Careers Programme

Grove House School’s Careers Curriculum is a whole school initiative adhering to the DfE’s ‘Careers guidance and access for education and training providers’ (January 2023) statutory guidance alongside the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Our aim is to provide a bespoke careers programme that is tailored to each individual; this empowers our pupils to make meaningful decisions and to take control of their future from an early age. Throughout the school, a progressive careers-based curriculum continues to evolve and develop in order to ensure relevance for our pupils and alignment to national trends in the jobs market where possible. We seek to raise aspirations and inspire our pupils through providing regular opportunities to explore the many options available to them and understand the pathway that lies ahead in order to achieve their goals.

Grove House School’s Careers Curriculum is a whole school initiative adhering to the DfE’s ‘Careers guidance and access for education and training providers’ (January 2023) statutory guidance alongside the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Our aim is to provide a bespoke careers programme that is tailored to each individual; this empowers our pupils to make meaningful decisions and to take control of their future from an early age. Throughout the school, a progressive careers-based curriculum continues to evolve and develop in order to ensure relevance for our pupils and alignment to national trends in the jobs market where possible. We seek to raise aspirations and inspire our pupils through providing regular opportunities to explore the many options available to them and understand the pathway that lies ahead in order to achieve their goals.

Gatsby Benchmarks

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are:

1. A stable career programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces

7. Encounters with further and higher education

8. Personal guidance

Careers Curriculum – A progressive structure

Whole school - During whole school assemblies there is an emphasis on working towards future goals as well as the necessary skills required to realise those ambitions. Our Post-16 Careers Ambassadors highlight to the wider school community how subjects in schools link to different careers.  Pupils are also exposed to a range of careers and opportunities during school trips and workshops.

Lower School - Students in the lower school begin to prepare for the world of work and practice employability skills through our PSHE units on ‘The World I Live In.’  They build their understanding of themselves, their skills and strengths through the ‘Self-Awareness’ unit and also gain an understanding of wider issues such as prejudice, discrimination and diversity which will support them in future career choices.

Our PSHE curriculum in KS2 supports our students to develop understanding and skills such as:-

• Describing the things we are good at and ways we are special and unique, recognise we may be good at different things from other people.  Identifying areas where we need help to develop and how these link to our hopes and wishes for the future.
• Identifying different jobs that people we know do.  Being able to describe a range of jobs that people might have and the qualities they might need to do the.  Identifying a job we might like to do in the future.  Identifying jobs people do in the school that support school life and jobs within the wider community that help in an emergency.

These spiral to the understanding and objectives at KS3 such as:-

• Identifying what we like and dislike as learners, the things that make us special and unique as a person.  Describing our own learning targets and goals and being able to identify the difference between short-term targets and aspirational, long-term goals.

• Knowing what is meant by having a ‘job’.  Understanding there is a link between employment and income.  Recognising there are different types of employment (eg. paid/voluntary, full and part-time, work placement).  Being able to describe different jobs that family members, friends and people in the community may do.  Identifying their own aspirations for adult life, the kind of job they might like to do when older and what their expectations are of that job. 

Upper School – Students in Upper School continue to prepare for the world of work and practice employability skills through our PSHE curriculum. They discuss and recognise inspirational role models.  Where possible we also invite visitors into school to speak about real world industry skills, experiences and opportunities.

Visits to local colleges and our college/Post-16 options open evening are arranged to help support the KS4 student’s confidence, giving them an insight into the different options available to them and providing opportunities to meet and ask the college staff questions about what college is like. 

We also work closely with our local IAG advisor who works with young people who have an EHCP at key transitions.  The IAG advisor holds class and individual meetings with the students in KS4 exploring interests, strengths and aspirations.  They are then given unbiased advice about further education, training and employment opportunities to help identify suitable options.

Our PSHE curriculum in KS4 supports our students to develop employability skills and understanding.  For example:-

• Breaking down targets and goals into small steps to help us achieve them.  Understanding how it feels to achieve targets.  Demonstrating ways we can develop our strengths and skills through practise and being able to identify how our current learning helps us in the future (including in specific careers).  Giving examples of how personal strengths, interests and skills may help us in our future lives, choices and employment.  Identifying ways to manage emotions in relation to future employment aspirations.
• Recognising there are different types of employment and that some jobs are paid more than others and money is one factor which may influence a person’s job or career choice.  Explaining the strengths, skills and qualifications someone might need to do the jobs that interest us and understanding there are things (including laws) that help to protect people and keep them safe and healthy at work.  Developing their knowledge of the steps to getting a job (eg. Job searching, CV’s and application forms, interviews) and the skills needed to get and keep a job (eg. Communication and team work skills).  Being able to identify people who can give them help and support for future employment.

This will include:

• Exploring different routes into employment
• Completing a vocational profile, linked to their skills, interests and career aspirations
• Individual projects on a job of their choice
• Practising some of the skills that can help someone to get a job (eg. Interview techniques, communication and team-working skills). 
• Finding out more about the people and organisations that can provide advice and support for our future employment.

Post 16 - Our Post-16 students are working towards the BTEC Workskills accreditation at a variety of levels to practice core skills, necessary for the world of work.  Units such as Preparing and Writing a CV (including vocational profiling) and Covering Letter, Preparing for Interview and Working as a Team are some examples of content. 

We practice Workskills in our school community provision ‘The Grove.’  This is a trio of shops that underpin both Gatsby Benchmarks and Preparing for Adulthood outcomes.  Offering a coffee shop, pre-loved shop and produce outlet it enables our students to practice retail and hospitality skills in a real-world environment.  This enables our older students to act as role models to our younger students, reinforcing the notion of employment and its subsequent skills as something to plan, prepare and aspire to. There are also further opportunities for in-house work experience with the different staff teams around the school (eg classroom, site, SaLT). In addition to the above, our Post 16 students’ attend local careers fairs, providing them with a wide range of information and experience about different job sectors.

The overarching aim of our Careers programme at Grove House is to equip our pupils with the skills, understanding, confidence, endeavour and resilience needed for them to thrive in an ever-changing world. As ever, the effectiveness of a home-school partnership is invaluable in setting each individual on the pathway to fulfil their potential beyond the school gate.

If you have any questions you can contact Mrs Hall, Upper School Leader, on 01277 361 498 or your IAG Adviser to arrange a meeting at any time. To contact your local IAG advisor or find out more information about the services they provide please click on the link below:

http://www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk/information-advice-and-guidance/