All pupils in years 8-13 are entitled:

• to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
• to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and group discussions and taster events;
• to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

In line with our statutory requirements, the school will ensure a minimum of two discrete encounters with providers of apprenticeships and technical education for:

• all pupils in years 8 or 9 - which are mandatory to attend
• all pupils in years 10 or 11 - which are mandatory to attend
• all pupils in years 12 or 13) - which are optional to attend. 

Procedure

A provider wishing to request access should contact either Sam Tatum, Deputy Headteacher, or
Angela Hahn, Head of Careers:

• Telephone: 01284 753512
• Email: statum@st-benedicts.suffolk.sch.uk or ahahn@st-benedicts.suffolk.sch.uk

Opportunities for access

A number of events, integrated into the school careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers:

Please speak to our Deputy Headteacher or Head of Careers to identify the most suitable opportunity for you.
 

Premises and facilities

The school will make the main hall, classrooms or meeting rooms available for discussions between the provider and pupils, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available AV and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. Venue and equipment requirements will be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team.

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other literature relevant to apprenticeships and technical education with the Careers Resource Centre. The Careers Resource Centre is managed by the Head of Careers and is accessible to all students at break and lunch times.

Useful resources and external organisations

Amazing Apprenticeships. A website to make it easy for teachers and careers advisers to access the latest information about apprenticeships.

Baker Dearing Educational Trust. Information on University Technical Colleges.

Career Development Institute. The Career Development Institute is the single UK-wide professional body for those working in the fields of careers education, career information, advice and guidance, career coaching, career consultancy and career management. It offers affiliate and individual membership to schools, which includes free CPD webinars, regular digital newsletters, a quarterly magazine, online networking groups and training at a preferential rate.

Career Development Institute Framework for careers, employability and enterprise education. A framework of learning outcomes to support the planning, delivery and evaluation of careers, employability and enterprise education for children and young people.

Careers & Enterprise Company. The Careers & Enterprise Company brokers links between employers, schools and colleges in order to ensure that young people aged 12–18 get the inspiration and guidance they need for success in working life.

Compass+ and Compass | CEC Resource Directory. A self-evaluation tool to help schools to evaluate their careers and enterprise provision and benchmark against the Gatsby Benchmarks and compare it with other schools.

Find an Apprenticeship. Search and apply for an apprenticeship in England.

Future Finder. Designed for teenagers, Future Finder connects today’s A Level choices with tomorrow’s careers.

Gatsby Good Career Guidance. A report on improving career guidance in secondary schools which includes the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Updated Gatsby Benchmarks adopted into government guidance | Gatsby Education. Information on the refinements and additional recommendations adopted into government guidance for careers provision in schools and colleges a decade after the implementation of the Gatsby Benchmarks.

LMI for All. An online data portal, which connects and standardises existing sources of high quality, reliable labour market information (LMI) with the aim of informing careers decisions. This data is made freely available via an Application Programming Interface (API) for use in websites and applications.

National Careers Service. The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help people make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice. This is supported by qualified careers advisers.

Quality in Careers Standard. The Quality in Careers Standard in the national quality award for careers education, information, advice and guidance.

Skills for Careers. A new national resource for students, parents and carers to explore career ideas and training options now and in the future.

STEM Ambassadors. A nationwide network of over 30,000 volunteers from a wide range of employers, who engage with young people to provide stimulating and inspirational informal learning activities in both school and non-school settings

Studio Schools Trust. The organisation that unites all Studio Schools, acting as a linking point between Studio Schools, enabling the sharing of best practice as well as providing advice and curriculum support. 
Studio Schools are designed for 14-19 year olds of all abilities. They are small schools for 300 students with year round opening and a 9-5 working day, and offer a range of academic and vocational qualifications including GCSEs in English, Maths and Science. Students also get paid work placements linked directly to employment opportunities in the local area.

UK Register of Career Development Professionals. The single national point of reference for ensuring and promoting the professional status of career practitioners.

Unistats. The official website for comparing UK higher education undergraduate course data. The site includes information on university and college courses, Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF) ratings, student satisfaction scores from the National Student Survey, employment outcomes and salaries after study and other key information for prospective students.

 

Other statutory guidance, departmental advice and information

New curriculum to give young people the skills for life and work - GOV.UK. Information on government plans to bring the curriculum into the modern day and help young people step into the future.

Post-16 education and skills white paper - GOV.UK. A report on the latest government plans to reform the Post-16 Education and Skills system to support the development of the skilled workforce required to deliver its Plan for Change - (pp37-40) Breaking down barriers to opportunity.

Governance handbook. Guidance outlining the roles and duties of school governors and academy trusts.

Participation of young people in education, employment or training. Statutory guidance for local authorities on their duties relating to the participation of young people in education, employment or training.

Special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0 to 25 years. A statutory code which explains the duties of local authorities, health bodies, schools and colleges to provide for those with special educational needs under Part 3 of the Children and Families Act 2014.