Careers

Intent

All students follow an engaging Careers experience throughout years 7 – 13 which not only allows them to make informed choices but also helps prepare them for life after Woodroffe. This enables them to appreciate the skills needed during their education and also allows them to think constructively about their long-term futures and what opportunities are most appropriate for them. Students are encouraged to take part in various Careers activities throughout their time with us, as well as having a chance to attend a great number of meaningful experiences with a wide range of employers. Woodroffe is a firm believer in Independent Advice and Guidance and encourages students to consider a breadth of Post-16 and Post-18 options which best suit the individual circumstances and has the full support of both the Senior Leadership Team and the school’s Governing body.

Implementation

Throughout their time in School students will have dedicated Careers lessons which promote careful thought and consideration about how related issues might affect them. All careers’ activities encompass the aims of the Gatsby Benchmarks and government legislation. The school works closely with both the Careers and Enterprise Company, Dorset Careers Hub and the school’s Enterprise Adviser to keep up-to-date with new developments and follow best practice. Students also have opportunities to attend various talks, assemblies, off-timetable days, and Work Experience placements, to highlight the need to discover a wide variety of jobs/courses/options. Students use digital tools to log their careers education and these are implemented throughout all year groups to maintain consistency and aid with the various applications students will need to make throughout their time with us. All departments are part of this careers journey and are encouraged to actively seek out employer engagements and discuss ways to make learning relevant to all students. Woodroffe engages an Independent Careers Coach, Marc Truyens, to meet with all students during their time at school and discuss and assist with things like course decisions, interview skills, CV writing and workshops. Students can request meetings with Marc at a time when this is most useful to them.

Impact

Careers education is an essential part of modern life and it is vital that we continue to deliver high-quality lessons which both focus and enthuse students to realise their potential. We regularly refine and update our schemes of work to ensure that they are suitably rigorous to keep up with changes in legislation, culture and the world of work. Students should leave Woodroffe with a clearer sense of what they want to do and should understand the importance of both qualifications and extra-curricular activities. Our students will leave us as confident and adaptable learners that are able to use their skills in a range of areas. This is measured both in terms of the grades achieved and the capability of our students to become responsible and committed citizens. If students leave and follow a course or career path that they enjoy and provides fulfilment, then we can consider our role to have been successful.

Year 7

Students spend time in PSE lessons following a set of lessons called ‘You Are Awesome’. This helps them to develop their development of a growth mindset by following a range of activities. These will touch on achieving success, facing challenges, improving resilience, learning from mistakes, building confidence and dealing with anxieties and pressures. Students should leave the lessons feeling inspired and ready to face future choices with a renewed sense of purpose.

Year 8

Students spend time in Citizenship lessons focusing on their achievements, strengths, weaknesses and their skills and qualities. Students reflect back on their time in Primary School and the progress they’ve made in Year 7. Students are also able to think about the range of future options available to them and the world of employment beyond that. Students should leave Year 8 more aware of their future choices and the potential routes to get there.

Year 9

Students spend time in their Citizenship lessons focusing on future employment. Students will also look at common misconceptions and resisting the temptation to bracket people into a particular role. The unit end with students producing a presentation based on their own research into a career that interests them and delivering these to the rest of their class.

Work Experience – What’s it Like?

Watch this film of students on work experience and see what they think:

Year 10

This year is split into two parts:

Part one is all about confidence and focuses on the preparation for Work Experience. A large focus on interview techniques and ensuring students have the best communication and assertiveness skills needed to be successful. This should prevent students from being discriminated against and hopefully allowing them to deal with any tricky situations both on placement and beyond.

Students also spend time looking at the importance of interviews whilst on their work experience placement. It is expected that all students will have a mock interview with an employer whilst on their placement. Students should also have a conversation with the employer about likely career choices.

Part two focuses on applying for jobs. Students will all create a professional CV, write a suitable covering letter and application form. All leading to the chance to practice their interview skills in class before they have a chance to use these in the real-world.

Students will spend time in this unit looking at Labour Market Information (LMI) locally to ensure that they are aware of the likely job opportunities when they leave school. This should also help them to consider future pathways and option choices to make sure they are going into an area which has a strong likelihood of employment.

Useful PDF files for Year 10 Work Experience:

Year 11

Year 11 is all about the next step in the student’s life. Whether the student is applying for a Sixth Form, a College, An Apprenticeship or any other route; it’s about making sure they have the skills and attributes to enable them to be a success. Students will look at the different routes, the possibility of University and also the pitfalls of unemployment and how best to avoid it.

Students will also look at the importance of saving, budgeting and the potential dangers of borrowing. Students will have the opportunity to update their CV from Year 10 to ensure they are as ready as they can be for the next step in their lives.

Years 12 & 13

The sixth form have various core sessions and speakers in to help broaden their knowledge about specific careers. Some of these are for the whole year group, some are targeted to small groups of students and some are based on subject-specific content. Examples of these are:

• Mark Bowden – Agincare – Discussing careers in the care sector
• George Parker – Political Editor of the Financial Times
• Dr Mikdadi – Educational Consultant, specialising in discussing the Palestine conflict
• Richard Hogben – Met Office

Year 12 also complete a week’s Work Experience at the end of the summer term in an industry that interests them and are encouraged to choose one which benefits them for their applications for the next steps. The students are responsible for sourcing their own placement to help them get to grips with the real world of work and rigours of modern employment. Students should then return to Year 13 with a better sense of the next steps after Woodroffe Sixth Form.

Useful PDF files for Year 12 Work Experience: