Careers Programme

Talentino Careers Programme

At Churchward School we have helped develop and now provide the full bespoke Talentino Careers support Programme. The ‘In the Box’ programme provides for our students at a cost to the school a system that focuses on the students and their individual likes rather than pushing them into a given career path. Staff are trained on how to implement the programme and there are assigned coaches that will visit the school. Churchward School will be one of the first schools to offer a hybrid programme which is a mixture of mainstream and SEND provision. This allows us to tailor the programme carefully.

The theory behind the work uses research based around CICO which is ‘Core Interest Career Orientation’. This places the focus on the student’s immediate reaction to questions rather than them providing answers they think people require.

As the student’s progress through the academic years they will build a portfolio using the individual profiling kit that compliments the more traditional careers advice.

By using both of these career approaches we feel our students will have the best chance of making an informed decision on their career path.

Statutory Guidance

The main statutory guidance related to Careers in schools is currently the Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers (2018) alongside The Gatsby Benchmarks which are a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in secondary schools.

The Careers Development Institute has developed a SEND version of the national framework which we are measuring ourselves against using the ‘Compass’ online benchmarking tool. Our programme and response to the Gatsby Benchmarks will be differentiated to meet the needs of our student group.

Gatsby Benchmark		Provision
1. A stable careers programme	Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.	Every school should have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of the senior management team, and has an identified and appropriately trained person responsible for it. The careers programme should be published on the school’s website in a way that enables pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access and understand it. The programme should be regularly evaluated with feedback from pupils, parents and teachers.
2. Learning from career and labour market information	Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.	By the age of 14, all pupils should have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options. Parents should be encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to their children.
3. Addressing the needs of each student	Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.	A school’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations. Schools should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each pupil, and subsequent agreed decisions. All pupils should have access to these records to support their career development. Schools should collect and maintain accurate data for each pupil on their education, training or employment destinations.
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers	All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers.	By the age of 14, every pupil should have had the opportunity to learn how the different subjects help people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers.
5. Encounters with employers and employees	Every student 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.	Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer in which the student has an opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace. Examples may include careers talks, careers carousels, careers fairs, mock interviews, CV workshops, mentoring, employer delivered workshops, enterprise competitions
6. Experiences of workplaces	Every student 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.	By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have. High quality and meaningful work experience forms a required part of 16-19 study programmes. A more flexible approach can be adopted for younger pupils and does not necessarily have to involve a traditional placement. Options could include: workplace visits. Work experience (1-2 weeks); job shadowing or career- related volunteering
7. Encounters with further and higher education	All students 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 age of 16, every pupil should have had a meaningful encounter with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and pupils. During this the student has an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in that environment.
8. Personal guidance	Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made.	Every pupil should have at least one such interview by the age of 16. – Every pupil should have opportunities for personal guidance interviews with a qualified (to level 6 or higher) careers adviser whenever significant study or career choices are being made.