
Careers is also embedded throughout the curriculum as a whole where pupils are given the opportunity to explore the jobs within specific, subject based areas.
The programme is reviewed annually against the Gatsby Benchmarks which also includes reviewing the impact of activities on pupils’ experiences and attainments.
For our Careers Education Information and Guidance Statement, please see our policies section.
The Careers Lead at Great Arley is Kathryn Easton. If you wish to find out more about our careers education contact the school office.
- Pupils show an interest in different occupations and ways of life. They begin to identify different jobs and the skills required to do them. Pupils explore the jobs of staff in school and engage with them to ask questions and find out about their day to day roles.
- Pupils learn about the jobs of people who help to keep them safe: how people contact special people when they need their help, including dialing 999.
Key Stage 2
- Pupils learn that in school and wider society they can expect to be treated with respect by others and that they should show due respect to others.
- They learn that money comes from different sources including through wages from working and can be used for different purposes.
- They explore different types of jobs /careers as a source of income.
- Pupils learn skills about developing their confidence and being assertive – they practise skills and explore within possible social and work place scenario environments.
- Pupils explore ideas about planning ahead - identifying personal qualities, interests and skills that may affect careers choices in the future. They identify the roles of people who help to keep them safe: how people contact special people when they need their help, including dialing 999.
Key Stage 3
- Careers in Key Stage 3 is taught through the PSHE curriculum.
- Access to Kudos Cascaid Careers resources enable pupils to explore possible Career directions, explore the connection between what they’re studying in school and their future career options. They can also access live job vacancies, live apprenticeship vacancies, and real-time labour market information. College and university courses are also pulled into the product in real-time.
- Pupils begin to research possible future career paths and labour market opportunities. They identify personal qualities, interests and skills that may affect their careers choices in the future.
- Pupils explore equal opportunities – they explore this in relation to the workplace as well as academic and vocational courses Identify /interview /find out about a range of local community jobs /careers.
- They identify sources for help and support for people in the community in relation to the jobs people do.
- Pupils explore a range of careers opportunities within the area of the law and law enforcement. The legal rights and responsibilities regarding equality (particularly with reference to the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010) and that everyone is unique and equal.
- Personal Finance and Careers: Continuing to find out about future career options, labour based markets. Continuing to find out about skills valued in the workplace. Continuing to find out about academic and vocational routes in schools, colleges, universities.
- Practise interview techniques and application processes.
- Identifying personal qualities, interests and skills that may affect careers choices in the future.
- Meet with a careers advisor.
- Investigate future placements to be carried out at college and have face to face meetings with providers at Careers evenings and through visits to colleges.
- Personal Enterprise: Make a contribution to the planning of and participate in a fund raising activity. Find out about linked career paths, labour market opportunities and specific skills valued within these areas of enterprise and business. Interview business leaders, explore TV programmes linked to enterprise ( eg, Apprentice, Dragons Den). Identify specific skills needed within these career paths and relate to their own skills and interests.
- Transition/moving on: Use action planning to set personal, educational and vocational goals.
Key Stage 4
- Careers is taught as a discreet lesson and also as part of the PSHE and ASDAN Personal Development Programme. Pupils achieve accreditation with the ASDAN Short Course; Careers and Experiencing Work, Personal Development Programme and AQA Unit Awards. Pupils emphasis on life skills and those key skills required to support adult living.
- Throughout years 10 and 11, pupils attend weekly college links courses at Blackpool and the Fylde College and Myerscough College. Pupils can choose taster courses from Motor Vehicle, Vehicle Body, Photography, Music Production, Art and Design, Media, Childcare, Drama, Computing, Hair and Beauty, Tourism + Events, Sport, Horticultue and Small Animal Care. College Links Courses and visits play an important role in pupils transition to their post 16 placements.
- Education Business Partnership (NW) Ltd work alongside staff and pupils to develop skills and help with transitions to College and Further Education placements.
- Our Enterprise Advisor, Steve Newsham, (Regenda Homes), facilitates activities for pupils and engagement with employers.
- Pupils and parents have many opportunities throughout the year to experience a range of Careers’ events where they can discuss opportunities with employers and training providers and use this information to inform their decisions. These opportunities include:
- Engagement with employers through the Raising Aspirations programme/Lancashire Enterprise Adviser Network/Inspira/Lancashire Careers Hub.
- Careers’ carousels.
- Creative Careers Week.
- Careers and Enterprise Week.
- Visits to the Apprenticeship Show.
- Careers evenings in school.
- Visits to local schools’ Careers Events.
- One to one interviews and engagements with employers.
- Work experience placements.
- Visiting speakers and employers.
- Enterprise projects supported by our Enterprise Advisor.
- College links courses and open days.
- Interviews with a Careers adviser.
- Access to Kudos Cascaid Careers resources to help pupils explore possible Career directions and learn about future options.
- All Year 11 pupils undertake a two-week work experience placement in June. Pupils are encouraged to make their own choices for their placements and school support them in their applications and interviews. We liaise with Education Business Partnership (NW) LTD who undertake health and safety checks at the workplaces involved with the scheme. Pupils initially contact their placement and attend an interview with their chosen employer, supported by school. Students will have prepared for their Work Experience Placements through their Careers’ Education Programme.
- We have built strong links with employers who help and support our pupils by boosting their attitudes and employability skills, informing them about the range of roles and opportunities available and helping them understand how to make this a reality.
- We have established placements with a wide range of employers who offer a high-quality work experience which reflects the pupils’ strengths and supports the academic curriculum.
- Year 11 pupils have annual reviews in the Autumn Term to finalise their transition plans and plan for their post 16 placements. Their chosen Colleges/ FE Units/Apprenticeship providers are invited to attend the reviews to discuss pupils’ placements in more detail and prepare for the transition to pupils’ chosen post 16 placements. Applications to their chosen post 16 placements are then made and pupils attend transition days in the Summer Term.
Links to Post-16 Providers
Useful Careers Information
The future of our pupils is important to us all at Great Arley. For information about careers visit: