Posted on: 20/09/2024
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
At Bartholomew we are committed to providing high quality careers education, information, advice and guidance, to ensure that our students have all the necessary information and knowledge to enable them to make well informed decisions about their future career pathways.
The government’s 2023 CEIAG strategy is built around the Gatsby Benchmarks, which provides a framework for our careers provision in school. We have a statutory duty to ensure that students are provided with independent and impartial careers guidance; contact with employers, mentors and coaches who can inspire them to achieve; opportunities to access a range of motivational activities, such as employer talks, careers events and visits; and that as a school we have a clear policy and framework by which to measure outcomes.
Our Career Development Plan is embedded within the whole school curriculum and we aim to help students develop themselves through careers and work-related education, learn about careers and the world of work, and develop their career management and employability skills.
Our aim is that students develop a critical approach to information about jobs and educational opportunities and gain the skills and understanding to make good decisions about their future.
For further information and advice about the Careers Programme please contact:
Linda Williams, Careers Lead and Work Experience Administrator
Tel: 01865 733334
Learning for Life (L4L)
Learning for Life is Bartholomew School’s Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Economic (PSHCE) provision. Lessons take place on a weekly basis and Careers forms part of the programme; delivered throughout Years 7 to 13.
| Years 7&8 |
Students look at their achievements, skills and qualities and investigate different job roles and the value of work in society. They also consider ways in which the world of work is changing and the skills that will be needed in the future, as well as Labour Market Information (LMI). Students in Year 7 are introduced to ‘job families’ using Careers Planet, and in Year 8 to occupational roles, lifestyle and income, using The Real Game. |
| Year 9 |
Students look at decision-making as a preparation for making informed choices about their Key Stage 4 options, together with sessions on transition skills, prejudice and sterotypes, Labour Market Information (LMI), jobs and transition skills, and CV writing. They have lessons in ICT network rooms on how to do effective job searches, and are introduced to software programmes to help develop their understanding of Career Guidance and Information. Students research jobs and courses that interest them and find out about the entry requirements to help them to decide on their Key Stage 4 choices. |
| Year 10 |
Careers Education takes place during L4L lessons and morning registrations, leading up to a one-week Work Experience placement that is the main focus for the year. Students spend time preparing for Work Experience by writing letters of application and arranging interviews with employers, as well as learning about health and safety in the workplace. Students also start to explore their Post 16 options and learn about applying for jobs and interview skills; Labour Market Information (LMI); recognising and building personal skills; and a module on the introduction of apprenticeships. This gives students the opportunity to gain a broad understanding of how apprenticeships work and how they can choose this particular pathway to their respective future education and careers. |
| Year 11 |
Emphasis is on planning for the future. Students look at all the options open to them: Sixth Form, college, employment with training and apprenticeships. They use eClips software to investigate career pathways and Labour Market Information (LMI). Students have the opportunity for an individual guidance interview, with an independent careers advisor from the Adviza careers service, to discuss their ideas and to draw up an action plan. All students have a meeting with a member of the Senior Team to discuss their plans; this may be followed up with a further meeting with Adviza if required. |
| Sixth Form |
In the Sixth Form, all students, whether they are considering higher education, employment or a gap year, are offered information on options through their form tutors, the Director of Sixth Form and the Adviza Careers Service. The Learning for Life programme also gives the opportunity for representatives from Higher Education, employment and training, to talk to students about the options available to them and to support their university or employment applications. Staff from Siemens attend school to give a presentation on interview techniques and students can apply for a mock interview. Students attend a Higher Education Fair. |
Careers Guidance
Our Careers Advisor, Maggie Nason, delivers careers guidance to students, particularly those in Year 11 and the Sixth Form, to offer impartial information, advice and guidance. Maggie is in school once or twice a week to offer advice on applying for jobs, apprenticeships, college courses, training or university. This is followed up by an individual Action Plan. Appointments are arranged via Mrs Williams, Careers Lead.
Careers Events
As part of the West Oxfordshire Schools Careers Partnership (WOSCP), we organise careers and apprenticeship events during the academic year. These usually take place in Terms 2 and 4 and give students the opportunity to meet with representatives from colleges, training providers and employers, and to discuss and investigate their Post-16 and Post-18 pathways.
Events planned for 2024/25 include:
Careers Fair - Wednesday 4th December 2024, 5.00pm – 8.00pm
Hosted by Abingdon & Witney College at their Witney Campus and open to students in Year 10, 11, 12 & 13. There will be over 40 exhibitors from FE colleges, universities, apprenticeship providers and employers, all available to talk directly with students and parents/carers about the opportunities they have to offer, or career pathways linked to their business or sector. This is a great opportunity to learn more about Post 16 and Post 18 options, find out about apprenticeships, or see what employers are looking for in future recruits.
To register for the event, please either scan the QR code on the attached flyer, or go to: Exploring Careers Event - Abingdon & Witney College
Apprenticeship Recruitment Fair on Thursday 13th March 2025, 6.00pm – 8.00pm
This event will be held at The Marlborough School, Woodstock. Open to students in Year 10, 11, 12 & 13. Further details to follow.
We also mark national events such as Green Careers Week, Apprenticeships Week, and Careers Week.
Work Experience
Work experience gives students an opportunity to see how different the world of work is from life at school and the chance to test themselves in an adult environment.
Year 10 – Students have a one-week placement in the spring term, giving them the opportunity to develop their personal and social skills, prepare for the change from school to adult working life, improve their employability skills; and broaden their career ideas and plan for the future. Through the Careers Education Programme they develop a range of personal skills that will be useful in the future: practice in writing letters to employers, attending interviews and understanding the importance of health and safety issues. All placements are checked to ensure the necessary insurance and health and safety arrangements are in place.
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Year 10 Work Experience Monday 28th April – Friday 2nd May 2025 |
Year 12 - Students have the opportunity, during the summer term, to take part in work experience or voluntary work with local community organisations or charities. A week is set aside during the summer term for Year 12 students to undertake work experience, or take part in the Make a Difference (MAD) Week. Both universities and employers value the skills and insight developed during a recent period of work experience and several HE courses require that students have some experience of the type of work involved. They also recognise the benefits of taking part in a voluntary capacity in the community and this is a useful addition to the student’s UCAS Personal Statement and/or CV.
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Year 12 Work Experience
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Resources and Further Information
The School’s upper library contains a selection of reference books, magazines, and other literature in the careers section, giving access to information about different jobs and different ways of training and continuing education. The library also contains university prospectuses and details of college courses available locally. A smaller selection of careers literature is available in the lower library for younger students.
Careers information is published in our weekly Student News, which is uploaded to Google Classroom every Friday during term time. This includes details of Open Days, careers events, work experience and employment opportunities.
Follow this link for employment, training and apprenticeship information and opportunities.
The following resources are available for individuals to use to explore different types of jobs and higher education courses:
A comprehensive careers information website. Click on the logo to visit the platform. The site offers accurate, impartial information on over 1400 careers, plus a wealth of advice and information on education and employment choices. Search for careers by job group, A-Z, school subject, or use the Careers Wizard tool. Find information on all the different education pathways and advice to help you prepare for and find work.
Find Your Future Online Careers Platform
The OxLEP skills Find Your Future online careers platform for students, parents and carers, provides information and future career inspiration under one virtual roof. There are 100 virtual pods that represent local and national businesses, HE and FE education opportunities. Click on the logo to visit the platform and:
- Explore the different employment sectors available in Oxfordshire
- Connect with local and national employers
- Research Post-16 and Post-18 options including colleges, apprenticeships and universities
- Discover tips on the skills employers are looking for, CV writing and how to succeed at interviews
MEASURING THE IMPACT OF THE CAREERS PROGRAMME
The Careers lessons that form part of the Learning for Life programme, are evaluated both by the Head of L4L and Careers Lead, using teacher and student feedback.
The Adviza service in school is monitored and measured using Survey Monkey questionnaires and at termly review meetings.
The impact of careers events and activities is measured using student and parent/carer feedback questionnaires. Results are shared and published as appropriate.
Both Year 10 and Year 12 Work Experience, and the Year 12 Make a Difference Week, are evaluated using debrief questionnaires, with results published and shared as appropriate.
The careers programme is assessed using the Compass Careers Benchmark Tool.
FUNDING
There is an annual careers budget, with additional funding provided for the Adviza Service Contract, along with the cost of the necessary insurance and health and safety checks for Year 10 placements.
Provider Access Policy
If you are a Business or Learning Provider that would like to support our programme please email our Careers Lead, Linda Williams at careers@bartholomew.epatrust.org.
Our Provider Access Policy sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer:
Careers Information Education Advice and Guidance Policy
