Benchmark

Summary

Criteria

What RHS currently provides

Plans for the future

1

A STABLE

CAREERS

PROGRAMME

Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers and employers.

– Every school should have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of the senior management team, and has an identified and appropriately trained person responsible for it.

– The careers programme should be published on the school’s website in a way that enables pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access and understand it. The programme should be regularly evaluated with feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and employers as part of the evaluation process.

The Careers programme at RHS provides a variety of opportunities to meet with employers to suit the needs of our students. We have days off timetable, and lessons focused on careers as part of the PSHE provision. Pupils currently go into the working environment on work experience in Year 11 and Year 12.

- Continue to outline the programme for careers via the website and provide information on events, LMI, policies, and opportunities.

2

LEARNING

FROM CAREER

AND LABOUR

MARKET

INFORMATION

Every pupil, and their parents, should have

access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of available information.

– By the age of 14, all pupils should have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.

– Parents should be encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to their children.

Current PSHE lessons are tailored to include information and research on future job prospects, providing the opportunity for our pupils to research careers that they would like to pursue and investigate how to get into these. There is also the opportunity to speak to a careers adviser as and when needed.

The Careers page on the schools website will allow information to be provided for pupils and parents on labour market opportunities, as well as information regarding careers. Local information from Rugby Council will also be published as will information on the destination of school leavers.

3 ADDRESSING

THE NEEDS OF

EACH PUPIL

Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

– A school’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.

– Schools should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each pupil, and subsequent agreed decisions. All pupils should have access to these records to support their career development.

– Schools should collect and maintain accurate data for each pupil on their

education, training or employment destinations for at least three years after they leave the school.

Careers provisions are currently embedded into the PSHE programme which is continually being updated to ensure that information is up to date and pupils have access to the most relevant detail they need to allow them greater access to the working environment.

RHS is actively seeking to gain a broader client base of businesses who will be willing to cooperate in the provision of careers education. Plans to hold careers fairs will be initiated to ensure fair access for all. The Careers programme will also be enhanced to ensure that successful encounters with employers in each year will continue.

4

LINKING

CURRICULUM

LEARNING

TO CAREERS

All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. For example, STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of career pathways.

– By the age of 14, every pupil should have had the opportunity to learn how the different STEM subjects help people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers.

RHS believe strongly in encouraging pupils to take up STEM subjects and to broaden their horizons and future aspirations. We continue to hold various events and compete in nationwide competitions to encourage all pupils to be aware of the benefits of STEM subjects with regard to the workplace.

RHS will attempt to encourage further interaction with businesses and enterprises with a STEM focus to ensure that the opportunities we provide cater for all our pupils.

5 ENCOUNTERS

WITH EMPLOYERS

AND EMPLOYEES

Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment opportunities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.

– Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter* with an employer.

*A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.

At present pupils learn about different careers and have various opportunities to expand their understanding in PSHE lessons. They also have speakers in Year 9, a carousel day in Year 10 with 20-30 businesses, employers, and entrepreneurs, Work Experience in Year 11 and 12, and Careers focus in PSHE in Year 13.

The aim is to provide an overview of Careers in Year 7, a skills focus in Year 8, an interview day in Year 9 to run alongside what we currently coordinate. Plans for a Careers Fair for Year 9, 11 and 12 will be implemented from September 2019.

6

EXPERIENCE OF

WORKPLACES

Every pupil should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

– By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part time jobs they may have.

– By the age of 18, every pupil should have had one further such experience, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

RHS pupils currently participate in Work Experience in both Year 11 and Year 12.

Continuation of the Work Experience provisions currently on offer.

7 ENCOUNTERS

WITH FURTHER

AND HIGHER

EDUCATION

All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

– By the age of 16, every pupil should have had a meaningful encounter* with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and pupils.

– By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying for university should have had at least two visits to universities to meet staff and pupils.

*A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in that environment.

During PSHE lessons pupils are made aware of the opportunities that are made available to them, and pupils are able to undertake days where they visit sites for further education. Overwhelmingly, RHS pupils opt for University and so this guides us to provide more opportunities to explore University as an option, allowing visitors from University to talk to the pupils. We also have talks on Apprenticeships and there will be a Careers Fair in the future.

Plans in place to coordinate a Careers Fair to provide access to different providers. The provisions we make will continue to be driven by the destinations of pupils, but we continue to encourage different options available to the pupils. A Provider Access Policy will be drawn up whereby outside providers will be able to contact the school to arrange how they can fit into plans that will be announced on the Careers page of the website.

8

PERSONAL

GUIDANCE

Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.

– Every pupil should have at least one such interview by the age of 16, and the opportunity for a further interview by the age of 18.

RHS currently employs a Careers Adviser to offer independent careers advice.

Priority at present is with KS4 and KS5, with more access for Year 9 before their option choices.

Continuation of the provision that is in place, to run alongside a wider programme offering more support to pupils who may require it.