Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Policy

Context

This CEIAG Policy has been drawn up with reference to the following documents:

  • Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers first published in Jan 2018 and was last revised in Jan 2023.

  • Quality in Careers Standard (Careermark Platinum) April 2024

  • Career Development Institute Framework April 2021

  • Skills for Jobs White Paper January 2021

In June 2015 the school was awarded Career Mark, a quality award which meets the Quality in Careers Standard. This award was revalidated in June 2017, again in September 2019 leading to the achievement of the Career Mark Gold, again in April 2022 and again in April 2024 when we were awarded with Career Mark Platinum, gaining recognition of our full compliance with the Gatsby Benchmarks. Gatsby covers 8 areas that need to be in place for our students to ensure that they are supported to make well-informed educational and career choices:

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

Continued achievement of the Career Mark quality award will ensure that Sheffield Girls’ is meeting quality requirements in terms of Management, Guidance, Curriculum, Information and Learner Outcomes.

The CEIAG Policy can be read in conjunction with the school’s PSHE and Enterprise Education Policies.

Rationale

As an independent school, there is no compulsion to adhere to the statutory guidance, however, this guidance represents our conscious decision to follow good practice standards in relation to CEIAG.

Following it will ensure that we are inspiring pupils to consider all future possibilities, to aim high, to take advantage of opportunities both inside and outside school and to become informed about education, training and career options.

A comprehensive CEIAG programme will equip students with the ability to assess their current strengths, consider areas for development, research current and future opportunities and acquire the employability skills valued by future employers.

The rationale for CEIAG is enshrined in one of the school’s stated aims which is “to develop successful young women who will make a positive contribution as citizens within the global community”.

Entitlement

Our pupils are entitled to CEIAG which meets professional standards of practice and is pupil centred; impartial; confidential and integrated into each pupils’ experience of the whole curriculum.

The need for professional standards has been recognised by:

  • The appointment of an experienced Head of Careers who has the L6 Diploma in Careers Guidance and Development

  • Our partnership with the Morrisby Organisation who provide a source of professional advice and guidance for our students from Y7 to Y13 through their Morrisby online package and impartial, face-to-face interviews leading to an individual action plan for all Y11 students prior to making Post 16 option choices. This on-line support, including a confidential advice line, is available to our students throughout their lifetime.

  • Adherence to the PSHE Association Guidelines in the development of our PSHE curriculum.

  • The attainment of and progress towards relevant quality awards.

Sheffield Girls’ is committed to providing a planned programme of Careers and Enterprise Education for all students in Years 7 – 13 which is delivered throughout the curriculum but is focused within Career Spotlight Days, PSHE, discrete Careers lessons in Y10, assemblies and the Sixth Form Tutorial Programme.

Aims and Objectives

The programme is designed to meet the needs of the pupils at Sheffield Girls’ and to reflect the school’s Core Purpose which is “To bring out the best in all our girls and encourage them within a structured and caring community to develop their personal and intellectual talents to the full and to leave school as strong, open-minded, confident young women" and to meet the school mission of "Teach her everything so she can be anything".

Within this context the principal aim of our CEIAG programme is to:

‘Create independent career managers ready to navigate their own futures’

The Careers and PSHE Departments work together to encourage the development of each individual in terms of developing the knowledge, skills and values that will support their future ambitions, economic well-being and financial capability. We aim to support each young woman to reach personalised goals which will enable her to leave school for a positive destination and to pursue the career of her choice.

Main Aims (based on the CDI Framework April 2021 and meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks)

Sheffield Girls’ aims to develop the following capabilities in all pupils:

  1. To Learn by recognising strengths and weaknesses and evaluating how these might affect future choices

  2. To explore the full range of possibilities to make informed decisions by making effective use of information, advice and guidance

  3. To manage their own careers by developing and implementing personal action plans, making the most of opportunities and learning from setbacks

  4. To create opportunities by being proactive and building positive relationships with others to develop and demonstrate personal and employability skills and learn from a range of work related activities

  5. To balance life, work and wellbeing by having other interests and involvement with family and community

  6. To see the bigger picture of how the economy, politics and society connect with their own life and career

An individual’s success is dependent on their attitudes and personal qualities in addition to academic achievement. The CEIAG programme reflects the School and the GDST Values and aims to foster in students a positive attitude towards acquiring those skills relevant to adult life and to develop in each student self-confidence, self-reliance and a sense of personal worth.

Key Learning Outcomes

Whilst our CEIAG Learning outcomes are based broadly on the CDI Framework capabilities and Gatsby Benchmarks, we have tailored them to meet the specific needs of our students and the context of our school. They are based on the three key strands of ‘In Everything We Do’, ‘Educational options’ and ‘Employability’. The aims of each key stage are age-specific and build to ensure progression within each of the three strands. To create continuity, the language used is the same as within our character development curriculum - with its play on words around Sheffield steel.


IN EVERYTHING WE DO

EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS

EMPLOYABILITY

KS3 (Y7-9)

Steel Foundation Aims:

‘I am aware of…’

  1. the relationship between learning and skills in my lessons and the world of work

  2. the importance of resilience and learning from setbacks

  3. how target setting can help navigate my career

  4. rights and responsibilities in the workplace

  5. planning and management of personal finances

  6. dealing with prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination

  1. the educational options at the end of KS3, 4 and 5

  2. where to get help and support with option choices

  3. the importance of recording experiences and achievements

  4. my own strengths and areas for development

  1. that there are many different jobs and job families

  2. how to use LMI to explore jobs further

  3. how the world of work is different to school

  4. the processes involved in job recruitment

  5. how networking can help my future career

  6. the key employability skills that employers are looking for

KS4 (Y10-11)

Casting Consolidation Aims:

‘I can build on…’

  1. the relationship between learning and skills in my GCSE lessons and the world of work

  2. the importance of the resilience and learning from setbacks

  3. how target setting can help navigate my career

  4. my knowledge of rights and responsibilities in the workplace

  5. my knowledge of planning and management of personal finances

  6. my knowledge of dealing with prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination in the work place

  1. my knowledge of options at the end of KS4 and 5

  2. ways to get help and support with option choices

  3. the importance of recording experiences and achievements

  4. my knowledge of my own strengths and areas for development

  1. narrowing down the different jobs and job families that are best suited to me

  2. how to use LMI to explore jobs further

  3. how the world of work is different to school through work experience

  4. the processes involved in job recruitment by preparing a CV and mock interview

  5. how networking can help my future career

  6. the key employability skills that employers are looking for

KS5 (Y12-13)

Forging Future Aims:

‘I take ownership of…’

  1. the relationship between learning and skills in my A Level lessons and the world of work

  2. resilience and learning from setbacks

  3. target setting to help navigate my career

  4. my rights and responsibilities in the workplace

  5. my planning and management of personal finances including student loans

  6. dealing with prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination

  1. the educational options at the end KS5

  2. getting help and support with option choices

  3. recording experiences and achievements

  4. manipulating my own strengths and areas for development

  1. identifying jobs and job families that are most suited to me

  2. how to use LMI to explore jobs further

  3. my knowledge of how the world of work is different to FE and university through further work experiences

  4. my own personal branding including on Linkedin

  5. my networks

  6. the key employability skills that employers are looking for

Provision

CEIAG provision for Y7 to Y13 pupils is designed to ensure that all our girls are supported to develop the skills and knowledge they will need to make successful educational and career choices and be prepared for the world of work.

Careers Education is predominantly delivered through Career Spotlight Days, PSHE lessons in Y7 to Y11; fortnightly timetabled Careers lessons with the Head of Careers in Year 10; a programme of activities within tutorial periods and enrichment activities for all year groups. The CEIAG programme is further enhanced by an annual Calendar of Careers Events aimed at developing the understanding of pupils and parents in relation to the world of education, employment and training and the online Morrisby Career Support package.

Delivery

The CEIAG programme is embedded throughout the subject curriculum for all students from Y7-Y13 and is also focused within:

Career Spotlight Days for all year groups

PSHE lessons

Discrete Careers lessons in Y10

Assemblies

Sixth Form Tutorial Programme

1:1 Careers Interviews in Y11 and Y12

Work Experience Programme from Y8-Y13

Morrisby Online Careers Package

GDST Career Start Programme

GDST Alumnae Network via Linkedin

Delivery is structured to ensure that pupils gain knowledge and skills and receive guidance as is appropriate to their stage of career learning, planning and development to ensure progression through a range of group based activities and individual interventions which will equip them to make informed choices at key stages of decision making and prepare them for the world of work.

Employer and employee encounters and opportunities to engage with Higher Education providers are embedded within the delivery of CEIAG at every opportunity.

The programme promotes equality of opportunity and inclusion including providing enrichment opportunities in areas where women are under-represented.

An annual contract is negotiated between Sheffield Girls’ and the Matrix accredited Morrisby Organisation who provide an online information and individually profiled advice and guidance package used by students in Year 7 to Year 13 and impartial, professionally qualified careers advisers who conduct individual guidance interviews with all Y11 students to support Post 16 choices. This intervention leads to an individual action plan.

Monitoring, Review and Evaluation

The CEIAG programme is monitored, reviewed and evaluated annually by the Head of Careers.

Performance targets are also put in place by the GDST and are collated annually.

The following criteria is used to measure the effectiveness of CEIAG provision:

Quantitative Data:

The % of students making successful transitions to Post-16 destinations

The % of students making successful transitions to Post-18 destinations

Qualitative Data:

Career mark Revalidation

Compass Tool

Annual review of all resources including electronic resources

Career Spotlight student evaluations

Careers lessons student evaluations

Annual student evaluation on Morrisby Careers

Year 9 Post 14 options student evaluations

Year 11 Post 16 options students evaluations

Year 13 Post 18 options student evaluations

Annual parent evaluations

CEIAG topics are reviewed and evaluated annually on the basis of student feedback and new developments in relation to education, employment and training.

Meeting Provider Access Legislation

Whilst the vast majority of students progress on to A levels and then university degrees, this statement sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providing information about all routes including technical education. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. Whilst this is not statutory for independent schools, we have considered how it best fits our context.

Pupil entitlement

All pupils in years 7 to 13 are entitled:

• to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships 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 organised events,

• to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

All students from Year 7-13 have access to Morrisby Careers online which allows them to explore all career options including technical qualifications and apprenticeships. In taught careers lessons and events, students are given information about all pathways including technical ones and apprenticeships and representatives from all pathways are invited to our annual careers fair. Sheffield College delivers a session to year 10 about alternative pathways including technical courses and apprenticeships. An apprenticeship provider delivers a presentation at our annual Post 18 Day for all Year 12 students. We also actively invite alumna who followed alternative pathways to degrees such as apprenticeships to speak at options events and our Live Lunches.

Resources

Funding for CEIAG resources is allocated in the school’s annual budget and delegated to the Head of Careers. This funding is used to buy printed materials, for an annual subscription for the Morrisby Online package. There is an annual membership fee payable to Complete Careers who administer the Career Mark Quality Award and to the Career Development Institute.

The Head of Careers has an annual meeting with the School Librarian to agree which printed resources need to be replaced or supplemented. This ensures that careers information is kept up-to-date and appropriate to the needs of the students.

Careers resources are maintained in the Careers section of the Main School Careers Library and the Year 12 Common Room in the Sixth Form Centre and are shared with students directly via email.

The Head of Careers is responsible for maintaining Careers related notice boards in the Sixth Form Centre and also for developing the virtual Careers Room which is available to all senior school pupils and their parents via Firefly.

Staff Development

All staff are allocated an annual budget to facilitate access to Continual Professional Development opportunities. This includes attendance at the twice yearly Heads of Careers conferences organised by the GDST.

Accommodation

The Head of Careers has an office in the Sixth Form Centre to ensure privacy for one-to-one appointments with students. This is also used for the Y11 interviews with visiting careers advisers.

The Head of Careers is readily available for Y12 and Y13 students who need additional support and is able to respond quickly to emails or telephone calls from pupils or parents needing information, advice or guidance and also to take direct referrals from staff who feel that individual students need further guidance.

The Head of Careers runs a weekly lunchtime drop-in session for all year groups from Y7-Y13 to access in the Main School Library.

Partnership Working

a) Parents and Carers

Parents and carers have a key role in helping students make informed decisions about their future. To this end we:

  • Inform parents about key careers-related activities via the school’s electronic communications systems and collate their attendance through google docs

  • Ensure that the Head of Careers is present at all Y9 to Y13 parent consultations, welcome and information evenings and at senior school open days

  • Issue information and consent letters to parents of children taking part in external careers/enterprise activities using the Evolve/Firefly systems as appropriate

  • Encourage students to discuss their Morrisby Profile with their parents/carers and to share information and advice given at key transition points

  • Ensure that parents have the Head of Careers' contact details so they can make direct contact to seek support regarding their daughter's educational/career choices. Individual appointments are available by request

  • Use Firefly, the school website and Sheffield Girls’ marketing materials to share careers information and activities with parents

  • Invite working parents to become involved in careers evenings, the Careers Fair and the Y13 Mock Interview Day to share their expertise with our students.

b) Other Partners

We seek regular involvement from a range of other organisations to enhance the CEIAG programme and strengthen business/education links. These include:

  • Local/regional employers

  • Local primary and secondary schools within both the independent and state sectors

  • Complete Careers

  • Morrisby

  • Sheffield Head of Careers Group

  • Sheffield Girls’ Alumnae Network

  • GDST Alumnae Network

  • GDST Career Start trainers

  • Higher Education providers

Key Contact Details:

Mrs Sarah Metcalfe-Murgatroyd

Head of Careers and Work Experience

s.metcalfe-murgatroyd@she.gdst.net

Miss Sarah Farrow

Head of PSHE

s.farrow@she.gdst.net

Date of next Review: June 2025

Responsibility:

Updated:

Review:

SME

06/24

06/25