At Harrow Way Community School we are passionate about giving our students a broad and balanced experience of careers through our careers guidance programme. In the rapidly changing education landscape, with changes to qualifications and progression routes it is so important that students and parents are well informed in order to be able to prepare for their future.
Quality in Careers Standard
We are proud that Harrow Way Community School has been recognised for its outstanding careers work and was awarded the prestigious national Quality in Careers Standard on 11th July 2023, accredited by CSW Investor in Careers as ‘fully meeting all the accreditation criteria incorporating the Gatsby Benchmarks.’ The Quality in Careers Standard is the national quality award for careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) and is awarded to schools and education providers who can demonstrate the importance they place on careers and how they support students to make decisions about their life after school.
As a school, we are committed to meeting the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks by providing the following:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
- Encounters with Employers and Employees
- Experience of Workplaces
- Encounters with Further & Higher Education
- Personal Guidance
Our Careers Programme
We cover careers across the age ranges through assemblies, discrete lessons as part of our Careers and Personal Development Programme in Year 9, 10 and 11 and an ever increasing range of events and activities:
We will disseminate relevant information to students through assemblies, registration and other sources such as our regular newsletter for Careers and Post 16 Information ‘Ways Forward’. We will explore any opportunities to give students access to Employers, Employees, Workplaces & Further/Higher Education Education providers and how our curriculum subjects link to possible careers. To support this vision we have invested in Unifrog – software that brings available information about future careers and education into one single, impartial, user-friendly platform designed to help students to make the best choices, and submit the strongest applications.
| 2023/24 | Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Amazon Future Engineer Class Chat | National Apprenticeship Week events
National Careers Week events |
|
| Year 8 | 350+ NHS Careers Drop-Down Day
National Apprenticeship Week events National Careers Week events |
||
| Year 9 | Discrete careers lessons begin | Careers lessons continue
National Apprenticeship Week events National Careers Week events including Mock Interview Day (supported a local employer) |
No encounters – legislation requires encounters to take place by 28 February if in Year 9
Visit to Sparsholt College |
| Year 10 | Careers lessons continue | Meetings with career adviser begin
Visit to ‘Get Inspired’ careers fair (includes introduction to local technical, vocational and academic pathways, plus local employers) National Apprenticeship Week events including a presentation from the DfE’s ASK (Apprenticeship Support & Knowledge) team National Careers Week events, including Army Elite Skills drop-down day and Unifrog introduction |
Work experience week
Technical, vocational and academic taster day at local college Open events at local colleges/ sixth-forms Meeting with careers adviser continue |
| Year 11 | Year 11 Information Fair for students and parents/carers (including stands representing local colleges and sixth-forms, apprenticeship providers and local employers)
Post-16 provider assemblies Andover Area Careers Fair (including stands representing local colleges and sixth-forms, apprenticeship providers and local/national employers) Open events at local colleges/sixth-forms Unifrog tutor group tasks Meetings with careers adviser continue Post-16 applications drop-down day |
Meetings with careers adviser continue
National Apprenticeship Week events National Careers Week events Post-16 college/ school interviews |
No encounters – legislation requires encounters to take place by 28 February if in Year 11
Confirmation of post-16 education and training destinations for all pupils |
We will disseminate relevant information to students through assemblies, registration and other sources such as our regular newsletter for Careers and Post 16 Information ‘Ways Forward’. We will explore any opportunities to give students access to Employers, Employees, Workplaces & Apprenticeship/Further/Higher Education providers and explain how our curriculum subjects link to possible careers. You can read our Provider Access Policy here.
Work Experience
During the summer term all of our Year 10 students spend one week on a work experience placement.
Work experience brings tangible benefits for young people as, perhaps for the first time, students will be able to experience the realities of day-to-day working life, ideally in an area of work in which they have some real interest. They will learn transferable skills, gain valuable experience and, hopefully, really enjoy the experience. The programme is to introduce students to the world of work, its demands, disciplines and to develop student’s employability skills. It can also bring the curriculum to life by demonstrating how subjects can be applied and valued in the workplace.
For further information about the work experience programme, please visit the Year 10 Parents Links page.
Meetings with the school careers adviser
Every student is entitled to meet with our school careers adviser who is qualified to level 7 and a Registered Career Development Professional with the Career Development Institute; this ensures that the advice and guidance she provides follows the CDI code of ethics, providing an impartial and professional service.
Students initially meet with our careers adviser in Year 10 for a 1:1 meeting. Students have opportunities for follow-up careers meetings in Year 11, should they require this. You can read more about what to expect from a careers meeting here.
What have students said about their 1:1 careers meeting?
- ‘She went through everything clearly and made everything feel less daunting.’ Year 10 student, 2023/24
- ‘It was really clear and supportive.’ Year 10 student, 2023/24
- ‘I liked that I could talk to someone about my future openly. I think it was great.’ Year 10 student, 2023/24
- ‘The careers adviser is very helpful and very welcoming. I have learnt a lot about things I could do in my future.’ Year 10 student, 2023/24
- ‘I liked my meeting because it was calm and relaxed.’ Year 10 student, 2023/24
- ‘I loved that I was able to talk freely and was given multiple ideas.’Year 10 student, 2023/24
Measuring and assessing the impact of the HWCS careers programme on students
At HWCS we are always striving to further enhance and improve our careers programme. We gather student feedback on our Careers and Personal Development lessons from pupils. We monitor the pathways of our students from year 11, to ensure we have provided the best advice and care possible to ensure our pupils make the best decision for them and their future. The CEIAG programme is reviewed and evaluated annually every January by the Assistant Headteacher as part of the school’s self-evaluation process. We use Compass, an online tool provided by the Career and Enterprise Company every term to help us evaluate our progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks. A report is submitted to the Senior Leadership Team termly and the Governors annually. Destination data is recorded and placed on our website, and annually reviewed.
You can read more about this in our Careers education, information, advice and guidance policy.
Online resources & websites for Parents and Students:
Unifrog
In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers guidance and tailored support when choosing their next steps after school, we now use Unifrog – an award-winning, online destinations platform. Unifrog is designed to support learners in making the most informed decisions about their futures and has a range of tools that are suitable for all. Each Year 10 and Year 11 student has their own account where they can explore all the career and next step options available to them and find information on everything from managing their workload to writing a winning CV. Students have access to a wide variety of video and written content, and interactive quizzes and tests. The platform makes it easy for students to write their CVs and record their activities and skills. This video gives parents and carers an idea of what Unifrog offers.
Every parent/carer can have their own login to Unifrog, where they can access the tools, information and guidance to support their child to make their best next step. Contact careers@harrowway.hants.sch.uk to receive your unique login for Unifrog and receive support on how to navigate the Unifrog platform.
Students can access Unifrog here: www.unifrog.org
Other useful websites:
Career information:
- Career Links: find the link between the subjects you love and the careers you could choose
- Skills for Life: learn more about post-16 options including further study, and apprenticeships
- Careerpilot: all the information and tools you need to explore your future career
- icould: career videos, job information and ideas for your future
- National Careers Service: explore different careers including salaries, and how find vacancies
- Springpod: complete virtual work experience with leading employers free of charge
- Success at School: a one stop shop for careers advice and information
- Not Going To Uni: showcases alternatives to going to university
- Child employment: part-time work regulations for under-16s
Apprenticeships:
- Amazing Apprenticeships: packed with information about apprenticeships including advice to help you source and apply for opportunities
- The Apprenticeship Guide: general information about apprenticeships
- Find an apprenticeship: search and apply for an apprenticeship in England
University and degrees:
- Prospects: useful for graduate career information, gap years, and graduate jobs
- UCAS: explore degree level courses, apprenticeships, and their entry requirements
Labour market information:
- LMI For All: a labour market information (LMI) site that can inform people’s choices about their careers.
- Office for National Statistics: official census and labour market statistics
- Office for National Statistics: A roundup of the latest data and trends on the economy, business and jobs