Our Careers Programme

Outline of Careers Programme – more details can be found in the table below

All students at Droylsden Academy take part in a careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) programme that:

• Aims to inspire as well as inform and guide students
• Is centred around the student and their needs
• Is integrated into the students’ experience of the whole curriculum
• Encourages all students to consider their career throughout Key Stage 3 and 4
• Encourages all students to develop decision making skills
• Provides each student with high quality, impartial advice
• Raises aspirations and promotes equality and diversity

The Academy also utilises Greater Manchester Apprenticeship & Careers Service and students use Xello (an online platform) to build up their career profiles, research further and higher education opportunities and complete a range of online assignments aimed at making students self-aware and allowing students to recognise and develop their personal attributes and employability skills.

Year 7

The Pastoral Programme aims to help students understand more about themselves (self- know where to look for useful information and plan for the future. Students are encouraged to be reflective and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

The new Year 7 intake spend a day at Lancaster University as part of their induction into Droylsden Academy.

Year 8

In Year 8, the Pastoral Programme aims to help students identify preferences that are appropriate to their interests and talents and potential careers. Students have an opportunity to practise budgeting.

They also get to develop their enterprise skills through the ‘Tenner Challenge’.

Year 9

The Pastoral Programme aims to help students to understand more about themselves, find out about careers and the world of work, and help them to plan for their future. They consider their own employability skills and consider the workplaces of the future. Students are introduced to Local Market Information and from where it can be obtained.

Students in Year 9 and their parents/carers can attend the Futures Evening along offered in the spring term, where they are able to interact with representatives from a large number of local and national colleges, universities, employers and training providers to find out more about what they can offer.

In the summer term Year 9 have an additional opportunity to attend a Careers Fair offered by Tameside MBC.

Year 10

During Year 10 the Programme supports students with the writing of a CV, preparing for interviews, and completing application forms. Assemblies are arranged and delivered by a range of providers to ensure that students are aware of the options available.

In the spring term students take part on a Drop Down Day with a focus on Financial Literacy delivered by the members of the Chartered Insurance Institute. In the summer term students have college taster days and take part in a further Drop Down Day focused on applications, CV writing and career choices; they also have mock interviews with a range of employers.

Students have 1:1 interviews with a qualified and independent Careers Adviser (G Palmer- Positive Steps).

Additionally, students in Year 10 and their parents/carers can attend the Futures Evening along offered in the spring term where they are able to interact with representatives from a large number of local and national colleges, universities, employers and training providers to find out more about what they can offer.

Year 11

The Programme aims to consolidate the work from Year 10 by allowing students to identify a range of post-16 pathways and make informed choices about their future. Students complete final application forms (supported by Tutors and their Heads of Year), prepare CVs and personal statement and prepare for interviews.

Students have 1:1 interviews with a qualified and independent Careers Adviser (G Palmer- Positive Steps)Students in Year 11 and their parents/carers can attend the Futures Evening along offered in the spring term, where they are able to interact with representatives from a large number of local and national colleges, universities, employers and training providers to find out more about what they can offer.

A range of additional CEIAG related opportunities include:

• Beyond the Pastoral Programme, there are periodic assemblies focused on careers, including Apprenticeship Week and National Careers Week. The former is supported by guests from ASK Apprenticeships who deliver to Year 11.
• 1:1 careers interviews with a specialist Careers Adviser (George Palmer-Positive-Steps) for yeas 10 and 11. Mr Palmer is also available during two lunchtimes a week for ‘drop-in’ careers advice for students from any year group. He is also available at Parents’ Evenings in Years 10 and 11.
• Large cohorts of students are involved in the Duke of Edinburgh scheme, the Combined Cadet Force, World Challenge and The Prince’s Trust. All of these schemes focus on life readiness.
• A selected cohort of students are involved in the Scholar’s Programme. This is a University style course taught by PhD students with an academic thesis as the final assessment. Students visit two Russell Group Universities.
• Careers and Further Education Fair offered to students in Years 9, 10 and 11.
• Ad hoc opportunities via GM Higher covering a wide range of career choices.
• Various career tasters (e.g. Medical Taster Day)
• Workplace Safaris where students visit work places such as Findel (a local employer) and the BBC at Media City
• Involvement in the Green Power project

The Academy also utilises Greater Manchester Apprenticeship & Careers Service and students use Xello (an online platform) to build up their career profiles, research further and higher education opportunities and complete a range of online assignments aimed at making students self-aware and allowing students to recognise and develop their personal attributes and employability skills.

In terms of measuring and assessing the impact of our Careers Programme, The Academy accepts the 8 Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Benchmarks as set out in the DfE guidance. Working closely with Sarah Power, our Enterprise Coordinator, we evaluate provision using Compass + at least once a term.

This allows us to measure the Academy’s progress against the Benchmarks. We receive a yearly report from the Careers and Enterprise Company.

With regard to our Careers Provision we take student voice through the Student Council and through student voice exercises following each careers event. We also seek the views of outside agencies and partner employers.

We also receive a yearly Moving On report from Positive Steps that allows us to track the destinations of our students and adjust our provision accordingly.

• Date of next review – November 2023