Careers Information, Advice and Guidance at Westhoughton High School
- Section 1 Our Aims and Rationale
- Section 2 Delivery model
- Section 3 NEETs and Destination Data
- Section 4 Strategies with more vulnerable/disadvantaged
- Section 5 Strategies with the most able students
- Section 6 Engaging parents and carers
- Section 7 Parents and Students Resource and Information section
- Section 8 Provider and employer engagement / access
- Section 9 School Contacts
Section 1 Our Aims and Rationale
The school is committed to providing impartial and relevant CEIAG to students from years 7 to 11 as outlined in the School’s CEIAG Policy.
CEIAG is to provide students with the opportunity to engage in a range of activities that will contribute to their knowledge and understanding of the world of work and the qualification pathways suitable for students’ individual needs. Westhoughton High School is committed to not just fulfilling its statutory requirements in this area but providing for student exceptional support and guidance throughout their time at Westhoughton High School. The aim of CEIAG is to enhance the provision made to prepare students for the transition to the next stage of education, training or employment. This is achieved through:
- Contexts that help raise motivation and attainment;
- Helping students to follow courses that are appropriate to their needs;
- Improving understanding of the world of work;
- Ensuring appropriate provision and guidance;
- Successful transition to the next stage of education and employment;
- Empowering students to plan and manage their own futures;
- Offering a responsive service that allows time for face to face guidance;
- Providing comprehensive and unbiased advice and guidance;
We are committed to implement the Government’s careers strategy published on 4th December 2017 in the Department for Education’s Careers guidance and access for education and training providers. We will use the eight Gatsby Foundation Benchmarks to work towards offering quality CEIAG to our students.
To support us in ensuring a high standard of CEIAG, we will use the Compass on line self-evaluation tool which will be used to formulate an annual action plan to drive up standards and work towards achieving the Gatsby benchmarks. The Gatsby standards build on the standards the school met when achieving the Inspiring CEIAG Gold award in 2016.
The school is part of the Bolton CEIAG Careers hub. We will share good practice and work collaboratively with other schools within the Bolton area to enable all schools to collaboratively work towards achieving Gatsby benchmarks. The hub will be used to standardise how schools address meeting the Gatsby standards. Bolton is one of the 10 school and college led hubs within the Greater Manchester Combined Authority [GMCA].
The school will be supported by a Careers and Enterprise Adviser, currently Heather Middlehurst Human Resources Development Manager – Stateside Foods, Westhoughton.
Please click below to see a list of the benchmarks the school are working towards.
Key Staff include:
- Mr C Dignam – Assistant Headteacher, Senior Management line manager for CEIAG
- Ms V Lad Connexions Advisor – who is in school two days per week. Vash holds relevant CDI qualifications to provide impartial guidance interviews. [Gatsby Benchmark 8]
- Mr R Bell – Link Governor
- Ms H Middlehurst – Enterprise Advisor.
- Ms J Wells – Enterprise Co-ordinator (Careers and Enterprise Company)
Evaluation and monitoring
Our CEIAG programme is reviewed and evaluated throughout the year in order to respond to any statutory changes and to ensure that we offer a broad and balanced careers programme.
We will use evaluation from students, staff, employers and training providers, parents, carers and governors to measure and assess the impact of our CEIAG provision.
We will also use current destinations data to assess how successfully students make the transition to post 16 education, training or employment. The evaluation of destination data allows us to ensure the most appropriate IAG can be offered to our students. Destinations data can be found in Section 3 and an overview of our evaluation and monitoring can be found in our
Section 2 Delivery model
The delivery of CEIAG is implemented through a progressive and purposeful model that ensures it meets the needs of the students enabling them to confidently progress onto the next stage in their lives. CEIAG is delivered across years 7 to 11. The school’s CEIAG lead, is responsible for the leadership of CEIAG in school, liaising with a range of outside agencies including Connexions and local providers including colleges, employers, providers of technical education, traineeships and apprenticeships. The school endeavours to respond to the Government’s careers strategy and the implementation of Gatsby standards.
Section 3 NEETs and destinations Data
Students not in full time education and training [NEET]
The school is committed to ensuring that all students gain a realistic post 16 place in full time education or training. Working with our Connexions adviser, we track our school leavers and offer guidance and support to prevent potential NEETS. Year 11 Form tutors receive data on those students who have not made applications so that they can offer further guidance and encouragement, and are encouraged to refer to careers staff students who they believe are potential NEETS or who they believe to have made unrealistic choices.
- Destination Data 2022
- Destination Data 2021
- Destination Data 2020
- Destination Data 2019
- Destination Data 2018
School Destination Data Comparative Figures
The following was issued in January 2019 and compares the number of students staying in education and entering employment to local and national figures for 2018 leavers.
School Leaver Retention Data Comparative Figures
The following was issued in January 2019 and shows the destination and retention figures for our students who completed Key Stage 4 in 2016 the latest data available.
Section 4 Strategies with more vulnerable/disadvantaged
All students with a statement are seen by our careers adviser from Connexions. Where a student has learning needs, the careers adviser liaises with the post 16 institution of their choice to ensure learning support is in place when the student starts there. The careers adviser works with students who may need support such as More Able Disadvantaged, Looked After Children, students with special educational needs and those with emotional and behavioural difficulties and offers them additional support with applications for post 16 options. This may include arranging appointments or interviews at college or a training provider. She also provides a report, a Transition Referral which sets out learning support requirements. Free Schools Meal students are given individual guidance interviews at the end of key stage 3 and 4 and, where necessary, after each data entry. There is regular liaison between Learning Centre staff and our careers adviser who will refer students who are most need of support. Students in the Learning Centre are offered one to one guidance with local providers to help them make applications to relevant courses. In addition we work with the SENCo and student services in Further Education colleges to ensure any transition needs or relevant support is put in place.
Section 5 Strategies with the most able students
We encourage high achieving students to aspire to reach Russell Group Universities by advising them on their options choices, for example the importance of choosing challenging EBACC subjects and achieving the highest grades and by providing access to outstanding post 16 providers such as Runshaw, Bolton Sixth Form, Winstanley College and other prestigious Post 16 Colleges. Some of our most able students in year 9 attend an Oxbridge Bound event at Runshaw College geared to enhance their thinking and learning skills and to increase awareness of what may be needed to apply for Oxbridge in the future. Prior to making applications for post 16 opportunities, students are given a presentation on applying to Russell Group institutions and on university finance. In year 9 students have the opportunity to visit the Higher Education Fair held at Bolton Sixth Form College. Participants are selected based on performance in data entries or genuine aspiration to attend university
We invite staff from the University of Bolton, Edge Hill University and Greater Manchester Higher representing all higher education establishments across Greater Manchester to attend our annual post 16 progression evening open to parents and students in years 9-11.
We Invite HE providers to attend our annual careers fair so that students in year 7-11 gain access to Higher Education Information.
These activities raise aspirations in our students and provide them with experiences they can use in their personal statements.
Section 6 Engaging Parents and Carers
Parents and carers are invited into school for ‘Flightpath Evenings’ in years 9-11 and CEIAG is one of a number of areas covered to raise awareness of post 14 and 16 option choices and the on-line resources we offer to support progression.
The school uses synergy as a vehicle to engage parents with all careers related opportunities and information to ensure that parents and carers are informed of the opportunities and resources available to them and their child.
Any opportunities offered to students form external providers, careers related, will be shared directly with parents via different communication methods including social media platforms and synergy.
Parents receive information about careers related events through the school web site.
They can meet local post 16 providers including representatives from colleges, apprenticeship training providers, University Training Colleges [UTCs] and higher education at our annual Year 9 Your Futures Day and the Year 11 Post 16 Progression Evening.
Section 7 Parent and Student Resource and Information Section
This section of the website allows students and parents to be able to access careers related information to best support their progression through school to make informed choices about their futures.
Labour Market Information for Parents and Students
LMI gives students and parents an insight into some valuable information regarding careers and sectors. This section of the website will hopefully provide an insight into LMI, skills, qualities, pay and careers.
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/skills-assessment
https://icould.com/stories/using-lmi-careers-decisions/
List of College and Careers Websites
These provide information around colleges, universities, apprenticeships and careers platform with a host of activities and videos to explore different careers whilst finding out more about possible career paths based on a students skills and interests.
College Information and Applications
Some Colleges also offer a range of apprenticeships and this information can be found from each college through their website. Information about colleges applications can be found in the link below.
Work Experience & Virtual Work Experience.
Students at Westhoughton High School receive a blended approach to experiences of the world of work. Throughout Key Stage 3 students will have exposures to trips and visits that will exposure students to different work place environments. In key Stage 4 students are exposed to both virtual and face to face work experience opportunities that will support their progression onwards from Westhoughton High School. Students in Year 11 secure a 1 week block of work experience with an employer during the Autumn Term.
Students can also access many Virtual Work Experience opportunities delivered by external providers at a time that is suitable to themselves and relevant to a career area. Some links are provided for parents and students to explore.
https://www.speakersforschools.org/vwex/
https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience
Newsletters
Section 8 Provider and employer engagement / access
We are committed to giving providers access to our students and are actively seeking employers and employees who may be able to help us meet Gatsby Standards.
We have a clear policy for provider access including the criteria governing such access such as the need for providers to adhere to safeguarding policies and the conditions where access from a provider may be refused. We are ensuring that we are compliant around the changes in the Baker Clause and response to the recent changes in the Skills for Jobs white paper.
We ensure that students get access to technical and apprenticeships providers in accordance to the Baker Clause during their time at Westhoughton High School.
We hope that all providers having direct contact with our students can supply a valid DBS number/date of DBS certification.
Section 9 School Contacts
Vash Lad our Careers Adviser can be contacted by e-mail vlad@westhoughton-high.org
Chris Dignam the IAG coordinator can be contacted by e-mail chrisdignam@westhoughton-high.org
We can also be contacted on the school’s phone number 01942 814122.
