Careers

    • Throughout their school life, each student is entitled to:

    • Careers education, information and guidance that meets professional standards of practice. 
    • A careers programme that will raise aspiration, challenge stereotypes, and promote equality and diversity. 
    • Support in making well informed and realistic decisions. 
    • Access to impartial and independent information and guidance about the range of education and training options that are most likely to help students achieve their ambitions. 
    • The careers advisor is available every Tuesday and Thursday: 3.00pm – 4.00pm for students and parents to make appointments for advice and guidance.

    The Eight Benchmarks Of Careers Education

    • The careers programme is structured and updated by the Careers Advisor and a member of the Leadership Team. It is published and included on the academy website.
    • The programme is evaluated with feedback from all stakeholders. The careers programme has a supportive link from governor level, through the Senior Leadership Team.
    • A framework for the planning, monitoring, review, and delivery of the careers programme will be reviewed annually, using the quality standard for Careers Education and Guidance.
    • A dedicated area of the school’s website details useful and up-to-date information for use by pupils, parents and teachers.
    • Our Provider Access Policy is also published on our website for the benefit of employers and educational establishments.
    • Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy will measure and assess the impact of its own careers programme using the Gatsby Benchmarks and the Compass and Tracker tool, as well as using our own internal evaluations, including the opinions of providers, students, staff, and parents.
    • Funding is allocated annually in the context of whole school priorities and particular needs for Careers Education, Information and Guidance
    • Labour Market Information (LMI) is included in the careers programme and additional knowledge is provided by the Careers Adviser.
    • Parents and students can keep up to date with information about Labour Market Information by reading the careers section on the academy website.
    • The Careers Adviser provides independent careers guidance, including LMI to all Year 11 students and identified groups.
    • Careers information and resources are located in the library, which contains impartial information. It is reviewed annually by the Careers Adviser.
    • An LMI Notice Board will be annually updated.
    • LMI updates will be shared with staff annually at a CPD session.
    • Employers visiting the school and trips to providers help to contribute to the delivery of LMI information.
    • LMI information will be disseminated to parents at key pathway evenings and through the school’s website.
    • Students complete individual research using online career programmes, with guidance and support from their form tutor.
    • Students are also encouraged to use the National Careers Service and Helpline.
    • The careers programme actively seeks to challenge stereotypical thinking and to raise aspirations.  The Careers Student Entitlement outlines these aims and is reinforced in careers assemblies and National Careers Weeks.
    • Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy will keep accurate records of each student’s career experiences using our own internal systems, Tracker and Start Profile. This will be supported by staff recording and reviewing their activities and communicating this to the Careers Advisor.  Staff Careers Champions (one representative for each subject) will be introduced to support with this dialogue.
    • Students now have the opportunity to complete an electronic careers progress file, where students track their own career development and progression. Students complete individual research using online career programmes, including Start Profile, where they can explore their options, prepare for their future career, and have access to a record of their careers experience.
    • Destinations are collated by the Careers Advisor with the support of the Careers Adviser, who reports these to the local authority.
    • An Alumni Network helps to foster greater links with our former students and allows us to track their long-term destinations. It also brings about new opportunities for our students (such as mentoring), enriching the delivery of our careers programme.
    • The Careers Advisor offers regular guidance and support to SEND students and their parents.
    • The Careers Adviser will track career aspirations of individual students from Year 7 to 13; this helps to provide personalised advice for students. The careers destination spreadsheet is updated annually. The information is also used to identify students for the most relevant talks/workshops/visits.
    • The Careers Adviser keeps accurate records of individual careers advice and these are shared with students.
    • Students in all year groups will be given the opportunity to identify different career routes through PSHE lessons, careers interviews and engagement events inside and outside of school. All Students have information from a full range of providers, including apprenticeships, universities, colleges, training providers, gap year and voluntary organisations and local employers.
    • Most able students have the opportunity to take part in a range of activities, including Oxbridge opportunities.
    • Year 11 students meet with our Careers Adviser, to discuss their career plans and to confirm a destination for the end of Year 11.
    • Year 13 students get individual support and meetings with the Careers Advisor when applying to university or apprenticeships.  These includes in depth advice and support completing and checking applications.
    • Sixth Form students are encouraged to attend summer schools and university workshops.
    • Year 11/12 students are given the opportunity to apply for the National Citizenship Service (NCS).
    • Year 11 will take part in a ‘Next Steps’ Day, where they select to experience a day at college or as a Sixth Form student.
    • Students also have the opportunity to become a Careers Champion.
    • Employability and enterprise skills are embedded with the curriculum and developed in all lessons. These develop skills which will encourage students to become more effective workers, within a wider range of careers.
    • Form tutors teach the allocated careers lessons with the PSHE programme and ongoing training needs are identified for planning and delivering the careers programme. Appropriate INSET is then planned to meet the required needs.
    • The academy supports national events, and we take part in the National Careers and Enterprise Weeks, where students take part in relevant activities. Learning during all lessons will have a link to careers during this week.
    • Staff are encouraged to link learning in lessons to careers and employability skills.
    • Heads of Year promote and recognise achievements within weekly assemblies.
    • Staff Career Champions (one representative for each subject) are being created to keep the Careers Advisor informed of the careers work teachers are doing within their department, so we can record this centrally, they will also help encourage more achievable work towards this.
    • Students will experience a series of planned STEM activities either in lessons, workshops or afterschool clubs; these are updated annually.
    • Students will be provided with opportunities of mentoring, workplace visits, work experience, work shadowing, enterprise clubs, employer talks and higher education presentations.
    • Where appropriate, we will arrange visits for students to local businesses, colleges, work-based education, training providers and universities. This will assist students in making an informed decision about their future career.
    • Students have access to a wide variety of external speakers from local and national employers, professional organisations, and Alumni.
    • Careers Fairs and Speed Networking events allow all students the chance to engage with local employers.
    • Greater links with our Alumni are allowing students to engage with their work experiences and gain opportunities, such as mentoring.
    • In line with new Provider Access Legislation, students from Year 8 will have opportunities from a range of providers to be informed around technical education qualifications and apprenticeships,
    • We will continue to develop partnerships with local employers and apprenticeship providers.
    • Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy will work closely with the Careers and Enterprise Company to engage with their programmes and create new opportunities for our students. The academy works in partnership with the Enterprise Adviser Network.
    • Key Stage 4 and 5 students take part in mock interviews with representatives from local universities, experienced academy staff and employers, in particular KPMG.
    • Year 12 students take part in a work experience placement organised by themselves (with academy staff support if needed), helping them gain an insight into the realities of searching for employment.
    • Year 12 students are encouraged to attend a university summer school.
    • Year 11 and 12 students are encouraged to take part in NCS.
    • Year 10 participate in a Work Shadowing programme where students experience a ‘behind the scenes’ look at a variety of local employers in the workplace.
    • Students can learn about work during careers presentations and events in the academy given by a range of facilitators, including alumni, apprentices, and employers.
    • Where possible, trips to employers will be organised.  Students will be targeted using the careers aspirations database or opportunities will be advertised for students to sign up.
    • Students have many opportunities to take on leading roles within school that give them a taste of a working dynamic e.g. School Council & Cadets.
    • Visits to employers are arranged where possible for small groups.
    • Students in older year groups are encouraged to gain additional work experience/shadowing during their spare time in the holidays.
    • The school has built up contacts with a full range of local and national providers and uses these contacts to help inform our students of all of the options available to them.
    • The annual Careers Fair allows each student to have a meaningful encounter with learning providers, including Sixth Form, colleges, local employers, apprenticeship providers, training providers, voluntary schemes, and gap year organisations. Specialist workshops will also take place during the Careers Fair.
    • Various visiting speakers, taster lectures, trips and projects are arranged throughout the year.
    • We have partnerships with many universities and take part in their various outreach projects.
    • PSHE sessions and assemblies help pupils to explore all of their options, including T levels, apprenticeships, traineeships and technical qualifications.
    • By the end of Year 13, all students will have experienced at least two visits to universities, including a university from within the Russell Group.
    • Universities and colleges are regularly invited into the academy to speak to students or deliver workshops. These workshops and presentations from higher education providers take place for students in Years 7 to 11.
    • The Sixth Form PSHE programme includes numerous workshops and presentations by a full range of learning providers, including Student Finance England and Lloyds Bank.
    • Opportunities available for Year 12 and 13 students will strengthen partnerships with local Higher Education providers.
    • Students at Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy will be supported either as individuals or in groups. This may be face-to- face or at a distance.
    • The Careers Adviser will provide targeted independent careers guidance to all Year 11 students and identified students in all year groups.
    • Year 13 students applying for apprenticeships will be given regular meetings with the Careers Adviser to support them in searching for and applying to apprenticeships, and in checking CVs/applications and providing mock interviews.
    • Mock interviews are offered to all Year 11 Students before attending college/apprenticeship interviews.
    • The careers section on the academy website and the careers library includes up to date careers information.
    • Independent face-to-face careers guidance will be provided when appropriate; where it is the most suitable support for young people to make successful transitions, particularly children from disadvantaged backgrounds, looked after children or those who have special educational needs, learning difficulties or disabilities.
    • Ormiston Shelfield Community Academy will work closely with the Local Authority through the provision of SEND support services: preparing for adulthood.
    • Access to an impartial Careers Adviser is available on request to all students and parents, including a drop-in session every Tuesday and Thursday.
    • Sixth Form students get additional guidance and support from the Head of Sixth Form, Careers Advisor and our Aspire to HE Engagement Officer when applying to university or apprenticeships. These includes in depth advice and support completing and checking applications.
    • Leadership talk to all Year 11 Students to ascertain their future plans and advise accordingly. This information is also fed back to the Careers Advisor and Senior Leadership Link so future planning can be considered.

    Explore subject specific careers by using Careerpilot.

    This information is reviewed annually.

    Last reviewed: January 2026

    Next Review: September 2026

    For further information about careers, please contact Mr D Foreman, Vice Principal: [email protected]

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