Careers and Further Education

Hartford Church of England High School is committed to ensuring all students are able to make informed career decisions, that they fully understand the range of options and have the skills and support and confidence to move to further education, apprenticeship or employment. The Gatsby Benchmarks are central to CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) at the academy.

Hartford Church of England High School’s approach is underpinned by research, which has shown that good CEIAG can:

• Inspire young people to succeed in their careers.
• Increase motivation, leading to improved exam results.
• Improve decision making by increasing students’ knowledge of the world of work.
• Reduce young people’s anxiety about the future.
• Help to improve social mobility.

Student Careers Entitlement

All students are entitled to:

• A careers programme with careers education embedded in each subject and key information presented in assemblies and tutor time.
• Tailored independent and impartial careers guidance taking into account students’ interests, skills, abilities and qualities.
• Learn and understand more about themselves, their interests, likes, dislikes and strengths and how this affects the choices you make.
• Learn about academic, technical and vocational qualifications and apprenticeships and get support applying for them.
• Develop the skills required for the world of work and make realistic, ambitious choices about courses and jobs.
• Develop a plan of action for the future and understand the different routes post 16 and post 18 including training, further and higher education and jobs.
• Participate in and develop through careers, employability and enterprise activities.
• Access information about the labour market.
• To meet with representatives from colleges and universities.

Provider Access Policy

All students in years 7-11 are entitled:

• to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
• to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and group discussions and careers fairs.
• to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

A provider wishing to request access should contact Jimmy Ingman jingman@hartfordhigh.co.uk – Careers Lead.

Opportunities for access

The school offers a comprehensive Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance program. The school will make a suitable space available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available IT and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Lead or a member of their team. Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature with the Careers Adviser so that they can be displayed in the school library.

Gatsby Benchmarks

The Gatsby Benchmarks were developed on behalf of the Gatsby Foundation by Sir John Holman. They define what world class careers provision in education looks like and provide a clear framework, consisting of eight benchmarks, for organising the careers provision at your school or college.

​ 1. A stable careers programme

Every school and College should have an embedded programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, government and employers.

What we are doing

• Publication of Careers policy and strategy
• Careers Lead and Subject Leaders meet to review provision
• Careers Lead and Link Governor meetings to reviews Careers and Provision
  

2. Learning from careers and labour market information

Every student, 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 advisor to make best use of available information.

What we are doing

• Labour Market information is shared with students during careers interviews, parent meetings and during workshops/activities
• Speakers from various sectors given the opportunity to visit the academy’ and speak to students/share up to date information
• Resources on school website for all

3. Addressing the needs of each student

Students have different career guidance needs at different stages.

What we are doing

• Impartial careers advice is available to every student from a qualified careers adviser.
• Apprenticeships are promoted alongside academic routes post 16.
  

4. Linking the curriculum learning to careers

All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide rage if future career paths.

What we are doing

• Careers Education is embedded across the curriculum.
• STEM subject teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
  

5. Encounters with employers and employees

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

What we are doing

• Enterprise Activities e.g. Citizenship Day
• Attending lectures/taster lectures.
• Enterprise Events.

6. Experience of workplaces

Every student 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.

What we are doing

• Guest speakers/employer visits.
• Trips to businesses.

7. Encounters with further education and higher education

All students 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.

What we are doing

• Guest speakers from sixth forms, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers.
• Visits to colleges/universities and business.
• Open evening visits to sixth forms/colleges, Taster lessons, etc.

8. Personal Guidance

Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Advisor, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. Guidance interviews should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made, they should be expected for all students but should be timed to meet their individual needs.

What we are doing

• Denise Whitney, careers adviser holds a Level 6 diploma qualification in Careers Guidance.
• The careers office has an open-door policy for students during break/lunchtime.
• All students in years 10 and 11 have 1-2-1 careers guidance to discuss their post 16 and career options. Students can make follow up appointments/interviews for further guidance.

Measuring the impact and Destination data

Measuring the impact

The school completes the Careers and Enterprise Company’s Compass benchmarking tool which evaluates careers provision against the 8 Gatsby benchmarks.

At the end of each academic year the findings from student and parental surveys are used to measure the impact and inform planning for the following academic year.

Feedback is gathered form external providers and students following careers and enterprise events that take place throughout the academic year. Examples of this being the numerous trips taking place, citizenship days, work experience and 1 to 1 guidance interviews.

Destination data is used to inform future planning and to establish whether careers provision is offering the right advice and guidance and to ascertain whether students are making the right choices when moving into education, employment or training.

Destination data

Data is collected throughout the school based on the intended destinations of Year 11 students, generally a college course or apprenticeship. This data is shared with the local Council. Students at risk of Not going on to Employment, Education or Training (NEET) are identified at an early stage and given priority appointments with our careers adviser and, where necessary additional interventions, this is also followed up by a Young Person Advisor at the Council’s Early Help and Prevention team.

Labour Market Information

Labour Market Information or LMI is used in Hartford Church of England High School to give insights into jobs and career opportunities, helping students, parents and carers understand what roles are currently available along with future predictions.

Some of the specific features of LMI are listed here:

• The industries and businesses that operate in a certain location, such as Northwich and Manchester.
• The types of jobs that exist and what they involve.
• The number of jobs in each sector.
• The skills that are currently or will be in high demand.
• Commute and travel to work patterns.
• Rates of pay or salaries.
• Career progression opportunities.
• Where opportunities are increasing or decreasing
• What you need to study to get into an occupation.

Hartford LMI

Major local employers include Roberts Bakery, The HUT Group. Other neighbouring areas, well within a commute are home to United Utilities head office, Betfred Group Limited, Amec Foster Wheeler PLC, Essar Oil (UK) Limited, Certas Energy UK Limited, Lookers PLC and the NHS is a large employer.

Four industrial sectors that are growing in Warrington and Cheshire are Life Sciences, Digitaland Technology, Logistics and Distribution and Energy, Zero Carbon and Green Growth. Other sectors which are large employers are Chemicals, Manufacturingand Engineering, Financeand Business Services along with Healthand Social Care.

LMI is used in careers meetings and lessons, along with being displayed around the academy.

Contact and Review

For further information, contact Careers lead Jimmy Ingman:

Email: jingman@hartfordhigh.co.uk

Phone: 01606 786 000

All information is accurate as of July 2024

Date of Next Review: September 2025