Careers and Progression
The key elements of a good Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Programme should be to develop the self awareness, opportunity awareness, decision making and transition planning skills of its students. It should also look to raise aspirations, broaden horizons and breakdown stereotypes. It should help students to understand the purpose, and benefits, of education and it should aim to inspire them to greater achievement in their formal qualifications as well as successful progression into the next stage of their lives, and the ‘world of work’ in the longer term.
A robust and inspiring CEIAG programme should be an integral part of the whole school and, as a result, Christ’s CEIAG programme incorporates both formal careers education, information, advice and guidance activities, as well as other opportunities linked to each of the students’ subjects, whether this is delivered through/by bespoke lessons, external speakers, educational visits or developing our staff’s knowledge of the careers and opportunities linked to their subject areas. We believe that the whole school staff has a responsibility for the ‘careers education’ of its students and, therefore, it is important that all staff maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the opportunities that relate to their subjects, encourage students to explore ideas and are happy to provide additional information to students, or to refer them to other resources/colleagues with a more specific knowledge.
In addition to the proposed CEIAG programme, we should also aim to provide students with opportunities to experience the ‘world of work’ and to develop their key employability and enterprise skills throughout Years 7 – 11 and beyond if they continue on into the 6th Form. This will be achieved through their formal education as well as through extra and super-curricular activities both in school and outside of school. This part of the CEIAG programme should be built around the form tutor and, once again, will be an opportunity for the school to draw the links between academic achievement and the students’ future progression and should aim to confirm to the students that they will need more than just qualifications in order to be successful in their future plans. This relationship, and what the CEIAG programme aims to achieve, can be summed up in the equation, E = Q + WE + S, or Employability = Qualifications + Work Experience + Skills.
We aim to continue to develop a range of different resources, including the school’s website, to support the students (and their parents/carers) in researching and planning their futures, and we will work closely with parents/carers as well as organisations, such as the local authority, Further and Higher Education providers and employers (local, national and international) to offer appropriate information and support for our students. Each September we will also carry out an annual review of the information published within this section of our website to ensure it is fit-for-purpose.
And finally, as well as developing a CEIAG Programme which meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, we aim to track and monitor all career activities to assess their impact and to regular seek feedback from students, parents and those involved in the Programme to ensure that it is helping our students to make informed choices and successful transitions within, and beyond, Christ’s School and have successful and fulfilling lives in the future.
If would like to be involved in supporting our CEAIG Programme please register your interest with Mrs Alex Holmes, Career Leader and KS5 Progression Coordinator Email: Aholmes@christs.school Tel: 020 8940 6982.
