Careers Entitlement Statement

Hammersmith Academy students receive unbiased, high quality, up-to-date and locally relevant careers information and guidance, with multiple opportunities for good quality, meaningful encounters with the world of work.

Our careers programme is modelled around current best-practice for careers guidance and the eight Gatsby Benchmarks developed by the Gatsby Foundation have been at the heart our careers work for some years. Our ambition is to encourage students to see career development as a life-long process starting now. All students are entitled to the following:

 

A stable careers programme An embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.
  • A stable, structured careers programme led by our Careers Lead, Ms Sophie Harrowes that has the explicit backing of the senior management team and our governors.
  • Every curriculum department has a teacher Careers Champion.
  • The careers programme is published on the school’s website in a way that enables pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access and understand it.
  • The programme is regularly evaluated with feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and employers as part of the evaluation process.
Learning from career and labour market information Every student, and their parents, have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They have the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.
  • By the age of 14, all pupils will have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.
  • Parents are encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to their children. Regular invitations to parents evenings, careers and information events will contribute to that process.
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. Our careers programme embeds equality and diversity considerations throughout.
  • Our careers programme actively seeks to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.
  • We collect and maintain accurate data for each pupil on their education, training or employment destinations.
  • We are launching Compass+ to provide a full record of individual careers activity.
Linking curriculum learning to careers All teachers link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
  • By the age of 14, every pupil will have had the opportunity to learn how the different STEM subjects help people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers.
  • This approach extends to all subjects.
Encounters with employers and employees Every student has multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This will be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.
  • Every year, from the age of 11, pupils participate in at least one – and probably many more – meaningful encounter* with an employer. *A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.
Experiences of workplaces Every student will have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.
  • By the age of 16, every pupil will have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.
  • By the age of 18, every pupil should have had one further such experience, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.
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.
  • By the age of 16, every pupil will have had a meaningful encounter* with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including Sixth Forms, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers.
  • By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying for university should have had at least two visits to universities to meet staff and pupils.
  • *A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in that environment.
Personal guidance Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career 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.
  • Every pupil should have at least one such interview by the age of 16, and the opportunity for a further interview by the age of 18.

Our programme of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance explicitly supports inclusion, challenges stereotyping and promotes equality of opportunity. We actively pursue social justice and social mobility by providing opportunities and insight that develops cultural capital for all students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with special educational needs and disabilities.

Students welfare is of paramount importance and the Careers programme follows the Hammersmith Academy Safeguarding policy (see downloads) and recognises the contribution we can make to protect and support young people in its care.

Work Experience Provision Policy

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Provider Access Policy Statement

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