Careers and Guidance Programme

We measure and evaluate our careers programme via the 8 GATSBY Benchmarks:

1. A stable careers programme

• We are looking to set up a programme of careers education and guidance within tutor time for all years and careers education will also be part of PSHE lessons for all students.
• Information about future study options and the labour market is available to students at Open Evenings, through enrichment sessions that we hold for students, through assemblies and information sessions with local colleges and apprenticeship providers, and through drop in sessions with our careers lead Mr Marsh.
• To identify students’ guidance needs, we ask them to complete a survey at the beginning of the academic year which explores their interests and future career path ideas. This information is then collated and shared with specific staff members. This means that we can target particular students for specific events that may be of interest to them and their future career paths.
• We provide students with opportunities within the academy to have direct contact with employers by hosting drop in talks with visitors from a range of professions and backgrounds. We have invited in parents and local companies and training providers to speak with students about their experiences or their careers.
• During their time with us,  students will also have the opportunity to attend a variety of careers fairs and events, whether this is off site or at school. These events allow our studentsto meet employers as well as people from colleges and universities.
• In addition, we are making links with the Chichester College and Chichester University outreach teams in which we will seek to plan a programme of events which are linked with the both establishments.

2. Learning from career and labour market information

• To identify the needs of our students in regards to careers guidance, all students are entitled to an appointment with an external careers adviser. This happens for all Year 10 students during the second half of the summer term. Most recently, this objective advice has been provided by the student support team at Chichester College.
• Impartial advice from our external careers advisers can be arranged for any of our Year 8-11 students who are unsure of their future path. 
• During National Careers Week, all students are made aware of the most up to date and relevant career and labour market information through assemblies and tutor time activities. 
• Individual students are encouraged to speak with staff in regards to their future aspirations. Staff members then liaise with Directors of Learning and our careers leader, Mr Marsh, to help identify any further guidance and support the academy can give to the pupil.

3. Addressing the needs of each student

• To address the needs of our students, we are going to be using Compass-plus as a careers and guidance tracker. This will allow us to keep track of their yearly surveys, conversations with pupils, any interactions with external visitors, on-site careers events and extra-curricular visits. 
• From the information on the tracker, we organise trips, support, interventions and working lunches based on the data that has been returned. 
• Compass-Plus will also allow each student who leaves us at the end of Year 11 to have a clear record of the experiences they have had relating to careers and post-16 pathways.

4. Linking curriculum learning to careers

• All department curriculum pathway documents refer to future careers and higher education pathways.
• Departments have displays that explain potential future careers relating to each subject or notable people in the world who studied that subject.
• Options information and Options Evenings strongly link subjects and option choices to pupils’ future career plans and Post 16 pathways.
• Departments are encouraged each year to invite external visitors from careers linking to their subjects to speak with students. This is strong in STEM subjects.

5. Encounters with employers and employees

• Students at Ormiston Six Villages Academy have many encounters with employers and employees during their five years with us.
• We provide work/college experience for Year 10 through a working partnership with Chichester College.
• Students on external extra-curricular visits are told to consider the number of job roles and employment opportunities at the venues or locations that they visit.
• Students in all year groups benefit from the expertise of external visitors in lessons, in assemblies and on ‘drop-down’ days.
• All students have the opportunity to visit careers fairs over the course of their five years with us. This has been done in school on occasion but we are investigating the opportunity to attend external events.
• Compass-Plus will record all of the encounters that students have. This allows us to target studentswho have missed out on encounters and present them with new opportunities. 

6. Experiences of workplaces

• All Year 10 students participate in work/college experience during May or June. 
• Currently run in conjunction with Chichester College, this provides them with experiences of a number of job roles, college courses and helps to develop their career path.

7. Encounters with further and higher education

• Year 11 students have regular (at least once a half term) input from local colleges and apprenticeship providers. This is done through assemblies and meetings with small groups of students. These offer impartial advice on what Post 16 pathways are available.
• Chichester University host business and enterprise sessions with our students in which they get to work with and ask questions of university tutors and students. 
• Visits to universities happen every year for our most able students and to raise aspirations for girls in Years 9, 10 and 11.

8. Personal guidance

• All students have personal guidance interviews in Y10 with external careers advisors.
• Students can use lunch time drop-ins to speak with our careers leader, Mr Marsh, for information and guidance.
• At any time of year parents and students from any year group can request an appointment with an independent careers advisor which will be arranged through Mr Marsh. If a follow up appointment is required, that can also be organised.
• Parents and carers are welcome to attend careers appointments with their sons/daughters and after school appointments are available.