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The designated Careers Lead for Chorlton High School is Ms. P Banger, Deputy Headteacher.
Email: p.banger@chorltonhigh.manchester.sch.uk
Telephone: 0161 882 1150
Chorlton High School is committed to providing quality and impartial careers education, information and guidance (CEIAG) ensuring students are able to make informed and aspirational choices about their future routes.
At the core of all the careers work is the belief that quality CEIAG has a positive impact on student engagement, attitudes and outcomes and can change lives.
The careers programme at CHS is comprehensive; CEIAG is delivered through three strands; the Academic curriculum, Life Skills curriculum and the Enrichment curriculum. We have been accredited with the Inspiring IAG (Information and Guidance) Gold award, which recognises our quality careers education, information and guidance. The Gatsby benchmarks are mapped out clearly in all we deliver.
The CHS Careers Programme
Each year group has a particular focus and drive that helps develop knowledge and employability skills needed by students to achieve their future goals. An overview of the personal development programme is provided below.
Year 7 – Dare to dream – Aspiration and the mapping of skills and abilities.
During transition and the start of Year 7, we carry out an audit that helps us capture student interests. aspirations and potential career pathways. This information enables the Achievement Team and Curriculum areas to identify suitable students for the wealth of careers opportunities available. These include encounters with employers, motivational speakers, workshops and trips.
Year 8 – Recognising and Developing Employability skills – growing transferable skills.
Staff start to signpost what the study of their subject leads to. Opportunities are created for students to have mini taster sessions in subjects and where possible careers that they are interested in. Examples of this are talks from the Construction industry, trips to digital companies and speed networking events. The pastoral curriculum helps students recognise and start to develop a range of transferable skills through enrichment activities and ELE days as well as leadership strands though PIXL edge.
Every Year 8 student is given a pathways interview to help guide them through their choices ensuring they keep a wide breath of subjects. Curriculum areas also spend time in lessons looking at careers related to their subjects. In addition, Kudos – an online careers resource is signposted to educate students and their families about potential careers, pathways, subject families and possible courses and employment in the future. Students are also encouraged to either sign up to an individual careers interview with the Careers Advisor or join in a drop in session.
Year 9 – Researching career choices - Where can my subjects lead and what Qualities of Success and other skills do I need to acquire?
Students continue to take part in a range of careers activities both in school and at local venues. The pastoral curriculum encourages students to identify their individual Qualities of Success and reflect on their areas for development. All Year 9 students take part in an Extended Learning Experience Day focused on Careers and Enterprise. They participate in workshops including; developing interview skills, team building challenges, researching careers on kudos, investigating the growing Digital and Green Economy, alumni talks and a Financial Enterprise event with local employers.
Assemblies start to look at Labour Market Information and encourage students to consider what sectors the jobs of the future may lie in.
Year 10 – Researching Post 16 routes and the further developing /embedding employability skills through work experience - Developing skills and interests profile and building on the Qualities of Success.
All Year 10 students start to think about Post 16 options. They start by completing two weeks of work experience in the Spring term. Our Futures help us secure exciting placements over a range of sectors in the Manchester area. Students continue to develop the employability skills required for a successful career and linked to this, Apprenticeships and their benefits are outlined. The SSAT programme encourages students to add to their personal profiles and build skills.
In the Summer every student is taken on a College taster day as part of the Post 16 programme to look at A level, Vocational and technical courses. One-to-one meetings with our school careers advisor begin in a systematic manner although any student can ask for an appointment, at any time.
Year 11 – Consolidating the Qualities of Success and employability skills - Deciding on which route to follow and completing the application process. Securing the grades required.
All Year 11 (and Year 10) students are invited to our Post 16 Pathways Evening where they have an opportunity to meet a number of educational and training providers and learn more about the possible routes available post 16 and post 18. These include local colleges, UTCs, sixth forms and agencies/employers offering apprenticeships. Students also access interview workshops, masterclasses, subject seminars, apprenticeship talks and University seminars through the Life Skills Curriculum and enrichment programme. All students meet the school Careers Advisor at least once more to talk them through course choices. The Year 11 team oversee the college application process, help prepare student Portfolios and go over interview techniques.
Transition to College
Our students are fully supported in the College Application process through our Life Skills curriculum, ensuring that not only are their applications of the highest quality, but also that students choose colleges and courses that are appropriate to their level of ability. We have strong links with all of our local colleges who offer our students exclusive ‘taster days’ and events to allow students to experience college life before they make their final decisions. Colleges also send representatives to Parents’ Evenings and career events and give presentations to our students during their weekly Year 11 assemblies.
Extra provision is also provided through the local authority for students who may need more intensive, personalised and targeted support to ensure a successful transition.
Further information for about the careers programme can be provided through Ms Banger, Deputy Head or Ms Slinger, Achievement Team Lead.
The school’s arrangements for managing the access of education and training providers is contained in the Provider Access Policy Statement which can be downloaded below.
CHS CEIAG Policy
Careers Advisor
The school employs a qualified Careers Advisor from 'Our Futures' who meets with every student in Year 10 or in Year 11 as part of a rolling programme. However, any student from any year can make an appointment though the library. Students are able to gain individualised advice and guidance on their proposed courses and routes post 16. The careers advisor can also be seen by any student at any time by simply making an appointment at the Library or by attending one of the drop-in sessions. Each student is provided with a bespoke Action Plan which is routinely updated after each meeting. It is also shared with parents.
The Careers Advisor also works closely with our most vulnerable students and is in attendance at key review meetings.
The Careers Advisor can be emailed directly on j.patrick@chorltonhigh.manchester.sch.uk
Business Enterprise Network
CHS is part of the Business Enterprise Network. We continue to ensure that we meet all 8 Gatsby benchmarks and use the Compass Tool to map our progress. We work closely with a local Business Entrepreneur Advisor to ensure that our students are getting the best possible careers opportunities and are developing the skills that are in demand.
The profile of our Business Entrepreneur Advisor can be read HERE.
The Achievement Team
Ms Slinger leads the schools Achievement Team. A key focus of their work is to ensure all but more especially our disadvantaged students are encouraged to go beyond. The team help to organise and track aspirational workshops, meaningful encounters with employers and employability events. Examples of their work include:
STEMFest
A week long event where students from all year groups take part in a range of activities to develop their awareness of careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These are varied and change from year to year and may include themed science experiments, working with engineers to design roller coasters, a trip to the Museum of Science and Industry, looking at the Scientific history of Greater Manchester and a STEM Careers networking event.
CLASSFest
Following the success of STEMFest, CLASSfest follows a similar model, exploring careers in the Creative industries, Languages and Social Sciences. Events include a Photography show and tell, an author visit, a Law inspirational speaker, a Law lecture and a related Careers networking event.
We always looking for parents and community members to coming and talk to our students about their career experiences. If you are interested in taking part in a workshop please contact: c.slinger@chorltonhigh.manchester.sch.uk
Resources
All our students can access resources and information at any time by using the dedicated careers section in the Library where they can pick up prospectuses, leaflets and application forms. Online resources are also signposted in these areas as are key website addresses.
Measuring the Impact
The impact of the careers programme is reported in a number of ways.
We work closely with the LA and capture destinations data as per the agreed timeline – November, March and June. This data is also reported to the Governors in the Destinations Leadership Report each term and the impact of our work on NEETS, RPA and destinations is closely analysed.
Each and every careers event or workshop is also measured for impact and results are used to inform subsequent work by the Achievement team and the Enrichment lead.
The school is currently in the process of the re-accreditation for our Inspiring IAG Award. As part of this process the CEIAG programme will be formally evaluated. The review of the information shared will be completed by August 2020.
Useful websites
The school has subscribed to Careers Mag, a magazine designed to give top tips to parents regarding careers, post 16 routes and the variety of available job opportunities.
Careermag for parents: The school has also invested in TWO on-line software packages to provide additional impartial careers advice and guidance.
Cascaid: This website offers each student personalised career information on possible career choices based on interests, skills and subjects being studied. Students can make and update an individual action plan based on goals set and accomplished. When students login for the first time, they will need to follow the instructions given on the screen.
Eclips: This website offers students information on thousands of careers giving details of qualification required, wages, job roles and related information. Log in details are available from the Library.
There are also a great many additional websites that offer valuable careers information.
National Career Service: This is the official government site and offers information on a wide range of careers, job roles and CV writing. There are a number of career tools that support choices about future routes.
gov.uk - education, apprenticeships, traineeships and-internships: Offers information about different apprenticeships and provides details of current vacancies.
Careers Box: Students can watch films and videos about different jobs.
NHS Careers: Information on the wide range of careers within the NHS.
UCAS: Offers advice on course choices and options after doing GCSE’s. In addition students can start thinking about universities and course entry requirements
What career is right for me?: Students can take a free aptitude test to see which job they are suited to.
