The West Bridgford School - A Specialist Technology College
Careers Education Policy (including Work Experience)
The National Curriculum Handbook for Secondary Teachers in
2. To promote students spiritual moral social and cultural development and prepare all students for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life.
West Bridgford School has always worked to National guidelines and to that end the School’s aims for CEG (Careers Education and Guidance) closely follows those of Looking Forward, Skills for Choice and the QCA (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority) Document Learning Outcomes for CEG Developing the Careers education Curriculum in Schools (1999), Careers Education in the New Curriculum (2000) and Careers Education and Guidance in England, a National Framework 11 –19 (2003), and work related learning for all at key stage 4 (2003). As well as the Education Act 2004 when it became statutory for all secondary schools to deliver a planned programme of CEG from years 7 – 11. It takes into account the School’s policies on Equal Opportunities, Teaching and Learning, particularly in relation to the 14 – 19 Agenda and Every Child Matters.
CEG at The West Bridgford School clearly aims to prepare children for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. It is an integral and central part of the PSHE (Personal, Social and health Education) and Citizenship Programme.
The school is committed to maximising the benefits for every pupil, in the development of a whole school approach to work-related learning. The school recognises that there should be some work-related learning for all pupils, and more for some. The school wishes to promote work-related learning as part of the learning entitlement for all pupils and as a means for learning ‘about work’, learning ‘through work’ and learning ‘for work’
Rationale
Work-related learning has an important contribution to make to the education of all our pupils in order for them to make an effective transition from the school to adulthood and employment. So that pupils are able to make this effective transition the school provides a wide range of opportunities for pupils to learn, about, through and for work in a range of contexts. The school working with Connexions has clearly identified work-related learning outcomes for all pupils together with a set of procedures for assessing individual pupil’s progress.
Purpose
Work-related learning is concerned with those planned activities that use work as a context for learning or illustrate aspects of working life. The school encourages innovative approaches to work-related learning in order to motivate pupils and to raise standards. The accreditation of pupils’ achievements in work-related learning has an important role to play in supporting the school’s objectives.
The main purpose of work-related learning is to provide pupils with a range of activities as part of a balance and integrated curriculum. The work-related learning opportunities provided by the school contribute to:
· attainment in individual subjects by increasing pupils’ understanding;
· achievement of vocational qualifications by enhanced understanding and relevance to general and specific occupations;
· achievement and development of the main key skills and the wider key skills;
· careers education and guidance by providing an insight into the factors which can inform career choice;
· learning about the world of work and better preparation for the transition from education and training to work;
· personal and social education through the improvement of interpersonal skills, presentation skills, self-confidence, taking initiative, teamwork and taking on responsibility; and
· Increasing the breadth of curriculum experience for all pupils to support the in their preparation for adult life.
Aims for Work Related Learning
The aims for work-related learning focus on the provision the school makes for opportunities for pupils to prepare for adult and working life and include:
· to improve educational standards through using contexts that improve motivation and attainment for all pupils;
· to ensure that pupils follow courses and programmes which are appropriate to their longer term aspirations and needs;
· to improve pupils understanding of the world of work and its demands;
· to improve the quality of provision and guidance;
· to increase access and choice for all pupils;
· to improve the transition of pupils from school to adult and working life
The School’s Objectives
The key objectives for work-related learning are:
· to raise levels of attainment through high quality work-related learning for all pupils;
· to develop a range of opportunities which enhance the curriculum ( Enrichment Days)
· to promote greater awareness for pupils about the world of work, the development of key skills and employability;
· to develop a range of appropriate and relevant activities which assist in raising all pupils’ aspirations and achievement and which are of the highest possible quality and are regularly monitored;
· to promote awareness and understanding of work, industry, the economy and community;
· to relate skills attitudes, concepts and knowledge learned in school to applications in the wider world;
· to develop pupils’ personal and social skills in relationships in a range of contexts;
· To provide pupils with informed and impartial guidance (Connexions) on the choices available for education, training and employment as well as other interests.
Curriculum Provision
The school offers a wide range of activities that contribute towards work-related opportunities in order to help prepare pupils effectively for adult and working life. These activities complement subject teaching, contribute towards the development of pupils’ key skills as well as contributing to lifelong learning opportunities.
Courses delivered by other providers including local schools and colleges.
The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and learning Act (2009) includes requirement that schools provide all young people with impartial information about apprenticeships and other 16-18 education and training options.
The range of activities the school is currently using in order to help meet its objectives includes:
· Vocational GCSE courses
· Other relevant vocational courses and qualifications e.g. Btec
· COPE(Certificate of Personal Effectiveness)/YAS(Youth Aware Scheme) for some pupils
· Careers Education and Guidance
· Connexions interviews
· Use of computer programmes like Kudos, Careerscape, Kangeroo and jobs4u.
· Work Experience in year 11
· Extra Work Placements for Cope/YAS students
· Year 12
· Action at 16+ enrichment day
·
· Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Careers Education Lessons
· Mock interview in year 11 by business/industry providers
· From year 7 onwards all pupils will now have a Passport folio account.
· Offer in association with external providers
Management of Work Related Learning
A senior member of staff is responsible for:
· the management and co-ordination of the various aspects of work-related learning;
· the range of activities in each key stage;
· How the effectiveness and benefits of work-related activities are to be measured, monitored and evaluated.
· the assessment procedures and strategies for pupil evaluation of activities and learning outcomes
Individual subject staff are responsible for:
· ensuring that their schemes of work contribute to work-related aims;
· identifying the types of activity at relevant points in the schemes of work;
· identifying appropriate learning outcomes: skills, attitudes, concepts, knowledge and the strategies to achieve them;
Policy Review
The school policy on work related learning will be reviewed and monitored at various levels and at different times by key Staff. The key priorities from the review are incorporated into the School Development Plan.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Aims
Work experience should help the students involved to
- experience a working environment at first hand
- experience and have the opportunity of developing social relationships in a working environment
- Understand issues of Health and safety and Equal Opportunities
- discover and experience the expectations that employees and employers have of fellow workers
- gain the self confidence required in an adult world
- develop the skills and knowledge required for adult life
- develop a positive attitude towards their school studies by seeing the application of those studies in a working environment
Whole school issues
Work experience is recognized as an integral an important part of the school curriculum provided for the students. Supportive and contributory work takes place in PSHE and Tutorial time.
Entitlement
All students in year 11 are entitled to take part in work experience. At present this lasts for one week in year 11 but COPE/YAS students also do a week in year 10.
Placing, organisation and preparation
A member of staff is responsible for coordinating the whole process (Work experience Coordinator) overseen by the Director of Learning ECM.
All placements that are used for work experience have been health and safety checked by NEBA (Nottingham Education Business Alliance). All employers have been provided with the detailed documentation available from school and other information detailing the aims and objectives of work experience and the responsibilities of those involved. All placements in the vicinity are visited by a member of staff during the student’s placement so that detailed discussions can take place; those too far away are contacted by telephone.
Placements can be organised in the following ways:
- Pupils have own contacts they are given a form to pass to the employer which when completed and returned is passed to NEBA who then do the relevant Health and safety checks before the placement is confirmed.
- We have a data base of placements used by former students where they have agreed to take more of our students, these are NEBA approved.
- Students can access the NEBA website to search for a placement in a particular field; contact is then made with the employer to ascertain availability for that particular week.
Preliminary work covering: letters of application, CVs, interviews, expectation of the world of work, Health and Safety, Equal Opportunities, occupational areas etc, takes place in PSHE leading up to work experience. All staff involved are briefed regularly.
Monitoring and Assessment
Monitoring takes place using a variety of means including:
- Work experience booklet to be filled in by student whilst on placement
- Employers complete an Evaluation form at the end of the week.
- Staff visit students during the week where possible to ensure all is well.
- PSHE staff take in booklets and evaluations to assess and comment on student’s placement.
- Tutors discuss placements with students and ensure a letter of thanks is sent to the employer.
Evaluation
The policy and programme will be reviewed by the Director of learning ECM (Every Child Matters), Senior Management and the Work Experience Coordinator on a 3-yearly basis.
Policy prepared by: R. Cooper (Head of Careers and PSHE)
Reviewed: January 2010
Next review: January 2013
APPENDIX 1 - A STUDENT AND PARENT’S ENTITLEMENT TO CAREERS EDUCATION AND GUIDANCE AT THE
All students at the
Students are entitled to:
Careers Information – which is accurate and up-to-date and focused on their individual interests, abilities and requirements. They can talk to a Connexions careers adviser at a mutually agreed time in a confidential and suitable environment.
Careers Education – which allows the development of personal and interpersonal skills. They will develop communication skills in mock interview situations.
Continued careers support and information – after they have left school in order to develop their skills and seek out new opportunities.
Parents are entitled to:
Information about the careers education and guidance process throughout the school – parents will be kept informed by letter or at consultation evenings where Connexions advisors will be present.
A copy of the action plan – produced after discussions between the student and careers adviser.
