Case Studies - Sir Thomas Boteler Church of England High School

Gatsby Benchmark 1 – A Stable Careers programme

Every school should have an embedded programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents and carers, staff, governors, employers and other agencies.

Criteria for schools

Every school should have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of governors, the headteacher and the senior management team, and has an identified and appropriately trained careers leader responsible for it.
The careers programme should be tailored to the needs of pupils, sequenced appropriately, underpinned by learning outcomes and linked to the whole-school development plan. It should also set out how parents and carers will be engaged throughout.
The careers programme should be published on the school’s website and communicated in ways that enable pupils, parents and carers, staff and employers to access, and understand it.
The programme should be regularly evaluated using feedback from pupils, parents and carers, teachers and other staff who support pupils, careers advisers and employers, to increase its impact.

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School the:

Careers leader is also a member of the senior leadership team. They have responsibility for Personal development and Transition. This keeps careers on the agenda in leadership discussions and ensures alignment with the school development plan.

We value careers and through the ethos of our school believe in rising aspirations. Our careers programme is part of our curriculum and taught across school and through the Inspire programme. It has clear objectives and outcome and is sequenced over time. It is part of our quality assurance programme and is annually evaluated by students staff and stake holder voice.

The careers leader (Assistant Headteacher) is supported by the PHSE subject lead, a Level 6 qualified careers adviser employed by the school and a level 6 apprentice employed by the school. The careers leader, careers adviser, PHSE lead, SENDCO and assistant SENDCO work together to review careers as part of the school’s annual quality assurance cycle. The careers leader feeds back to the rest of the senior leadership team and updates governors.

The careers lead is the Strategic Lead for our Trust, TCAT. They work closely with the CEC Careers Hub lead to develop Careers across the Trust and ensure that careers is embedded into the ethos and aims of each school.

Gatsby Benchmark 2 – Learning from career and labour market information (LMI):

All pupils, parents and carers, teachers and staff who support pupils should have access to good-quality, up-to-date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities. Young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their parents and carers may require different or additional information. All pupils will need the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of available information

Criteria for Schools

During each Key Stage, all pupils should access and use information about careers, pathways and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options or next steps.
Parents and carers should be encouraged and supported to access and use information about careers, pathways and the labour market to inform their support for pupils in their care.

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School the:

The school ensures that we use good quality, up to date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities. We use the LMI from Warrington posters in the careers curriculum as well as an introduction for all students on how to use the Cheshire and Warrington opportunities website https://www.candwopportunities.co.uk/ are two examples. We work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and have workshops in KS3 and 4 on Local labour market and employer expectations.

All learners will have the support of an informed advisor to make the best use of available information. The information students learn through the careers curriculum includes career pathways, education, training or employment options and labour market opportunities both nationally and locally. We look at wage rates, skills gaps and future trends, including growth driving secotrs. We cover health and social care by working closely with the NHS as this is a strong market as well as having employers in regarding jobs of the future, such as the digital industry, green technology and technical technology.

Talking futures programme for Parent and Careers Talking futures programme

National Careers Service Careers advice – job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service

Gatsby Benchmark 3 – Addressing the needs of each young person:

Pupils have different careers guidance needs at different stages. Careers programmes should help pupils navigate their concerns about any barriers to career progression. In addition, opportunities should be tailored to the needs of each pupil, including any additional needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils, young people with SEND and those who are absent

Criteria for Schools

A school’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge misconceptions and stereotypical thinking, showcase a diverse range of role models and raise aspirations.
Schools should keep systematic records of the participation of pupils in all aspects of their careers programme, including the individual advice given to each pupil, and any subsequent agreed decisions.
For pupils who change schools during the secondary phase, information about participation and the advice given previously should be integrated into a pupil’s records, where this information is made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition.
All pupils should have access to these records and use them ahead of any key transition points to support their next steps and career development.
Schools should collect, maintain and use accurate data for each pupil on their aspirations, intended and immediate education, and training or employment destinations, to inform personalised support.
Schools should use sustained and longer-term destination data as part of their evaluation process and use alumni to support their careers programme.

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School the:

Careers leader and pastoral team seeks to ensure careers guidance support is provided for learners who are absent. The careers adviser, who is commissioned externally, works closely with the careers leader and other key staff including the designated safeguarding lead, SENCO and attendance leads to identify the needs of learners who are absent. Adaptations are then made to the delivery of the careers programme. We work closely with the council ( RONI) to identify NEET students at an early age and develop a personal approach to their careers guidance

For example, the careers adviser will host personal guidance meetings online, visit the young person at home or in neutral settings such as youth centres. The approach is monitored by a wider pastoral support team, which includes the assistant headteacher. The school’s approach to personal guidance is shared with parents and carers every year, including key contact information and signposting to local support services.

Encounters with alumni are carefully planned and sequenced throughout the careers programme. Alumni success is highlighted in the visual culture around the school building in assemblies, on social media and in newsletters shared with parents and carers. At annual celebration evenings, alumni provide insights into their own study or career journeys. This is done to show what can be achieved, and that success takes many forms. Alumni are involved in all aspects of the careers programme, delivering talks and workshops to groups of students, including as part of the subject curriculum.

Our in-house systems, alternative provision and engagement programmes aims to prevent persistently absent 11-16-year-olds from becoming NEET. One-to-one coaching and experiences of workplaces are matched to the young person’s career goals to re-engage them in the purpose of education. We work closely with the ‘Reach your Potential’ team from the council identifying students who may become NEET and putting in interventions.

Gatsby Benchmark 4 – Linking curriculum learning to careers:

As part of the school’s programme of careers education, all teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. Subject teachers should highlight the progression routes for their subject and the relevance of the knowledge and skills developed in their subject for a wide range of career pathways.

Criteria for Schools

Every year, in every subject, every pupil should have opportunities to learn how the knowledge and skills developed in that subject helps people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers.
Careers should form part of the school’s ongoing staff development programme for teachers and all staff who support pupils.

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School we:

We have developed a whole-institution approach to integrating careers into the curriculum, which helps students understand the relevance of what they are learning.

Staff define the skills being developed in the curriculum and use the Skills Builder Universal Framework to ensure a shared language and understanding of those skills. Part of lessons/units of work are dedicated to careers and skills and this approach is fully embedded in the school’s teaching and learning strategy and learning intents.

This enables our young people to make connections between different subjects. They use this understanding to inform their decisions about potential career paths and study options. The careers programme links our students to their future options and our essential skills programme through subject and extracurricular delivery links them to the skills our future values.

The careers leader also works with other leaders to plan careers learning into the INSPIRE programme and the school’s personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education programme for every year group. The school’s quality assurance processes monitor the implementation of this whole-institution approach.
Careers is included in the induction for new staff and the careers leader delivers continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers and all staff through the careers and enterprise company academy programme.

Gatsby Benchmark 5 – Encounters with employers and employees:

Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment opportunities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes, and could include pupils’ own part-time employment where it exists.

Criteria for Schools

Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer.

Definition of ‘Meaningful’ for Benchmark 5

A meaningful encounter gives the young person the opportunity to learn about what work is like, what skills are valued in the workplace, their recruitment processes and what it takes to be successful. Throughout a careers programme, young people should encounter employers of different sizes and specialisms, including the self-employed, that reflect trends in the labour market, regionally and nationally. These encounters could be in person or a combination of in person and virtual, where appropriate. Both the young person and employers should be supported to prepare for the encounter. Additional or different support may be needed for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

A meaningful encounter will:

have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
have opportunities for two-way interactions between the young person and the employer
be followed by time for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through the encounter

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School the:

All pupils from Year 7 to Year 11 have multiple, carefully planned encounters with employers and employees. These encounters take place both during and outside curriculum lessons. For example, Year 8 students meet employers at the Big Bang science event; All students interact with employers through curriculum subjects and employer talks as well as careers fairs, including employer-led workshops; Year 9 take part in speed networking /career caroselsand Year 10 students have a mock interview, CV writing and workshops led by various employers. We place value on giving our learners the opportunities to learn about jobs and careers in the governments 8 priority sectors for economic growth.

Gatsby Benchmark 6 – Experiences of workplaces:

Every learner should have first-hand experiences of workplaces to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks.

Criteria for Schools

By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful experiences of workplaces.
By the age of 18, every pupil should have had at least one further meaningful experience.

Definition of ‘Meaningful’ for Benchmark 6

A meaningful experience gives the young person the opportunity to explore what it is like to work in that environment, what skills are valued in the workplace, their recruitment processes and what it takes to be successful. This could be achieved through visits to workplaces, work shadowing and/or work experience. Throughout the careers programme these experiences could be in person or a combination of in person and virtual, where appropriate.

Both the young person and employers should be supported to prepare for the experience. Additional or different support may be needed for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

A meaningful experience will:

have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
involve extensive two-way interactions between the young person and employees
include opportunities for young people to meet a range of different people from the workplace
include opportunities for young people to perform a task set by the employer or to produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace
include the employer providing feedback to the young person about their work
be followed by opportunities for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through their experience
Schools, colleges and independent training providers (ITPs) can take into account any part-time work a young person may have, if it genuinely offers them a meaningful experience.

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School:

All students have 2 weeks’ worth of meaningful work experience from Year 7 – Year 11.

At present Year 10 has 1 weeks’ worth and Key Stage 3 students have work experience activities on different days over the 3 years. We aim to give our young people the opportunity to access a wide range of careers opportunities, aligned to their interests and talents, local skills needs and national growth sectors.

We are currently working with the careers and Enterprise company to pilot experiences of a work place in Years 8, 9 and 10 as well as leading on the Future Ready programme through JP Morgan and the Careers and Enterprise company.

Gatsby Benchmark 7 – Encounters with further and higher education:

All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them, including academic, technical and vocational routes. This should incorporate learning in schools, colleges, independent training providers (ITPs), universities and in the workplace.

Criteria for schools

By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful encounters with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and ITPs.
By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying to higher education should have had at least two visits to higher education providers to meet staff and learners.

Definition of ‘Meaningful’ for Benchmark 7

A meaningful encounter gives the young person the opportunity to explore what it is like to learn, develop and succeed in that environment. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and learners/trainees. Throughout a careers programme, encounters should be sequenced so that a young person can build up a clear picture of opportunities available to them. Experiences or encounters could be in person or a combination of in person and virtual and could include providers delivering sessions in a school, college or ITP, as well as young people visiting the provider. Young people and providers should be supported to prepare for the encounter. Additional or different support may be needed for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

A meaningful encounter will:

have a clear purpose, which is shared with the provider and the young person
be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
involve a two-way interaction between the young person and the provider
include information about the provider, such as their recruitment and selection processes, the qualifications that provider offers and the careers these could lead to
describe what learning or training with the provider is like
be followed by opportunities for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through the encounter

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School the:

Colleges offers encounters to our school that are tailored to our individual requirements. These can be based either at the college or in school.

The encounters complement the information, advice and guidance that students have already been given.

Activities offered as part of an encounter include:

talks to classes or assemblies delivered by college curriculum staff, pastoral staff and current students
participation in careers fairs for all year groups
application clinics and mock interviews
college campus visits for all year groups
discovery days and subject-specific visits for different age groups to either explore what studying at the college is like, or explore different subject facilities and courses
college staff attending school parents’ and carers’ evenings and other events, to speak to parents and carers directly
students with an EHCP from year 9 discuss their pathways as part of their annual review.

Gatsby Benchmark 8 – Personal guidance:

Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance meetings with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These meetings should be available for all pupils whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be scheduled to meet their individual needs. The careers leader should work closely with the careers adviser, SEND coordinator and other key staff to ensure personal guidance is effective and embedded in the careers programme.

Criteria for Schools

Every pupil should have at least one personal guidance meeting, with a careers adviser by the age of 16, and a further meeting by the age of 18. Meetings should be scheduled in the careers programme to meet the needs of pupils.
Information about personal guidance support, and how to access it, should be communicated to pupils and parents and carers, including through the school website.

Here at Sir Thomas Boteler COE High School the:

Young people have scheduled meetings at key decision points, but anyone can request meetings at other times if they need support. In Key Stage 4, every student has at least one meeting with a careers adviser. Group guidance is used to support students in KS4 with their CV writing and completing applications. Parent/carers are made aware of the meetings and invited to come along.

Personal guidance is embedded in the careers programme and the careers adviser attends events for specific year groups. These include Key Stage 3 and 4 assemblies and parents’ and carers’ events, and Key Stage 3 options talks, Careers events across both key stages, open evenings and application advice sessions.

The careers leader and careers advisers work closely with heads of year, the SENDCO and the attendance officer and the inclusion team to identify students who would benefit from tailored intervention. This includes students who lack motivation or a clear aspiration, disadvantaged or vulnerable students, those with SEND or those at risk of becoming NEET.