The careers coordinator, Mr Marc Height (Assistant Head), will manage the careers education programme within school.

Careers at Armfield Academy for 2020-21 will look a little different due to the Covid Pandemic. However, we will be organising as many visits as possible, even if they are virtual to further and higher educational establishments, together with some great information gathering experiences at various virtual careers conventions. Year 7, 8 and 9 will complete two units of work dedicated to careers in their PSHE lessons. Year 2 will also be involved in story telling by BAE in December. Our local colleges will still be offering a wealth of information through their virtual platform and we plan to provide a variety of careers based activities during careers week (1st-6th March 2021). 

During PSHE careers lessons we will introduce the pupils to Start in Blackpool, this is a digital careers platform with the information, advice and tools to help our pupils explore and plan for their future. There is also a section of their platform dedicated to parents and carers to help guide you through the amount of information available about careers and pathways. Go to this page and watch the 10 minute video to get started At the heart of the platform is a student’s StartProfile, built throughout the academic journey to evidence their career development, informing and supporting their successful transition to future study and employment. School will have access to the progress your child makes through the process and will guide and support them with the careers advice within school.

Year 9 students will select their options this year, we will also provide advice, information and guidance regarding a broad range of careers available for our young people. It is important that they understand the different routes and the qualifications they will require to follow their own personal career journey.

The Gatsby Benchmarks

The 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.

Post 16 Pathways and Progression 

All young people in England must continue in education or training until 18 years of age.  Young people have the following choices at the end of year 11:

  • Full time study at a college, sixth form or training provider

  • Full time work or volunteering combined with part time education of training

  • An apprenticeship

  • A Traineeship

As part of our careers programme, year 11 students are provided with a one to one guidance interview with a qualified careers advisor. Parents are welcome to attend these meetings.

Students and parents of students in year 8-11 can request a careers guidance meeting at any point, directly via a form tutor or Mrs Sherwood.

Useful Links

Top Apprenticeship Employers

Find a Traineeship / Traineeships Factsheet    

Apprenticeships – Students Guide

Apprenticeships – Parents Guide 

National Apprenticeship Service - Getting Started

National Apprenticeship Service - Apply for an Apprenticeship

National Careers Service

http://www.ucas.com/ (Course search for University entry requirements)

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/ (Careers in the National Health Service)

https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/career-planning-and-your-degree

 

Local Colleges

B&FC (Blackpool & Fylde College)

Myerscough College/University

Preston College

Blackpool FC Community Trust - Work Experience / BTEC & Degree Courses

 

Local Sixth Forms

B6F College (Blackpool Sixth Form College)

 

Apprenticeship/Vocational

http://www.gpstrategiesltd.com/ (Vocational routes)

http://www.intraining.co.uk/ (Vocational routes)

http://www.citb.co.uk/ (Construction apprenticeships/training)

http://www.skillscc.com/ (Skills Construction Centre)

 

Universities

The Russell Group

University of Central Lancashire

University of Cumbria

 

Employer Links and Blackpool Labour Market Information

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.

Please see our Latest News, Twitter page and upcoming events (see below) for examples of our latest careers events and activities. 

Lancashire skills hub have developed a robust evidence base which identifies key issues in driving a skilled, balanced and inclusive labour market.

>  Current Labour market Information can be found HERE.

>  To view the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Labour Market Intelligence Fact Sheet CLICK HERE.

>  To view the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Labour Market Intelligence Report CLICK HERE.

 

Useful resources for students and parents

  • Start in Blackpool Is a great resource, specific to our local area and the careers on offer in our town.

  • 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, 7days 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.

  • 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.

  • UCAS Progress is an online search and application tool for post 16 courses.   This is the preferred method of application for some sixth form providers in Sunderland.  

  • 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 East 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.

 

Provider Access Policy Statement

Our Provider Access Policy Statement is displayed on our POLICIES page.

 

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 a termly basis by the Careers Leader. 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 shared with staff via CEIAG team meetings. 

External provision is monitored and evaluated through the Academy’s Quality Assurance procedures including observations, work scrutinies, student, and if appropriate parental, voice.  This is analysed by the Careers Leader with actions shared with staff via CEIAG team meetings. Key action points are also included in the Academy development plan.

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 will be analysed by the Careers Leader with key trends and actions fed back to SLT and Governors. Action points are also included in the Academy development plan.

A designated governor has responsibility for overseeing the quality of careers guidance. The Careers Leader reports to the Governor for CEIAG on a termly basis with a one to one meeting and a formal written report. 

The CEIAG policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Careers Leader.  This is ratified by Governors.

 

Contact Details

Any provider wishing to request access should contact our Careers Administrator, Mr Marc Height (Assistant Head), on 01253 207702 or via e-mail on: m.height@armfield.fcat.org.uk  

Careers Administrator, Mr Marc Height