At Paget, we support students in making well-informed decisions by providing access to differentiated, impartial and independent information and guidance about the range of options (including academic, vocational and apprenticeships) that are most likely to help them to achieve their ambitions. Through a stable careers programme, we seek to be able to help students manage their careers, sustain employability and achieve personal and economic wellbeing throughout their lives.
Our mission is to raise the aspirations and achievements of individual students, improve social mobility, develop eight employability skills and enhance knowledge of labour market information, whilst providing students with access to all career pathways. Students will have a range of experiences tailored to their individual needs and circumstances, including encounters with workplaces and employers, an insight into further and higher education establishments, and opportunities for personal guidance.
The objectives of the Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance policy are as follows:
- To provide each student with the opportunity to receive personal guidance
- To ensure that all students at the school receive a stable careers programme
- To enable all students to learn from information provided by the career and labour market
- The CEIAG programme should be individual and address the needs of each student
- To link the curriculum learning to careers learning
- To provide students with a series of encounters with employers and employees
- To provide students with experiences of workplace(s)
- To ensure that students have a series of encounters with further and higher education
Overview of Careers Programme (subject to change)
| Year 7 | • PSE and Form Time careers programme • Higher Horizons Uni Inform Programme: Introduction to Higher Education • Limitless Literature: Targeted reading fluency to reduce barriers to Higher Education. • Employer Encounters: Visits from the RAF and Royal Navy. • Meaningful Work Experience: Introductory opportunities begin. • Alton Towers Programme: 5-week collaboration with Staffordshire University (includes 2 days of WEX). • Universal access to Unifrog • Annual Careers Fair. |
| Year 8 | • PSE and Form Time careers programme. • Employer Mock Interviews: Interviews with real professionals to develop communication and “thinking on the spot” skills. • Future Ready Fund: Intensive three-year programme for eligible students (includes 3 days of annual work experience). • Limitless Literature: Targeted reading fluency to reduce barriers to Higher Education. • Alton Towers Programme: 5-week collaboration with Staffordshire University (includes 2 days of WEX).< • Employer Encounters: Visits from the RAF and Royal Navy. • Meaningful Work Experience: Twycross Zoo • Future Skills Questionnaire • Universal access to Unifrog • Annual Careers Fair. |
| Year 9 | • PSE and Form Time careers programme. • Higher Horizons Pathways and Choices Inform Programme: Focused on A-Levels, T-Levels, and Apprenticeships • GCSE Options/Pathway Support: Comprehensive guidance from multiple sources. • University Visit: Planned trip to Staffordshire University. • Future Ready Fund: Intensive three-year programme for eligible students (includes 3 days of annual work experience). • Pathways Assembly and parents’ evening support from external advisors. • Meaningful Work Experience: 1 day placement, student led. • Future Skills Questionnaire • Universal access to Unifrog • Annual Careers Fair. |
| Year 10 | • PSE and Form Time careers programme. • Talk the Talk Workshop: Public speaking and communication intervention • Employer Mock Interviews: Interviews with real professionals to develop communication and “thinking on the spot” skills. • Meaningful Work Experience: One week (5 days) work placement. • Interview Preparation: Dedicated PSE lessons to read job descriptions and rehearse interview answers. • Future Ready Fund: Intensive three-year programme for eligible students (includes 3 days of annual work experience). • Personalised Support: Extended one-hour guidance for eligible students • Leadership Roles: Opportunity to become Reader Leaders, mentoring younger students. • Employer Encounters: Toyota presentation and assembly. • Future Skills Questionnaire • Universal access to Unifrog • Annual Careers Fair. |
| Year 11 | • PSE and Form Time careers programme. • One-to-One Careers Guidance: A personal careers interview for every student. • Envelope Day: Post-mock results guidance interviews. • Employer Encounters: Toyota presentation and assembly. • Degree Apprenticeship Exposure: Targeted application workshops and information. • Future Skills Questionnaire • Universal access to Unifrog • Annual Careers Fair. |
| Year 12 and 13 | • Talk the Talk (Future-Focused): Advanced workshops including group interview simulations. • Higher Education Support: UCAS and Personal Statement workshops run by Staffordshire University. • One-to-One University Pathway Interviews where needed and external professional advice. • Degree Apprenticeship: Specific interview simulation days and workshops. • Leadership Roles: Prefect roles and Reader Leader positions. • Universal access to Unifrog • Annual Careers Fair. |
Careers Newsletter
Employable Skills
When you have an idea of the type of career you want, do some research to discover the skills that are needed to fulfil that job. The Prospects website has a list of many different job profiles and includes information on the skills required to fulfil that role: www.prospects.ac.uk.
Think about where you have already acquired these skills, maybe from work experience, a role you have taken on in school, extra-curricular activities, and also make a plan of how you are going to develop the skills you don’t have yet. For example, if you need to work on your confidence skills, volunteer to take part in an assembly.
The image below shows Employability Skills and the Enterprise Skills employers are looking for. Even if you don’t have a specific career in mind, working towards developing these skills will leave you more prepared for when you do decide.
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