Careers and Further Education
At Hartford Church of England High School, our Careers and Further Education programme is rooted in our Christian mission and our HART values, Happy, Achieving, Ready and Together, guided by Caritas et Veritas (love and truth).
We believe that careers education should not be an add-on, but an integral part of our wider curriculum. Our aim is that every student from Years 7 through 11 has meaningful access to high quality information, advice and guidance so they can make well-informed decisions about post-16 pathways, training, apprenticeships or employment.
Hartford maintains strong links with employers, apprenticeship providers, further education colleges and universities. External providers are welcomed to engage with students through talks, assemblies, workshops or our careers fairs.
Our programme is structured around the Gatsby Benchmarks, ensuring that our careers offer is rigorous, coherent and consistent.
If you are a provider interested in partnering with our school to support our careers work, please refer to our Careers Lead, Zena Philippou (zphilippou@hartfordhigh.co.uk) to discuss how you can contribute.
How We Measure Impact
We use a range of tools to measure the impact of our careers education programme. These include:
- KS4 destination measures
- Student, Staff and Parent Voice
- Feedback from visiting employers
- Review of the Y10 work experience
- Feedback from external measures linked with Cheshire and Warrington Careers Hub
Help and Advice
Careers Advice in School
We are proud to work in partnership with MPloy Solutions, who provide our students with high-quality careers advice and guidance. A dedicated advisor from MPloy visits us weekly, offering personalised support to help students explore future pathways, make informed choices, and prepare for life beyond school.
If your child would like to make an appointment, they can do so by:
- asking their tutor
- speaking to Ms Philippou (Careers Lead)
- emailing careersadvisor@hartfordhigh.co.uk
As a parent you are more than welcome to make contact with our Careers Advisor directly using careersadvisor@hartfordhigh.co.uk.
Careers Support at Home
Year 7 - Exploration
- Encourage curiosity about different jobs and industries.
- Support broad subject engagement and hobbies.
- Promote extra-curricular activities to build skills.
Year 8 - Self-Awareness
- Identify strengths, interests, and skills.
- Explore careers through simple research or talking to professionals.
- Encourage goal-setting and participation in skill-building activities.
Year 9 - Options
- Support GCSE or equivalent subject choices aligned with interests.
- Attend school options events and discuss potential career paths.
- Foster independent decision-making.
Year 10 - Work Experience
- Help find and prepare for work experience placements.
- Discuss workplace skills like teamwork and communication.
- Reflect on experiences and keep a record of achievements.
Year 11 - Post-16 Pathways
- Research sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeships, and vocational routes.
- Attend open days, help with applications, and prep for interviews.
- Encourage independence while providing guidance and emotional support.
Other Support Tools
We’ve gathered the best tools, quizzes, and resources to help you explore your future options whether you’re thinking about jobs, apprenticeships, university, or just curious about what careers might suit you.
Which jobs would suit my personality?
What can I do with my subject?
Videos of people talking about their jobsHow much could I earn in my town
Careers Quizzes
Careers in science - what's yours?
What STEM career is your perfect match?
What could I do in the NHS?Looking after people quiz
What sort of Engineer are you?
Post-16 Career Pathways
When students leave Hartford at the end of Year 11, there are a number of different routes they can take depending on their interests, skills and ambitions:
1. Further Education (FE)
- A-Levels
- Academic qualifications usually studied over two years.
- Students typically choose 3-4 subjects.
- Best suited for those who enjoy classroom-based learning and may want to go to university.
T-Levels
- New qualifications equivalent to 3 A-levels.
- Blend of classroom learning and a substantial industry placement (around 45 days).
- Focused on specific career areas such as digital, health, engineering or childcare.
Vocational Courses (BTECs, Cambridge Nationals, etc.)
- Practical, career-focused qualifications.
- Often assessed through coursework and projects, with some exams.
- Good for students who prefer applied learning linked to a specific sector, e.g. business, sport, performing arts or health & social care.
2. Apprenticeships
Combine paid work with training and study, from intermediate to degree level. Students earn while they learn, gaining practical skills and nationally recognised qualifications.
3. Employment with Training
Entering the workplace after GCSEs while continuing to gain recognised training (e.g. NVQs).
4. Traineeships / Study Programmes
Shorter courses designed to build workplace skills, confidence and employability for students not yet ready for an apprenticeship or employment.
5. Higher Education (after FE or apprenticeships)
University or higher-level professional training for those wanting to specialise further.
The list below reflects some of the post 16 destinations of our students:
- Cheshire College South and West
- Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts
- Priestly College Warrington
- Reaseheath College
- Sir John Deane’s Sixth Form College
- University of Liverpool Maths School
- Warrington Vale Royal College
For more support regarding Further Education please use the links below:
Apprenticeships - where to find one
Work Experience
At Hartford Church of England High School, all Year 10 students have the opportunity to take part in a work experience placement. This takes place during the Summer Term, when students spend a week in employment to develop valuable insights, practical skills and confidence. The experience helps them make informed choices about their future and inspires them to explore the opportunities available beyond school.
Students are supported in finding their own placements, with clear guidance provided through assemblies and information shared with both students and parents via Changing Education.
Through our active involvement in The Pledge Partnership, we also benefit from strong links with a wide range of employers across different sectors, ensuring that students have access to meaningful opportunities that reflect their interests and aspirations.
Careers Curriculum
Year Group 7 - Exploration and Self-Awareness
- Understanding personal qualities, skills, and interests.
- Learning what ambition and success mean personally.
- Exploring what a career is and different types of work.
- Considering dream jobs and employer-valued skills.
- Building aspirations and creating a "Superhero CV."
- As well as an invitation to a careers fair after school
Year Group 8 - Pathways and Broadening Horizons
- Looking at career trends and stereotypes.
- Understanding employability, interpersonal skills, and entrepreneurship.
- Exploring pathways after school and how to take control of career journeys.
- Recognising challenges and rewards of work.
- Creating a vision board for future goals.
- Using Unifrog to explore applications, CVs, and career tools.
- As well as a week dedicated to careers in STEM with workplace specialists and an invitation to a careers fair
Year Group 9 - Gathering Information, Options and Decision-Making
- Identifying skills and interests through Unifrog.
- Exploring available options at the end of Key Stage 3.
- Understanding routes into work and the labour market.
- Learning about careers fairs and meeting external providers.
- Considering future careers, climate impact, and decision-making for KS4 study choices.
- Reflecting on what success looks like personally.
- As well as time dedicated to IT with workplace specialists and access to a careers fair
Year 10 - Exploring Pathways and Building Employability
Visiting our Careers Fair
Theme: Making choices, developing skills, and planning for Work Experience
- Skills & Interests - Complete a skills profile to understand strengths and how they link to possible placements.
- Career Exploration - knowing LMI helps to understand the skills, opportunities, and future demand in the industry of their work placements, so they can make the most of the experience and see how it links to long-term career prospects.
- CV Building - Create a professional CV to send to placement providers.
- Applications & Communication - Practise writing emails/letters to employers and submitting applications
- Workplace Preparation - Learn about employability skills, workplace expectations, and professional behaviours
- Reflection & Next Steps - After placements, log experiences and skills gained on Unifrog to support future applications and personal statements.
As well as a week’s work experience and access to a careers fair.
Year 11 - Decision-Making and Future Readiness
Theme: Pathways, opportunities, and preparing for next steps
- Post-16 Pathways: Explore A-levels, BTECs, apprenticeships, and T Levels
- Labour Market Awareness: Understand how the job market is changing (local, national, global).
- Careers and the Future: Look at careers linked to climate change, technology, and growth industries.
- Decision-Making: Use post 16 provided to impart information on different courses and offer advice.
- Success & Aspirations: Reflect on what success means and set goals for the future through the careers advisor.
- Careers sessions are delivered through post 16 specialists and a careers advisor. Additionally, there is a careers fair open to Year 11.