To become the best person you can be
Weatherfield Academy
Careers Programme
Introduction
Weatherfield Academy Special School Careers Programme has been developed to incorporate the Government’s Careers Strategy, launched in December 2017, the statutory guidance published in January 2018, the subsequent guidance published in July 2021 and the recent January 2023 Careers guidance and access for education and training providers Statutory guidance for schools and colleges on providing careers guidance setting out a range of requirements for schools and colleges.
Mrs C Patterson is the Careers Leader and is responsible for leading the Careers Programme. Mrs Patterson completed her Careers Leader Level 7 qualification in 2020.
Weatherfield Academy Special School is working under the guidance from the Local Enterprise Partnership with SEMLEP/The Careers and Enterprise Company supporting schools to develop and deliver independent Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG).
Mrs Patterson attends the CEIAG Professional Study Group for Central Bedfordshire each term, regular meetings with Central Bedfordshire Youth Support Services.
Weatherfield Academy Special School was a member of the very successful Careers Hub Luton, https://www.careershubluton.co.uk, where Mrs Patterson attended regular meetings and CPD. We are very pleased to say that following the success of the Luton Careers Hub we are now working with the Careers and Enterprise with our allocated Enterprise Advisor.
Weatherfield Academy achieved a National Quality in Careers Standard, this was achieved in 2019 under the guidance of Mrs Patterson working with Prospects to gain this excellent standard award.
Careers Programme
The Careers Programme is working towards ensuring the following:
Our good Careers Programme meets the expectations set out in the Gatsby Benchmarks.
1) We have published on our website details of the Careers Programme and arrangements for providers of technical education or apprenticeships to talk to pupils.
2) The destinations of young people from the school are tracked and that this information is used to improve the effectiveness of the school’s careers programme.
Personal Statement From Mrs Patterson
As Careers Leader I will be responsible and accountable for the delivery of Weatherfield Academy’s careers education, information, advice and guidance. I will ensure to the best of my ability, that Weatherfield Academy meets the Gatsby Benchmarks as they first did in 2020 in accordance with the Department of Education’s statutory guidance January 2018 and the more recent Careers guidance and access for education and training providers Statutory guidance for schools and guidance for further education colleges and sixth form colleges July 2021.
I will be involved in the planning, implementing and quality assuring of our careers programme for Weatherfield Academy; managing the delivery of career guidance; networking with external partners, including employers; coordinating the contributions of careers teachers, subject teachers, tutors and SENCO.
I am also responsible for ensuring that the careers programme continuously improves and that it delivers the kinds of impacts that are needed for our young people. This means paying careful attention to feedback from all stakeholders and to the destinations of pupils.
This academic year has seen a change to our careers programme to support the needs of the students attending Weatherfield Academy. As our semi-formal curriculum area of the school grows the necessity to review the careers curriculum became very apparent and was therefore welcomed by all.
Skills Builder Bronze Award
We are very pleased to announce we have achieved the Skills Builder Bronze Award at Weatherfield Academy, the diagram below shows you just how hard everyone has been working to achieve this and to continue in developing those essential skills for life here at Weatherfield Academy.
As can be seen, our top skills are listening and teamwork – these are excellent skills for our students to gain to ensure they understand what is being said or they are asked to do and that they work well with others – both crucial skills for everyday life.
Skills Builder Overview
The Skills Builder programme for schools and colleges works together with schools to develop and implement a complete strategy for teaching essential skills in the institution, this includes training and support, tools and resources – resulting in real impact for your students.
Join a movement and network with other Skills Leaders
Empower students to build and articulate their essential skills
Implement a complete strategy to bring teaching colleagues with you
The Skills Builder Universal Framework is the national standard for teaching essential skills. It breaks each skill into teachable steps, supporting progress for students of all ages and abilities - including those with special educational needs. The Universal Framework was developed with Skills Builder by the Careers and Enterprise Company, Gatsby Foundation, Business in the Community, EY Foundation, the CBI and CIPD.
Measuring and Assessing the Impact of Our Careers Programme for Our Students
Individual student progress is currently recorded on our Skills Builder programme and also on our Class Charts reward system so all can achieve.
In Key Stages 2 and 3, the students learn the terminology for each of the areas and are praised and rewarded with house points when they have used them.
In Key Stage 4, the teachers assess where the students are in their skills learning and use the well-developed resources to deliver the lessons. Students can embed these skills to help them to progress.
In Key Stage 5, students can self-assess where they think they are on each skill, the programme Skills Builder then allocates them areas and lessons to work on to progress further.
Feedback
Student and staff feedback will be an integral part of our Careers Programme. This last academic year highlighted a need to change our programme in order to meet the needs of all of our students who were able to access it. The introduction to our semi-formal curriculum groups meant that this change was needed and we therefore responded.
Careers insets and training will take place during the academic year to monitor and evaluate the delivery of our Careers Programme. Trustees, Governors and the Senior Leadership Team are committed to the monitoring and improvement of our Careers Programme.
By working with The Careers and Enterprise Company and working at a nationally recognised Quality in Careers Standards programme, will ensure the development of our Careers programme in accordance with current and future legislations.
The next review of Careers information is to be in September 2023.
Careers Leader
Mrs Carol Patterson, Careers Leader, Weatherfield Academy Special School
Email - cpatterson@weatherfield.beds.sch.uk
Telephone - 01582 605632