Curriculum
The Careers Education and IAG programme includes careers education lessons, information (in assemblies, special events and learning centre research activities), careers advice sessions (individual advisor interviews and) and guidance activities (individual personal learning planning and employer careers mentoring in Years 10 and 11).
Careers lessons are taught in discrete modules as part of the PSHE programme. The Personal Learning Planning (PLP) programme for Years 7-13 includes guidance activities to develop broader personal skills focused on motivation and employability as well as information and advice. Other events take place throughout the year including the 3-day Creative Action Service (CAS) week, science week, enterprise days, assemblies, visits to post 16 providers and local employer events. Work-related learning and direct work experience is promoted and undertaken wherever and whenever possible.
- We ensure that all pupils are provided with independent careers guidance from year 8 to year 13.
- We ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access all pupils in year 8 to year 13 for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications or apprenticeships.
- We ensure that this policy statement setting out our arrangements for provider access is followed.
- We ensure that we are following the School Information (England) Regulations of 2008 that requires schools to publish information about the school's careers programme. This information relates to the delivery of careers guidance to year 8 to 13 pupils in accordance with Section 42A of the Education Act 1997.
The Baker Clause: Access to non-academic routes
The Baker Clause, introduced as an amendment to the Technical and Further Education Act 2017, stipulates that schools must allow colleges and training providers access to every student in Years 8 to 13 to discuss non-academic routes that are available to them. It is expected that by doing so, this will help address the UK’s productivity challenges and address skills shortages experienced across several sectors of the economy. This regulation has been enforced since 2 January 2018.
The Department for Education’s (DfE) Statutory guidance for governing bodies, school leaders and school staff sets out the expectations of schools which includes: