Careers

The Gatsby Benchmarks

Penwortham Priory Academy careers plan supports the achievement of the eight Gatsby benchmarks:

Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme

• Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

Benchmark 2: Learning from Career 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 adviser to make the best use of available information

Benchmark 3: Addressing the Needs of Each Student

• Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

Benchmark 4: Linking 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 range of careers paths.

Benchmark 5: Encounters with Employers and Employees

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

Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces

• Every student should have first-hand experience of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing, and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

Benchmark 7: Encounters with Further 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.

Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

• Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These 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.

Employer Links

To support our delivery of careers, the academy has strong partnerships with a wide range of educational institutions, training providers and employers who contribute to our careers programme through:

• raising aspirations and increasing motivation – helping young people identify educational and occupational goals
• demonstrating the relevance of the knowledge and skills learnt in subjects to future opportunities in learning and working
• demonstrating the links between living, learning and earning
• providing work enrichment opportunities including work experience, workplace visits, guest speakers, curriculum support.

Measuring the impact of our careers programme

The Academy’s progress towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks is evaluated using the online Compass tool. This is carried out on an annual basis by the careers leader.  The CEIAG development plan is based upon the outcomes of the Compass audit. 

Provision is also monitored through regular feedback from students, staff, governors and our partners.  This feedback is collected through questionnaires and focus groups following key careers activities and at the end of each academic year.  This is analysed by the careers leader with actions fed back to staff via CEIAG team meetings.  Key action points are also included in the annual CEIAG development plan and the academy development plan. 

External provision is monitored and evaluated through the Academy’s Quality Assurance procedures including observations, work scrutinies, student, and if appropriate parental, voice. 

The effectiveness of our careers guidance will be reflected in the higher numbers of students progressing to positive destinations such as apprenticeships, technical routes, sixth form colleges, further education colleges, universities or employment.  Destination data (DfE) is used to assess how successfully students make the transition into the next stage of education or training, or into employment and to inform future CEIAG provision.  This is analysed by the careers leader with key trends and actions fed back to the senior leadership team and governors. 

The CEIAG policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the careers leader.  This is ratified by governors.

Destination Data

CEIAG Parent & Pupil Support Documents

At Penwortham Priory Academy, we have a whole academy approach to careers with all staff supporting the delivery of CEIAG through the pastoral system and within curriculum areas. In addition, we have a designated CEIAG team who co-ordinate and monitor the delivery of the Academy Careers Plan:

• Mr N Gee (Assistant Principal/Careers Leader)
• Ms T Smith (L6 Careers Leader, L6 Careers Adviser, Careers Curriculum, Careers Experiences)
• Mrs V Eastham (Work Experience)
• Mr M Russel (Link Trustee)

Contact Details

Mr N Gee, Assistant Principal / Careers Leader

n.gee@priory.lancs.sch.uk 

Ms T Smith Lead Practitioner for Personal Development / Careers Leader

t.smith@priory.lancs.sch.uk

01772 320250

Useful resources for students and parents:

Books on various careers is made available to pupils in the library. The school has been given £300 worth of books from How2Become who are seen as one of the leading publishers of careers advice in schools. Further resources and be found at www.How2Become.com.

• The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help students make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice and is supported by qualified careers advisers.  You can chat with an adviser using webchat (8am to 10pm, 7 days a week).  Or you can call 0800 100 900 to speak to an adviser (8am to 10pm, 7 days a week).  Calls are free from landlines and most mobile numbers.
  icould provides career inspiration and information for young people through free access to over 1000 personal video stories, detailed job information, plus practical tips, insight and advice.
• The National Apprenticeship Service website offers guidance on how to apply for an apprenticeship as well as listing current local apprenticeship opportunities.  More information on apprenticeships can be found at http://amazingapprenticeships.com.
• CareersBox is a free online library of careers related videos, news and information.
  Careers Advice for Parents aims to give parents an easy-to-read overview of all the essential facts on finding jobs and apprenticeships or choosing further and higher education courses which could make a real difference to their child's future career prospects.
• CASCAID Parents Guide to Careers Guidance
• Labour Market Information (LMI) - this website provides up to date LMI for the north west region including labour market profiles and vacancy data.
• Parental Guidance offers advice and information on all aspects of the process of career choice for young people aged 13 to 25
• Labour market North West – https://www.lancashireskillshub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Preston-Chorley-and-South-Ribble-Factsheet.pdf

• Nomis – Official Labour Market Information 

Useful Links

Find a Traineeship / Traineeships Fact Sheet    

Apprenticeships – Students Guide

Apprenticeships – Parents Guide 

Information on T-Levels

National Apprenticeship Service - Getting Started

National Apprenticeship Service - Apply for an Apprenticeship

National Careers Service

Local Colleges

Cardinal Newman College 

Preston's College

Runshaw College