Careers Department

Careers at Polesworth School

Our education system requires young people to make choices whilst they are still in school that will have implications for their future progression and career options. Once they leave school they will face further decisions about future learning and jobs. Schools need to help students with the choices and the transitions from option choices to post 16 and 18 pathways and equip young people with the knowledge and skills to deal with career decisions they face beyond the school and this is the role of Careers at Polesworth.

Our aim is…

To help every pupil to be informed and aware of their different progression options as well as help them recognise and develop their employability skills, careers and job aspirations and be equipped and prepared as fully as possible when they leave school.

How we deliver our Careers provision

In 2018 the Government released a new Careers strategy and statutory guidance for schools it put an increased focus on using the 8 Gatesby benchmarks as a framework for best careers practice around which we have built our own Careers education programme at Polesworth. See our Careers plan

The 8 Gatesby benchmarks are:

  1. A stable Careers programme
  2. Learning from career and labour market information
  3. Addressing the needs of each student
  4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
  5. Encounters with employers and employees
  6. Experiences of work experience
  7. Encounters with further and higher education
  8. Personal guidance

Careers Plan

Polesworth School Provider Access Statement

The Careers and Enterprise Company

Careers advice to students

There is an open door policy in the Careers Department with no restrictions on the number of appointments pupils can have. Personal guidance is provided at key transition points for Year 9 with options, Year 11 with post 16 choices and for Year 12 and 13 with post 18 pathways.

Careers resources for students to access

Here are a selection of useful web sites and some Careers software resources purchased to help pupils explore Careers and Jobs, investigate what careers might suit them as well as looking at progressions choices post 16 and 18. To access Jobs explorer database JED and Higher Ideas see the Careers Advisor for the Polesworth school code to enter both packages then go onto www.careersoft.co.uk and sign in.

Careers Libraries

On Jobs Explorer database JED under the Job search tab there are over 700 job profiles

Job Explorer Database

www.prospects.ac.uk click on jobs and work experience for A-Z of Job profiles

National Careers Service National Careers Service click on search Job profiles

www.icould.com  video clips of various Careers

https://www.careersbox.co.uk video clips of Careers

https://targetcareers.co.uk

Exploring what Career might suit you

On JED on menu Suits me Quiz tab run through the bigger quiz to help explore what Careers might suit you.

On https://www.sacu-student.com click on student then free careers questionnaire and take the Spartan test. 

Sixth Form

www.tomlinsonhall.com Polesworth Sixth form

Local Colleges

South Staffs College www.southstaffs.ac.uk

North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College www.nwslc.ac.uk

Birmingham Metropolitan College www.bmet.ac.uk

Burton and South Derbyshire College www.bsdc.ac.uk

Apprenticeships

www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship National apprenticeship service website can create an account and search vacancies via your home post code, town or city.

www.amazingapprenticeships.com  lots of useful information on apprenticeships

University Research

Higher Ideas on Job Explorer Database to explore what to study with your A-levels

www.ucas.com   University and College Admissions Service who you apply through

https://www.ukcoursefinder.com

www.uniguide.co.uk/a-level-explorer

Employment

https://uk.jobted.com/

www.indeed.co.uk

www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk

Volunteering

www.vinspired.com

Gap Year

www.gap360.com

https://yearoutgroup.org/

https://www.omio.com/travel/gap-year

Aptitude Tests

Employers can ask applicants to complete short tests as part of an assessment day or interview process that can include numerical, verbal and reasoning tests here is a link which will enable you to undertake free practice tests: Practice Aptitude Tests 

https://www.militaryaptitudetests.org/

CV Templates

Year 10 CV Template

Year 11 CV Template

Sixth Form CV Template

https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/application-advice/cvs/how-write-cv

Employers

We welcome Employers into our school to support and help deliver our Careers education programme. Students do really benefit from input from Employers and this does have a very positive impact on raising aspirations and motivation. If you would like to help especially with any sessions on preparing students for work experience and or employment please get in touch.

Work Experience

We welcome any Employers who contact the school who are able to offer work experience placements for our Year 10 pupils. If you are able to offer a placement please do get in touch.