We offer a wide range of activities and interventions that help your child to make the right choices. This includes impartial advice and guidance at key transitional times and access to up to date information on careers and other issues affecting their well-being.
Our careers policy can be downloaded here.
| Careers Team | |
|---|---|
| Mrs D Gallimore | Head of Work Related Learning and Careers, Careers Lead |
| Mrs S Peers | Department Leader for PSHCE and Careers |
| Liz Hirst | Careers Adviser – C & K Careers |
| Mrs Fisher | Careers Administrator |
CEAIG – Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance
The CEIAG programme at Crossley heath aims to:
- Encourage all students to recognise and value their own skills and abilities and to appreciate their relationships with, and their responsibilities towards, other people, the community and environment.
- Develop the skills which help them to make informed and realistic choices for their future.
- Encourage understanding and experience of the world of work through work related learning and enterprise activities.
- Promote equality of opportunity irrespective of race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability and special needs.
All our students take part in a careers programme as part of their Personal Development lessons under the core theme ‘Living in the Wider World’. These lessons will:
- Develop the skills they need to plan and manage their own personal development and career progression
- Access relevant information and learning from taster activities and workshops
- Make and maintain individual progression plans to help them improve their prospects of success
- Offer feedback and ideas on how to improve the careers programme
All students have access to, and support with using careers information
Careers information will be easy to find and available at convenient locations, including web based career sites. These will be:
- Clearly labelled and referenced
- Comprehensive, giving details of all progression opportunities and associated support arrangements such as financial help
- Unbiased and up to date
Students will obtain careers guidance from a qualified careers advisor that is:
- Impartial
- Confidential
- Focussed on individual needs and fit for purpose
- Supportive of equal opportunities
- Provided by people with relevant training and expertise
Through Career of the Week students in year 7-10 explore a wide variety of professions each lesson. The current LMI is shared to including working patterns, salary, skills required, access routes and characteristics of different jobs and any gender stereotyping addressed.
Year 7
In addition to the pastoral assistance given to students in handling the move from Primary Education to Secondary students complete a transition module in Personal Development lessons. They are given opportunities to build leadership skills through joining in with extra-curricular activities and applying to become Student Leaders.
In the autumn term students complete a module on aspirations gives students the opportunity to explore the links between growth mindset, achievement, life style and careers choices ahead. Unifrog is introduced to students and they are encouraged to use it from Year 7 to log competencies and activities as well as a research tool.
In the Spring term students complete a further unit building on developing skills and aspirations with a focus on teamwork and enterprise.
In the Summer term students are introduced to financial decision making including saving, borrowing and budgeting.
Students also take part in developing their generic learning and personal skills through various programmes in school. During school trips and visits students will be encouraged to consider the employment roles they see.
Year 8
A unit on Discrimination in the Autumn term explores the protected characteristics and equips students with the knowledge to identify where any discrimination takes place for example in recruitment.
The primary focus in the Spring term is to assist students with their guided choices for GCSE. They are given advice in the run up to selecting their KS4 options through the ‘Setting Goals’ unit this includes how to make informed decisions, work related skills and finance linked to employment. Unifrog is a useful tool to support students research into future careers and information from C&K Careers is issued to students during this time along with a detailed guide for parents and carers outlining the school’s options process.
Digital literacy is covered in the summer term and considers online safety and reliability of information we can find online.
The offer of Student Leadership positions and extra-curricular activities continue throughout KS3.
Year 9
During this year students continue to discuss ‘Career of the Week’ which includes careers entry facts, salary, labour market information (LMI) and real life case studies.
We continue to host speakers from different providers to come to talk about Post-16 and Post-18 pathways and we signpost virtual/online events to support a variety of pathways including T levels and apprenticeships.
Aspects of personal finance are revisited and skills required in the work environment after study. Students see how school work relates to occupational choices and therefore to lifestyle and income. Time is allocated to continue to engage with the information available on Unifrog.
Emphasis will be placed on developing generic learning and personal skills, both within lessons and through extra curricular activities. Students continue to be encouraged to engage with extra curricular opportunities to develop leadership skills. During school trips and visits students will be asked to consider the employment roles they see.
Year 10
Students are given an overview of the support and guidance available over the next two years and take part in a range of activities which challenge their personal perspectives and their belief and value systems with a view to raising individual aspirations. Greater emphasis is also placed on developing the skills and attributes required to succeed in the world of work. Unifrog continues to be a key area for research and information gathering, search results can be accessed from home for discussion with parents.
In the autumn term the focus is on financial decision making including debt, gambling and the impact of advertising on financial choices. The summer term includes a unit on preparing for employment, CV writing, personal online presence, digital footprints and rights and responsibilities in the workplace.
‘Careers Day’ activities include guest speakers from HE (covering university and degree apprenticeship routes and finance) and sessions on Unifrog exploring LMI with our Careers Advisor Liz Hirst.
Although this has proven to be a challenge over the last couple of years, year 10 students are taken off site in the Spring term to visit a local workplace to find out more about industry first hand.
There are opportunities to take part in an enterprise challenges such as INNOV8.
Individual meetings with an independent and impartial Careers Advisor from Calderdale and Kirklees Careers Service are available during the summer term. During school trips and visits students will be encouraged to consider the employment roles they see. In tutorial time students discuss ‘Career of the Week’ which includes careers entry facts, salary, labour market information (LMI) and real life case studies.
Year 11
The focus is very much on Post 16 options with a range of assemblies, tutorial time and support materials provided. In addition, students have interviews with the Senior Leadership Team as well as an extensive ‘A level taster day’. Small group and individual support sessions continue with the Careers Advisor during this period. All students receive information from C&K Careers in the autumn Term, which covers information on all options after Y11 and are encouraged to attend the event personally. During school trips and visits students will be encouraged to consider the employment roles they see.
Students are encouraged to engage with schemes such as NCS and the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
Sixth Form
Throughout the year, Post 16 students are provided with regular careers information via email bulletins which shares CEIAG information to inform them of the ever-changing education and employment landscape. This includes recruitment and information events in our local areas as well as the invitation to attend the wide variety of ‘lunchtime lectures’ which take place on site. These are most often led by representatives from Universities or Apprenticeship providers and are a great opportunity for students to ask questions on access routes, finance, labour market information and trends for future employment.
On arrival at CHS Sixth Form students are introduced to the VESPA mind-set and study skills and positive work habits are explored and established.
During the autumn term of Y12 the focus of careers input is placed on preparation for the work experience placements which take place in the spring term. Students consider health and safety issues and their expectations prior to placement. A placement diary is used to record progress made through the week and forms the basis for evaluation when the students return to school. Students also complete a module on Financial Literacy.
In the Spring term of Yr12 around work experience and National Careers Week students look at a variety of employment themes such as online profiles and personal branding, health & safety at work and professional relationships in the workplace.
Bespoke careers sessions are also arranged for students who do not intend to continue in learning after the Sixth Form and there has been a growing emphasis on apprenticeships opportunities – particularly Higher Level Apprenticeships. UNIFAQ’s booklets are distributed to all year 12 students. Appointments with a Careers Advisor from Calderdale and Kirklees Careers Service are also available.
Parents and students alike are encouraged to attend our information evening ‘Life after Crossley Heath’ to gather important information on UCAS, admissions, clearing, student finance and to speak with our guests from universities and apprenticeship providers.
In Y13 one of the main areas of focus for those wishing to attend university is researching HE choices and completing the UCAS application process including their personal statements. Initial support is provided by Form Tutors and our UCAS Co-ordinator Mr Coote. Students are encouraged to attend Open Days to assist their decision making and further bespoke support is provided for ‘Oxbridge’ candidates. Support is also provided for those students who are intending to find employment Post 18.
A work related learning day for all year 13’s enables students to experience group interview scenarios, team building skills, job hunting skills.
Students complete a short course or session to prepare them for an individual mock interview with professionals in industry which are organised for all students to help prepare them for the future.
A key aspect of life in the Sixth Form is encouraging students to take on greater responsibility to reflect their status in the school. Opportunities are in place for students to undertake leadership roles for example as School or House Officials, as Prefects or through House Activities and Student Voice activities. These positions help students appreciate and experience similar roles, responsibilities and tasks to those that they will face when they start working. Other enrichment opportunities, including the opportunity to complete the Extended Project Qualification, are available to students.
Individual support for your child
Liz Hirst is the School Careers Adviser from C&K Careers with access to a vast amount of work-related information and details of local, regional and national employment opportunities. She is in school on Wednesday and Thursday during term time. Group and individual interviews are held with students. She is also available at Parents’ Evenings and Open Evenings to talk to parents.
She can be contacted via email at liz.hirst@ckcareers.org.uk or telephone: 01484 225500.
Places to help with your research
Finding good unbiased careers information can be very difficult with so many different websites available. You may find the following links useful:
Local careers/IAG website – for example www.ckcareersonline.org.uk
UCAS Progress – 14-19 online learning directory – www.ucasprogress.com
UCAS – Higher education database – www.ucas.com
The National Apprenticeship Service – www.apprenticeships.org.uk
National Careers Service – nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk
How2become.com – Careers advice and testing – www.how2become.com
Careers website with LMI and real life case studies – icould.com
The official website to explore apprenticeship options available to young people – amazingapprenticeships.com
Early careers network to explore pats including apprenticeships – springpod.co.uk
Careers and university information – prospects.ac.uk
Provider Access Information
The policy below sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to students at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.