Careers Education
Kendrick School is committed to providing a range of opportunities, experiences and resources to enable students in KS3, 4 and 5 to help them engage with their future life after Kendrick.
Our aim at Kendrick School, is to ensure that the careers provision is tailored to the needs and circumstances of all our students. We have a careers plan and we encourage all of our stakeholders to be aware of it and we commit to keeping it up to date. We continually develop our network and information through our existing networks and our governing body to ensure that the programme considers their knowledge of the changing labour market.
A wide range of internal and external opportunities and activities are communicated through appropriate channels to inform our students of career development pathways.
The platforms that we use to deliver our programme are: assemblies, tutor time, PSHCE, employer-encounters, workplace experiences, employability experiences, Year-Group conferences and drop-down days.
The main objectives of CEIAG at Kendrick are in line with the Governments careers strategy which is expressed by the Gatsby Benchmarks.
A stable careers programme
Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers and employers.
Kendrick School is committed to providing a range of opportunities, experiences and resources to enable students in KS3, 4 and 5 to help them engage with their future life after Kendrick. Our aim is to ensure that the careers provision is tailored to the needs and circumstances of all our students.
Learning from career and labour market information
Every pupil, and their parents, should have access to good-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of available information.
At Kendrick, we continually develop our network and information through our existing contacts and our governing body to ensure that the programme considers their knowledge of the changing labour market.
Addressing the needs of each pupil
Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.
Our careers programme is designed in such a way as to be relevant across all 3 key stages and therefore is progressive in nature. It sets out to increase the autonomy of our students when making career decisions and showing them a range of alternative routes after leaving Kendrick.
Linking curriculum learning to careers
All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. For example, STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
Kendrick will ensure a collective approach to the careers programme where staff will explain the relevance of their subject areas and expertise with connection to the workplace and future careers.
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 activities, including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.
Kendrick School recognises the relevance of allowing our students to have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about the world of work. We ensure that all year groups on KS3 and KS4 achieve this above the minimum level of one encounter per year.
Experiences of workplaces
Every pupil should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.
Kendrick School has long-invested in the activity of giving our KS4 & KS5 students a week's work experience. We have an external provider (Learning to Work), to source and manage these placements. The process includes a short interview with the student so that a good match between the placement-provider and student is achieved.
Encounters with further and higher education
All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.
During the Post 16 conference, the Year 11 students have a chance to consider alternative places of study for their KS5 years and also alternative routes of study and employment are fully discussed.
In the Sixth Form, there is a formal programme to introduce and explain the UCAS application process as well as discussing alternative exit routes such as gap year, apprenticeships, internships and more.
Personal guidance
Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.
Kendrick school sees the benefit of providing personal guidance to our students to help them focus on their future dreams and help them structure their next steps to reach their goals and fulfil their aspirations. We recognise that this will require the support of outside professionals, and we have entrusted this to 'Learning to Work'.
Careers Co-ordinator
Our Careers Co-ordinator, Mrs Candace McManus, leads our CEAIG work with a high level of expertise to maintain and develop our stable careers programme. Curriculum and tutor time is dedicated to allow for a planned delivery of CEIAG content through skilled personnel. We are supported by external professional agencies to assist with the delivery of certain aspects of the programme. We promote the importance of the careers programme to students, parents, teachers and employers so that they know what to expect and how they can contribute to its success. We undertake regular evaluation of the programme to inform future decisions about the programme.
Please contact the Careers Co-ordinator, Mrs McManus, for more information.
