In order to ensure our students enjoy high quality careers guidance and experiences, we are embedding the eight Gatsby Benchmarks throughout our careers and employability programme. The Gatsby Benchmark is a report regarding career guidance in English secondary schools and how it could be improved. These benchmarks identify different aspects of good career guidance.
Stable careers programme
KS3
- PSHE programme focuses on employability skills, personal finance, career options and pathway planning
KS4
- PSHE programme focuses on application skills and Post-16 Pathways
- PSHE programme focuses on employability skills, personal finance, career options and pathway planning
- A range of events are in place to help students to gather information about pathways and providers
KS5
- PSHE programme focuses on Post-18 pathways and applications, including student finance
- A range of trips and events are in place to help students gather information about pathways and providers
Learning from career and labour market information
KS3
- Parents and students are provided with information about Post-16 choices at the GCSE Options Evening
- Focus in PSHE on gathering information about careers and the labour market
KS4
- All students provided with information and guidance on the range of options available to them at Post-16
- Parents invited to attend the Sixth Form Information Evening
- Outside speakers invited into school to discuss options or students visit pathway specific events to gather information
- Focus in PSHE on gathering information about careers and the labour market
KS5
- All students provided with information and guidance on the range of options available to them at Post-18
- Parents invited to attend an HE and Student Finance Evening
- Outside speakers invited into school to discuss options or students visit pathway specific events to gather information.
Addressing the needs of each student
Support, guidance and advice is tailored to the individual student’s needs. These are identified by the tutor, Head of Year, Directors of Key Stage (including Head of Sixth Form), Pupil Premium Coordinator, SENCO and Careers Advisor.
Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Every subject department seeks to integrate employability skills and subject specific employability routes into their curriculum
- STEM liaison ensures a range of activities, trips and events are in place to engage our young people.
Encounters with employers and employees
- Year 8 have a careers carousel event.
- Year 9 have a 1-day 'workplace experience' during the summer term.
- All Year 9 students take part in the ‘Enterprise’ two day event
- All Year 10 students follow a CV writing programme culminating in mock interviews supported by representatives from local and national businesses
- All students have the opportunity to attend assemblies, presentations and workshops run by representatives from the from local and national businesses
Experiences of workplaces
KS4
- All students at the end of their Year 11 exams are encouraged to find work experience. Support is on hand to ensure students find high quality placements that reflect their ambitions
KS5
- All students in Year 12 and Year 13 are encouraged to find work experience. Support is on hand to ensure students find high quality placements that reflect their ambitions
Encounters with Further and Higher Education
- KS4 and KS5 programmes involve visits to HE providers
- KS4 and KS5 students attend a range of workshops delivered by HE, FE and apprenticeship providers
- All Sixth Form students attend the UCAS conference.
Personal Guidance
KS3
- Year 8 and Year 9 students can request or be allocated a careers guidance session with our Careers Leader or Careers Advisor to support their GCSE option choices
KS4
- By the end of KS4, all students will have had the opportunity to meet with the Careers Leader or the Careers Advisor in order to access advice and guidance
KS5
- All Sixth Form students have the opportunity to meet with the schools Post 18 Careers Advisor, the Careers Leader or Careers Advisor
Provider Access
A provider wishing to request access to speak with our students about career pathways should refer to our access policy contained on our school’s website.
There is a range of opportunities to allow information to be presented to students: each year group has dedicated PSHE time and targeted assemblies to promote employability skills and pathway options.
Business and Employers
Southend High School for Boys welcomes employer contact to the school’s careers staff. This could be in respect of comments on our careers programme or offers to assist in the delivery of certain aspects of the programme: please use the contact details listed below.
Careers Staff
Careers Leader: Mr Tim Peek Tel: 01702 606200 email TSP@shsb.org.uk
Post 18 Careers Advisor: Mrs Clare Hamilton Tel: 01702 606200 email CEH@shsb.org.uk
Careers Advisor: Mrs Anna Murphy Tel: 01702 606200 email ALM@shsb.org.uk
Our Career provision is continually assessed in addition to a full review date of September 2021
Resources used and links
- Cascaid Launchpad
- Cascaid Kudos
- Be Real Game
- Parental Guidance http://www.parentalguidance.org.uk/
- Careers Quiz with Labour Market Information https://sacu-student.com/?page_id=2850
- Career Ready Toolkit for parents and carers www.careerready.org.uk/parents
- Cascaid Parent Guide to Careers Guidance - https://www.cascaid.co.uk/news-case-studies/parents-guide-careers-guidance/
- Careers Advice for Parents / Carers - http://www.careersadviceforparents.org
- Informed Choices - www.informedchoices.ac.uk.
- Success at School https://successatschool.org/
- National Careers Service www.direct.gov.uk/nationalcareersservice
- Need help? https://www.gov.uk/careers-helpline-for-teenagers
- icould - www.icould.com
- Start https://www.startprofile.com/
- Careers Box - https://www.careersbox.co.uk/
- NHS www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk
- Careers World www.career-world.co.uk
- My Career Springboard www.mycareerspringboard.org
- Armed Forces – careers in the Armed Forces
https://apply.army.mod.uk/
https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/careers
https://www.raf.mod.uk/recruitment/ - Creative Skill Set www.screenskills.com
- Disability Rights UK https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/
Apprenticeships and Training
- Apprenticeships - www.apprenticeships.org.uk
- Apprenticeships – Parents Guide https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/662464/Parent-Guide-Apprenticeships.pdf
- Apprenticeships – Student Guide http://www.apprenticeshipguide.co.uk/
- Apprenticeships – Find an Apprenticeship https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
- Amazing Apprenticeships - http://amazingapprenticeships.com
- Find a Traineeship https://www.gov.uk/find-traineeship
Volunteering / Enrichment
- Volunteering –
- The Prince’s Trust https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/
Higher Education
- University, College Admissions Service UCAS https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/.
- The Uni Guide https://university.which.co.uk
- UK Course Finder ukcoursefinder.com
- https://www.wikihow.com/Complete-Your-UCAS-Application
- The Complete University Guide
- https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/
- What Uni https://www.whatuni.com/
- Russell Group www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices
- Student Finance https://www.gov.uk/browse/education/student-finance
- Not going to University - https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/
- Milkround - www.milkround.com/ (HE information, also including The Times Top 100 Graduate Jobs)
- Informed Choices - www.informedchoices.ac.uk.
- Prospects - www.prospects.ac.uk