Introduction
The importance of effective careers education within schools has never been greater. The increased choice of career, education and training pathways available to young people in today’s economy means that it is more important than ever for our young people to develop key employability skills and to receive high quality careers education, information, advice and guidance.
Our Aims
Our overall aim and aspiration, is that our students will develop the skills and confidence to make the most of their life choices and follow the career path, which suits them best. They will develop a clear understanding of the impact of their education, training and employment choices and will make career choices, which are informed and well thought through and are based on self-awareness. This will help them to understand the relevance of their education, skills and experience; and be aware of the opportunities and pathways available to them. CoDA’s CEG has been designed to incorporate the guidance given in the Gatsby Benchmarks. For more information about these benchmarks, please follow the link below:
https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/schools-colleges/understand-gatsby-benchmarks
Our aims are to be to enable our students to develop their knowledge, understanding, skills and experiences of opportunities that are available to them. By achieving this, they can then manage their career development, and make the relevant informed choices. By ensuring that students receive, a well-structured CEG should aid their successful transition into education, training or employment. Students’ employability skills are wide and a varied range of skills and capabilities. These skills will be enhanced so that it will allow a learner to be employable, to sustain employment and realise their potential in the world of work. Our careers education package not only includes taught timetabled provision but also meaningful opportunities that are open to them. These include:
- personal career planning
- realistic and meaningful cross curricular opportunities for development of employability skills
- opportunities for planned and relevant work-related learning experience
We believe in giving FE, HE and training providers the opportunity to talk to pupils at the school. Please use the following link to see our Provider Access Policy:
Next review date: January 2024
The main ways we deliver our CEGs (Careers Education & Guidance) programme in the curriculum are:
- providing career learning through the PHSE curriculum from Years 7 to 11
- incorporating career learning within other subjects
- Organising career learning through co-curricular activities (i.e. enrichment activities strongly connected to the formal curriculum plus activities, events, trips and visits.
The impact on the delivery of a good CEG can be observed in the following areas:
- personal effectiveness e.g. improving self-esteem, motivation, personal agency and self-efficacy beliefs
- career readiness e.g. improving career exploration skills, understanding of occupations, decision-making and decidedness and preparedness for transitions
- Educational outcomes e.g. improving attendance and raising educational outcomes.
Careers inspired sessions are delivered throughout Years 7 to 11. Students have access to employer encounters and careers inspired programme of events. These include significant activities that are created throughout the year. These include visits to Post 16 providers, Challenge and Enterprise Days, Mock Interviews, CV Workshops, Trips, Visits, and Employee Encounters. These include trips and visits to:
- Derby University
- Nottingham University
- Derby College
- Rolls Royce
- Toyota
- Alstom
- Plus many more
Vision and leadership
A whole-school strategy underpinned by effective leadership and a shared vision is important. Building on local and national initiatives strengthens coherence.
A well-designed curriculum
The design of the curriculum is important as deciding priorities, organising the curriculum, allocating time and drawing up a timetable have a strong influence on its impact.
Work Experience
All our Year 10 students are encouraged to take part in work experience. Participation in work experience provides an opportunity to develop knowledge of the work place and gather relevant information on employment options; the skills, attributes and qualifications required, and the potential career opportunities. Work-related Learning experiences are the opportunity for planned and appropriate experiences of the world of work to increase learners’ motivation, develop their employability skills and give relevance to their learning programme. Appropriate experiences of the world of work can increase learners’ motivation to learn across the curriculum, give relevance to their learning programme, and increase their knowledge and understanding of the requirements in the world of work.
CoDA’s CEG curriculum is made up of the formal and informal learning organised by the school. Careers in the curriculum describes a range of interventions which allow students’ to encounter career learning as part of their everyday school curriculum. By delivering, a good CEG Careers in the curriculum should promote students’:
- career learning,
- development and wellbeing;
- enhance students’ subject learning and attainment
Careers Education Information and Guidance (CEIAG) has a central role to play in ensuring that the school achieves its aims.
Learning
- Deliver an excellent quality of teaching which fosters an ethos of lifelong learning.
- Provide a relevant and accessible curriculum, which meets the needs of our diverse community.
Caring
- Develop a caring and supportive environment where everyone feels safe and valued.
- Cultivate a comprehensive ethos that encourages inclusion.
Succeeding
- Deliver academic excellence to achieve the highest standards.
- Celebrate achievement in all its forms within and beyond the curriculum.
Every student should leave City of Derby Academy prepared for modern life. Through the PSHE/Careers department and the broader curriculum, we will provide opportunities for students’ to develop key employability and innovative skills. Activities will simulate real life challenges and encourage students to develop key character attributes such as resilience and managing risk.
Our CEIAG programme, will aim to develop knowledge, skills and understanding in the areas of self-awareness, opportunity awareness and decision-making. It will also ensure students know where to find, and how to access, key information about transition from one stage to another. Students will be supported in making well-informed, realistic decisions by providing access to impartial and independent information and guidance. This will include the full range of educational and training options that are most likely to help young people achieve their ambitions.
All pupils in years 7-11 are entitled:
- To find out about 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 further education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and organised, activities, trips and visits.
Our career programme is regularly updated to include any new relevant information. Careers advice is also available for all students with our careers advisor Thursdays 3:10-4:00pm in the library.
The careers corner is situated in the library. In the careers, corner students have access to:
- A variety of careers related books, magazines, leaflets and information sheets plus the access to computers for research and the use of careers software for up to date careers information.
- Apprenticeship information and training provider information
- Sixth form/FE Colleges/University prospectus
- Qualification details
- Employment information
- Labour market information
Careers Corner is available for students to use afterschool. On Thursdays 3:10-4:00pm, Rebecca Burchell our careers advisor is available to give advice and talk students. Students also have access to ICT facilities in the library, which enables them to search for careers/labour market related programmes, resources and other careers information. The school librarian is also available to help students find what they are looking for.
The Careers Notice boards are also updated regularly to include information on FE Colleges, 6th Forms and other employment opportunities and apprenticeships. These can be found on the main corridor and outside B16.
LMI for All
LMI for All is an online data portal funded by the Department for Education. It brings together existing national sources of high quality labour market information (LMI) that can inform people’s choices about their careers.
The Careers Team
If you should require any more infromation on CoDA’s CEG programme the following members of staff are available to answer any questions:
Mr Smithson
Assistant Head
Email: psmithson@cityofderbyacademy.org
Phone: : (01332) 270450 ext. 12776
Mrs J Matthews
Careers Enterprise Coordinator
Email: Jmatthews1@cityofderbyacademy.org
Phone: (01332) 270450 ext. 12562
