Watling View sees Careers Education as an opportunity to motivate every learner by providing an opportunity to widen pupils’ horizons and raise aspirations. Careers Education is an important part of our curriculum. (Please see our Careers Curriculum, Intent, Implementation and Impact statements as well as ‘Watling View’s Careers Programme Overview’ below.)
Students from Early Years through to the end of Key Stage 3 will learn about the world of work through cross curricular activities. The PSHEEC curriculum plays an important role within the delivery of Careers Education throughout the Middle and Upper School. The Upper School have a more vocational approach to teaching and learning. (Please see PHSEEC Curriculum overview document.)
When pupils first enter the Upper School, a destination pathway is devised with parents to support a personalised curriculum and a curriculum that prepares pupils for adulthood as well as supports the Education Health Care Plan outcomes. In the Upper School, pupils access a weekly Careers education curriculum which promotes the key skills and concepts pupils have learnt throughout the school and enable young people to apply these skills in a work-based context. The half termly topics in our Careers Curriculum for the Upper School ensures that all students have a broad experience of a wide range of careers paths and aims to bring the world of work into the classroom by exposing pupils to the experiences and expertise of visitors to classes. It involves experiential learning and simulation through which pupils gain experience in communication and negotiation skills, e.g. mock interviews and role-play. (Please see our Careers Education document detailing the half termly topics each pupil will cover during their time in the Upper School at Watling View.)
Every pupil in the Upper School has ASDAN accreditation sessions that link directly to the principles of our careers education. Work Experience is an important part of our Careers Education Curriculum. All pupils will carry out onsite work experience according to the information gathered on their destination pathways and where appropriate pupils will travel offsite out to experience the world of work first hand. Focused on-site work experience and shadowing learning tasks include whole school and class enterprise activities, e.g. Pupils can develop catering and communication skills in school through running a tuck shop and café. Pupils have the opportunity to manage the gardens as well as our Library amongst other opportunities. Offsite work experience includes students making items for and selling items at St Albans Market as well as individualised work experience placements in line with the pupils’ destination pathway and something that they have expressed a desire to continue with post 19.
Students career advice, personal guidance, and individual needs will take place through Pathway meetings and Annual Reviews. The school work closely with the local authority and Youth Connexions to ensure that young people are receiving the appropriate independent guidance which enriches the opportunities open to our young people. The connexions advisor attends parents evening and the annual Review of all year 9 and 14 reviews as well as any reviews where additional support or input is needed, to support by providing information about different types of careers information.
With a Personal Advisor we look to work collaboratively running key events such as Living Live for all students in year 13 and the 5th day provision events for students in year 14 which enables young people and their families to gain an in-depth understanding about different service providers (both educational & social care) for post school. It supports the individual needs of each pupil and allows the young person to identify their hopes and aspirations. Links with Transition workers have been established with a range of F.E colleges such as Oakland’s, to ensure that the young people have a clear and individual transition plan for preparing for college. Watling View also have a family liaison advisor who supports families by attending Annual Reviews and supporting them with visiting future career and education options where required.
The school continually reviews the impact of its careers education and works with local partners including Youth Connexions in order to ensure that it is offering pupils opportunities to broaden their horizons. Pupil destinations are reviewed and identified in the end of year data report so that key stakeholders can see the destination of all pupils leaving.
Nicole Posener is the school’s careers leader and can be contacted via her email: nicole.posener@watlingview.herts.sch.uk or call using the phone number 01727 850560
The school uses the Gatsby Benchmarks to support its careers education. The list below are the Gatsby Benchmarks. To see Watling View's progress in achieving the benchmarks please click on the document below.
· A Stable Careers Programme
· Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
· Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil
· Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
· Encounters with Employers and Employees
· Experience of Workplaces
· Encounters with Further and Higher Education
· Personal Guidance
For information about Careers for SEND please visit HOP (Education and Employment Disability hub) via this link. https://www.hopinto.co.uk/explore-careers/education-and-employment-disability-hub/
This information is reviewed on an annual basis
*Link to Career’s Curriculum three I’s
*Link to Watling View Careers Programme Overview
* link to PHSEEC Curriculum overview document
* Link to Careers Education half termly topics Document
*Link to Watling View Gatsby Benchmark Evaluation
* Link to Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance Policy
Statutory requirements and recommendations (Baker Clause Policy Statement)
The careers provision at Watling View is in line with the statutory guidance developed by the Department for Education, which refers to Section 42A and 45A of the Education Act 1997. (Baker Clause Policy Statement)
This states that all schools should provide independent careers guidance from Years 8 -13 and that this guidance should:
In addition, the school is compliant with the careers guidance that the government set out for delivery from 5 January 2018: ‘Careers Guidance and Inspiration for young people in schools.’ This states that all schools must give education and training providers the opportunity to talk to students about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships. Further information relating to this is set out later in this document, under Provider Access.
Compass Evaluation
2021/2022