Students and Parents

Careers

Student Resources and Websites

Year 10/11 Students - Opportunities and updates

Please see below some opportunities and updates.

Post 16 Pack Updated 2023

Post-16 Pack

Please see attached the Post 16 Careers Pack containing lots of useful information on pathways and resources. This resource is excellent for coming back to at various points throughout the year.

One-to-one meeting and to regularly check emails

Students will be given a one-to-one careers meeting with a level 7 qualified careers advisor. After their one-to-one meeting, all students will receive an individual personalised Careers Action Plan to be sent by email. Please ensure students are regularly checking emails there is important information distributed along with helpful opportunities, updates and their action plan. This is also good practice for their future when they will need to regularly check emails for employment and applications.

Virtual Work Experience Opportunities

Please sign up for Speakers for Schools for Sheringham students for excellent virtual work experience opportunities as well as talks:

https://account.speakersforschools.org/Registration/YoungPersonRegistration?organisationId=f12f0d75-dd36-44dd-9bdc-61541ed6fb11

SpringPod - https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience

Forage - https://www.theforage.com/course-catalog

Barclays LifeSkills - https://barclayslifeskills.com/i-want-virtual-work-experience/school/virtual-work-experience/

Live Padlet for Work Experience Opportunities - https://padlet.com/new_anglia_careers_hub/x14s19n317qub3wq

OpenLearn - https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue

FutureLearn - https://www.futurelearn.com/

New Platform - InvestIn

We have partnered up with InvestIn to provide limited free places for their virtual weekend programmes for those who are eligible for their bursary. They offer a range of areas such as Medicine, Law, Architecture, Psychology, Video Game Design, Forensic Science and more. Places are limited so please get in touch if your student is eligible and if they are interested in one of their programmes.

https://investin.org/pages/choose-your-career

https://investin.org/pages/bursaries

GCSE Maths and English - Grade 4

As a reminder, students will need to achieve a minimum of grade 4 in English and Maths otherwise they will have to retake this after year 11 in college or during their apprenticeship. There may also be specific subject requirements. Students should also consider a backup option.

General Careers Advice Websites

Links to useful careers resources

General Careers Advice:

https://helpyouchoose.org/content/ - Norfolk County Council’s comprehensive site for Post-16 Choices and Applications for College and Sixth Forms

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ - Government website with job profiles, information and skills assessment

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/ - general careers information and advice about pathways leading from particular degree courses

https://www.informedchoices.ac.uk/ - Russell Group information to inform A level choices for particular degrees/career paths

www.icould.com – inspiring careers-related videos and the Buzz Test to explore your own career-related aptitudes

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers - careers information, news and videos from the BBC

https://barclayslifeskills.com/young-people/ - advice and employability skills

https://www.youthemployment.org.uk/employment-help-young-people/

https://worldskills.org/skills/ - maps your skills and talents to career areas

https://www.e4s.co.uk/ – Employment for students – part-time, holiday jobs, internships, gap years

https://successatschool.org/ - general information about career areas including work experience and support for producing CVs or preparing for interviews

Key Labour Market Information:

https://www.icanbea.org.uk – explores potential career opportunities across Norfolk & Suffolk

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/ - information about the 350 job roles available in the NHS – the UK’s largest Employer

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/ - information about Civil Service jobs across all departments including military – also a key Employer

https://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/careers-at-the-fair/ - digital careers fair for STEM careers

https://discovercreative.careers/ - one-stop shop for ideas of careers in the creative industries

Apprenticeships:

www.apprenticeshipsnorfolk.org - Lots of information for prospective apprentices, employers and parents.

www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk – Government National Apprenticeship Website – find and apply for apprenticeships

www.amazingapprenticeships.com – information and guidance for student and parents and links to live vacancies and national schemes

https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/ - advice and vacancies for all alternatives to going to university including apprenticeships, employment, gap years

University:

https://www.ucas.com/ - centralised admission system for university and key advice about uni and degree-level apprenticeships

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/applying-for-university/university-life - Articles and support on all aspects of university

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/ - tool for comparing university courses based on grades and league tables

https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/ - advice on how to choose a course and a university

https://www.whatuni.com/ - tool for finding courses and ranking and shortlisting choices

https://discoveruni.gov.uk/ - statistics and official information about university courses and graduate destinations

https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings - The Complete University Guide League Table

https://www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2021/sep/11/the-best-uk-universities-2022-rankings - The Guardian League Table

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/applying-for-university/alternatives-to-university - Alternatives to university

Gap Year

https://www.goabroad.com/articles/gap-year/plan-my-gap-year - Planning a gap year

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/gap-year/7-steps-to-the-ultimate-gap-year - Planning a gap year

https://brightknowledge.org/education/gap-years-pros-and-cons - Pros and Cons of a gap year

https://www.thecareerbreaksite.com/blog/how-to-avoid-bad-gap-year-companies - Avoiding bad gap year companies

https://www.ucas.com/alternatives/gap-year/gap-years-ideas-and-things-think-about - Gap Year Ideas from UCAS

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/gap-year/gap-year-opportunities - Opportunities for Gap Year

https://www.independent.co.uk/student/gap-year/gap-year-ultimate-listings-guide-8106456.html - Ultimate Listings of organisations

https://yearoutgroup.org/ - Gap year travel inspiration and advice

https://www.bunac.org/ - Ideas for gap year adventures

https://www.gap360.com/ - ideas for gap Year adventures

Virtual Work Experience opportunities

SpringPod - https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience

Forage - https://www.theforage.com/course-catalog

Barclays LifeSkills - https://barclayslifeskills.com/i-want-virtual-work-experience/school/virtual-work-experience/

Live Padlet for Work Experience Opportunities - https://padlet.com/new_anglia_careers_hub/x14s19n317qub3wq

OpenLearn - https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue

FutureLearn - https://www.futurelearn.com/

Information for Employers/Providers

We are eager to engage with employers / providers to ensure our careers programme has maximum impact in preparing our students for the world of work.

If you are interested in participating in any of our events, do not hesitate to contact:

Becky Shepherd, Senior Leader with responsibility for Personal Development - rshepherd@sheringhamhigh.org.uk

Rationale

In our school, we work with students to help them gain an understanding of their needs, in terms of planning for any aspect of their future education, work or training, and ensuring their well-being in line with the personal development agenda.

Their needs may span a wide range of issues from highly sensitive to more routine support. For example, they may need information about selecting a post-16 destination, apprenticeship, or university place, support for planning a gap year, or advice about option choices at GCSE or A Level. Sixth Form students receive regular information from their tutors and via an assembly programme, about careers events, information on open days at university or anything relevant, to support them with making informed choices about their future.

When necessary, we also provide personal guidance on any aspect of personal development and crisis support, for example, to a young person who is at risk of becoming homeless, or who is dealing with a drug misuse problem. We support all of our young people with their mental health, to help them to prepare for times when they might feel under pressure; for example, in the lead up to examinations and make referrals to outside agencies when necessary. We always ensure that all students are fully informed and included in any decisions or actions taken which may affect their wellbeing. We are fully aware of our obligations to safeguard our students and ensure that we follow our child protection procedures if there are concerns of a safeguarding nature.

The Gatsby Benchmarks

Our CEIAG programme is structured around the guidance given by the Gatsby Benchmarks. What are the Gatsby Benchmarks?

The Gatsby Benchmarks were developed on behalf of the Gatsby Foundation by Sir John Holman. They define what world class careers provision in education looks like and provide a clear framework for organising the careers provision at school or college.

The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks are:

A stable careers programme
Learning from careers and labour market information
Addressing the needs of each student
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education
Personal guidance

Roles and Responsibilities

Careers and enterprise education, advice and guidance in Sheringham High School and Sixth Form is delivered by our careers advisor. They are supported by Sharon Ransome, Careers Lead and Rebecca Shepherd, Senior Leader with responsibility for Personal Development. They ensure that all advice is independent and impartial and in the best interests of the young person.

Careers Advisor – Emma Edgill

Careers Lead – Mrs Ransome sransome@sheringhamhigh.org.uk

Statutory Duties

Our Careers Policy states how the school meets its statutory duty issued under Section 45A of the Education Act 1997 by the Department of Education. Our policy also outlines our obligations to achieve the Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Eight Benchmarks for developing and improving careers provision. This is in line with the Government’s revised Statutory Guidance, updated May 2025. Our policy complies with the duty to ensure that there are opportunities for a range of providers to access our students in order to give them information about a wide range of choices available, including technical education and apprenticeships (Baker Clause).

Student Entitlement

Our careers programme is intended to meet the needs of ALL students. It is differentiated and personalised, to ensure progression and to strengthen students’ motivation and attainment at school. We aim to: promote self-awareness, confidence and aspiration, to improve employment prospects, widen participation in Higher Education and to challenge stereotyping or discrimination by promoting equality and diversity of opportunity.

Our careers programme is designed to ensure that students develop a plan of action for their future, based on:

An understanding of the changing Labour Market – meaningful information about what jobs are available, now and in the future, and on both a national and local level, and choices and qualifications required to get into those jobs
Knowledge of the study choices available to them, after Year 11 and Year 13, including: the full range of opportunities within Further and Higher Education and through apprenticeships/traineeships and technical education qualifications.
Practical encounters with employers through: attending talks, events and career fairs, visiting speakers, mentoring and enrichment activities
Experience of workplaces through: visits, volunteering, part-time jobs or work experience as and when a student specifically requests a Work Experience Placement
Career management skills and essential life and employability skills such as: how to manage finances, develop a CV, compete an application form or prepare for an interview
An appreciation of how what they are learning in their lessons in school is important and relates to the world of work
An understanding of themselves and their own interests, skills, likes and dislikes, talents and aspirations and how this affects the choices they make, in relation to future opportunities. This is achieved through: individual careers guidance and by providing tools and information for self-guided careers research.

Students will receive:

Careers-related lessons and activities which are both discrete and embedded within the curriculum. All subjects will incorporate transferable skills linked to the world of work.
Guided time in Form to consider future education and career choices
Access to careers and labour market information resources via a range of media and delivery channels
One-to-one Career Guidance interviews providing impartial guidance from an advisor qualified to Level 6 (degree level) holding the qualification OCR Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development.
An individual personalised summary and Careers Action Plan with resources following the Careers Guidance meeting to take away with them. This document is added to Unifrog and Teams for students to view.
Support for decision making and deciding Post-16 options such as further education, apprenticeships or training.
A range of opportunities to meet employers and employees, inside and outside of the classroom, to develop an understanding of employment opportunities
A range of opportunities to meet further education and training providers and understand the full range of Post-16 pathways including apprenticeships, traineeships and further education.

Students can expect to be:

Treated equally with others
Given careers information and advice that is up to date and impartial
Treated with respect by visitors to the school who are part of the Careers Programme
Given extra help if they have additional / special needs

Linking Curriculum to Careers (Gatsby Benchmark 4)

Careers and enterprise education is part of, and included in all students’ standard lessons, linking curriculum to real world career paths as well as local Labour Market Information.

Teachers are informed of, and involved with, the planning of the careers programme through INSET sessions. They include links to careers in their Schemes of Work and refer to transferable skills throughout lessons by using the Building Learning Power principles, which are: Resilience, Resourcefulness, Reciprocity and Reflectiveness.

Some children may already have a career path in mind and may be preparing for the transition from school to Further or Higher Education, or employment with training. Alternatively, perhaps they are still a little unsure of which direction they want to take. Parents and carers are more than welcome to contact the school and make an appointment with the Careers Advisor, in order to provide more support and to help the young person to make an informed choice about his/her/their future.

Personal Guidance (Gatsby Benchmark 8)

Personal Guidance is a one-to-one careers guidance meeting between the student and a qualified careers advisor. Students in year 10 are offered at least one meeting and students in year 11 are offered another meeting. Students with additional needs and support are seen several times. Students are seen by a Level 6 (degree level) Careers Adviser to fulfil Gatsby Benchmark 8.

Students will receive a personalised Careers Action Plan with a summary and useful websites.

Please see the template for further information on what to expect

Evaluation and monitoring: We ask students how clear they feel about their future plans and how clear they feel about next steps. This is monitored through year 10 and 11 to see their journey, build their confidence and evaluate personal guidance.