The government has created a framework of guidelines that as a school we should look to implement. These are known as the Gatsby Benchmarks, a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in schools and colleges. The Careers Strategy is built around them, and they make a great place to start for planning or improving your programme.
The Eight Gatsby Benchmarks
- A stable careers programme. …
- Learning from career and labour market information. …
- Addressing the needs of each pupil. …
- Linking curriculum learning to careers. …
- Encounters with employers and employees. …
- Experiences of workplaces. …
- Encounters with further and higher education. …
- Personal guidance.
Click here for more information.
Hazel Grove’s 7 Steps to Curriculum Careers
It is important you know why your curriculum is being delivered to ensure that all our learners are provided with the best platform of success to get into the careers or profession they desire. You can make you subject careers driven – put a focus onto why they need to know this and how it will help them in the future. Things you could do to make an impact:
- Discuss pathways with your subject, and how it could be taken further at Post 16, degree level or through an apprenticeship, discussing the careers and jobs it could lead to.
- Create a departmental “Careers” display to show routes, and progression in your subject
- Create a poster to show Courses and Apprenticeships in Your subject
- Create a display in your room to show why your subject is vital for careers and the world of work
- Invite a guest speaker from the one of our Local colleges or Universities to promote and raise aspirations
- Invite a local Business employee/employer to discuss how they use your subject in your lesson
- Arrange a visit to a workplace related to your subject area. Careers can be part of the focus.
Note – We can help with arranging a guest speaker through our “Give an Hour” programme (see below) and support you with the Risk Assessment
Student Progression
Supporting the progression of pupils onto suitable post-16 and post-18 options is a team effort and it is important as a team of staff to work collaboratively for the benefit of our leavers.
To this end, please find links to the various resources that you might require to support the young people in your various roles as Subject Teacher, Form Tutor and/or Learning Mentor. Parents please find resources that could support our team effort.
You could also get involved by helping the whole school. Can someone in your family or friendship group spare some time to come into school to support our curriculum? Have a look at our “Give an Hour” campaign below.
Support Our Learners
Watch the video about “Give an Hour”
We already benefit from a large number of volunteers who give up a little bit of time to come to give presentations to our students, talk about the world of work or simply discuss their job, career or pathway. Please take a moment to watch the short introduction video, linked above and access the online form below, to let us know your details and how you can get involved.
At this point do not worry about times and dates. We will share our menu of events and formats for being involved with all those who sign up to volunteer. It could be a one off discussing the importance of managing people in a Business lesson, looking after children in Health and Social Care, Policing in Sociology using Maths in your everyday work or working as a Chef at a Hotel. It could be anything such as working at the Trafford Centre, at Manchester Airport or at the NHS. We’d love to build a database of contacts that different curriculum area could look at to help bring our curriculum to life. You could email me us at school or volunteer an hour here, using the online form: FORM
Get a University Involved in your Subject
Why not hold a lecture in a one of your lessons – The University of Manchester are inviting schools to arrange a Guest Lecturer to come into the school to speak to students aiming to provide a platform to aspire to University. It’s completely FREE and subject specific.
Click here to find out more.
Academic guest lecture series from The University of Manchester
Teachers of post-16 A-level students can book world-class academics from The University of Manchester to deliver guest lectures at local schools and colleges.