Careers Programme
Key Stage 3 Careers Programme 2023-2025
| All | Additional Opportunities | ||
| KS3 Years 7, 8 and 9 | Access to independent and impartial advice and guidance (Level 6) Careers education across the curriculum Base Group Unifrog Careers Programme measured against CDI Framework Assemblies with a focus on careers and wider opportunities | – Careers lessons in PSHE – Subject based career lessons during specific celebrated events such as National Careers Week – Employer talks – delivered virtually by local/national businesses twice termly – Introduction, training and ongoing access to Unifrog – STEM challenge days in partnership with employers University trips – Career assemblies delivered by the careers lead once a term – Options evening offering students and parents/carers an insight into GCSE subject choices as well as career pathways (Year 9) – Suffolk Skills Show (Year 9) | Year 7, 8 and 9 House Ambassadors, Base Group and Sports Leaders appointed through application and interview process Support from Higher Education Champion and Apprenticeship Ambassador (Year 9) Mentoring provided by employers to develop student knowledge of the processes and opportunities in the world of work (Year 9) |
Throughout the year there are additional events for all year groups such as National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and bespoke events in collaboration with our employer partners.
Key Stage 4 Careers Programme 2023 – 2025
| All | Additional Opportunities | ||
| Year 10 | Access to independent and impartial advice and guidance (Level 6) Careers education across the curriculum Base Group Unifrog Careers Programme measured against CDI Framework Assemblies with a focus on careers and wider opportunities Work based learning through employer placements | – Careers lessons in PSHE – Subject based career lessons during specific celebrated events such as National Careers Week – Employer talks – delivered virtually by local/national businesses twice termly – Introduction, training and ongoing access to Unifrog – Assemblies from employers, further and higher education and providers – One week work experience placement found and organised by the student – External visits to local FE and HE providers and employers | House Ambassadors, Base Group and Sports Leaders appointed through application and interview process Support from Higher Education Champion and Apprenticeship Ambassador Employer mentoring Support from careers team to help secure work experience placement |
| All | Additional Opportunities | ||
| Year 11 | Access to independent and impartial advice and guidance (Level 6) Careers education across the curriculum Base Group Unifrog Careers Programme measured against CDI Framework Assemblies with a focus on post 16 education and training | – Careers lessons in PSHE – Subject based career lessons during specific celebrated events such as National Careers Week – Employer talks – delivered virtually by local/national businesses twice termly – Introduction, training and ongoing access to Unifrog – Assemblies from post 16 providers including colleges, sixth forms and training organisations – Post-16 pathways evening with representatives from local post-16 and post-18 providers – All students to meet at least once with Level 6 qualified Careers Advisor to receive IAG for post 16 options | Support from Careers Lead with post-16 applications Open evenings hosted by local post 16 providers Transition visits to post-16 providers in small groups Employer mentoring Support from Higher Education Champion and Apprenticeship Ambassador |
Gatsby Benchmarks
Ipswich Academy follows the eight principles of the Gatsby Benchmarks (The Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance Published 2014) Ipswich Academy reviews our performance against the benchmarks using the Careers and Enterprise Company evaluation tool Compass. Careers lessons and base group sessions are mapped against the CDI Framework.
Please click here to find out more about the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Please click here to find out more about the Career Development Institute (CDI )Framework.
Gatsby Benchmarks – Progress against each benchmark
| Benchmark | Indicators to measure performance | How the benchmark is met |
| A Stable Careers Programme | Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents/carers, teachers and employers. | Careers programme Careers on school website Provider Access policy on website Careers Leader in post Evaluated every year |
| Learning from Career and Labour Market Information | Every pupil and their parents/carers should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed advisor to make best use of available information. | Students use up to date LMI to help inform study/career decisions |
| Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil | Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout. | Careers programme raises aspirations and challenges stereotypes Records kept on pupils experiences of careers activity Data sharing with LA Work with LA to provide careers guidance to vulnerable and SEND students Collect data on students destinations |
| Linking Curriculum to Careers | All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths. | All students, by the time they leave school, have meaningfully experienced career learning as part of curriculum subjects |
| Encounters with Employers | Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes. | All students have a meaningful encounter with an employer every year they are in school |
| Experiences of Workplaces | Every pupil should 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. | Majority of students have had a meaningful experience of a workplace by the end of Year 11 |
| Encounters with Further and Higher Education | All pupils 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 time they leave school, the majority of pupils have had meaningful encounters with sixth form colleges, FE colleges, training providers and HE providers and have been provided with information about the full range apprenticeships. They have also had at least one meaningful visit to a university to meet staff and students. |
| Personal Guidance | Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. | Majority of students have had an interview with a professional and impartial careers adviser (qualified to level 6) by the end of Year 11 |