Careers Guidance at Abbey Grange connects learning to the future. Our aim is to motivate students by giving them a clearer idea of the routes to jobs and careers that they will find engaging and rewarding. We believe our careers guidance widens our students’ horizons, challenges stereotypes and raises aspirations. It provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make successful transitions to the next stage of their life. We support social mobility by improving opportunities for all students and instilling the belief in them that anything is possible.
We are currently in the process of recruiting a new careers advisor for Abbey Grange, who will work with students to carry out careers interviews (which may also include parents), group work sessions, workplace visits and assemblies. In the interim, we are working with an external agency to provide careers support. Our Senior Leadership Team link to careers is Peter Golding, Assistant Principal. Mr Golding can be contacted on pgolding@abbeygrangeacademy.co.uk or by phone on 0113 275 7877.
At Abbey Grange our careers programme includes careers lessons in PSHCE drop down days, workshops, visiting speakers, visits to employers, work experience to name but a few activities.
We meet the needs of the Eight Gatsby Benchmarks to offer a wide range of activities for all year groups. We constantly review our Careers and PSHCE offer to ensure it is up to date and meets the needs of our pupils in an ever changing society. The eight Gatsby Benchmarks are as follows:
Explore your education and training choice.
Whether you know where you're heading or not, knowing about the different routes open to you is a great place to start.
By the time students get to the end of Year 7 they will have:
By the time students get to the end of Year 8 they will have:
By the time students get to the end of Year 9 they will have:
By the time students get to the end of Year 10 they will have:
By the time students get to the end of Year 11 they will have:
By the time students get to the end of Sixth Form they will have:
In the event they decide to change their academic or career ideas, attended an Interview with the careers professional to discuss all their options for further study, apprenticeships or employment.
At Abbey Grange Academy, our aim is to ensure that all students are given the information, advice and guidance they require in order for them to make well informed and realistic decisions about their future. We seek to ‘educate, nurture and empower’ our students so they are ready to make the next step in their lives as ambitious, motivated and dedicated learners who will continue to flourish in education or employment.
To develop pupils’ knowledge, understanding and skills relevant to life in a rapidly changing world.
All teachers and adults play an important role in careers education at Abbey Grange, whether that is teaching about careers in PSHCE, contributing to form activities or providing students with access to information about career paths associated with their subjects. We ask all staff to be encouraging, supporting and lead on careers through their role in school.
Abbey Grange believes that every learner should have opportunities to learn about the world of work, employability skills and the personal qualities that are valued in the workplace in order to increase the self-confidence of pupils and raise aspirations. Pupils can then make informed choices about future careers and develop employability skills.
The careers programme promotes equal opportunities and challenges stereotypical thinking and attitudes. It helps pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs, to overcome any overt and/or hidden barriers to progress that they may encounter and ensures that all pupils receive appropriate information and guidance, especially at key decision and transition points.
We make use of up to date information in order to breakdown stereotypes and encourage our students to be aspirational in terms of future careers choices. Students are given opportunities that take them out of their comfort zone and encourage them to think about what they can do with no limitations placed upon them.
Abbey Grange is currently working towards the Quality in Careers Standard Award. The school is also working towards full implementation of the Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure that careers provision is of the highest quality for pupils.
The Gatsby Benchmarks are:
Careers Information of interest to teachers on the school web-site includes:
Further Information
Please contact P.Golding, Assistant Principal, for more information: pgolding@abbeygrangeacademy.co.uk
With lots of jobs and apprenticeships available in the green economy as we all transition to net zero there are a range of careers resources to use which outline what we mean by the green economy, what opportunities are available and what skills are needed.
· West Yorkshire Combined Authority https://futuregoals.co.uk/green-jobs-careers/
· Green Careers Awareness resource – A day in the life
Abbey Grange Academy is very keen to establish links between with employers and employees in the local community and beyond.
The Careers programme is continually being developed and evaluated in order to ensure that students are given up to date information that is fit for purpose, empowering our students to a lead when it comes to their future. Abbey Grange believes that every learner should have opportunities to learn from employers about the world of work, employability skills and the personal qualities that are valued in the workplace. This will increase the self-confidence of pupils and raise aspirations. Pupils can then make informed choices about future careers and develop employability skills.
Abbey Grange is currently working towards the Quality in Careers Standard. We constantly adapt the Careers offering at Abbey Grange to ensure that our students acquire the skills necessary for life beyond Abbey Grange. We believe we fully implement the Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure that careers provision is of the highest quality for pupils.
The Gatsby Benchmarks are:
We welcome support from employers andproactively seek to engage with a variety of outside agencies. As an employeryou can support all our pupils significantly and help us to achieve or goals.We are committed to allowing our young people to positively transition out ofsecondary school life, equipped for the world of work, with the skills requiredto solve industry challenges and the knowledge to ensure a successful future.
Abbey Grange is currently looking to develop links with employers to help meet Benchmarks 5 and 6, at all Key Stages. Further information is contained in the Provider Access Policy on the website.
Please contact Mr P Golding, Assistant Principal, for more information: pgolding@abbeygrangeacademy.co.uk
At Abbey Grange Academy, our aim is to ensure that all students are given the information, advice and guidance they require in order for them to make well informed and realistic decisions about their future. We seek to ‘educate, nurture and empower’ our students so they are ready to make the next step in their lives as ambitious, motivated and dedicated learners who will continue to flourish in education or employment. Parents play a vital role in careers guidance for their child. Whether this is regular conversations about future plans or actively supporting and encouraging your child to gain experiences and learn about future careers. The more exposure that students are given to future careers, they better they will be prepared to take the next step.
Careers Guidance at Abbey Grange connects learning to the future. Our aim is to motivate students by giving them a clearer idea of the routes to jobs and careers that they will find engaging and rewarding. We believe our careers guidance widens our students’ horizons, challenges stereotypes and raises aspirations. It provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make successful transitions to the next stage of their life. We support social mobility by improving opportunities for all students and instilling the belief in them that anything is possible.
Our Careers Adviser is in Abbey Grange at least two days per week and uses this time to carry out individual careers interviews (parents are also invited),group work sessions and assemblies. Our Careers Supervisor works to ensure all students are given adequate and age-appropriate careers advice, support and workplace insights. Careers Advice is a vital part of our PSHCE drop down day.
At Abbey Grange our careers programme includes careers lessons in PSHCE drop down days, workshops, visiting speakers, visits to employers, work experience to name but a few activities.
We meet the needs of the Eight Gatsby Benchmarks to offer a wide range of activities for all year groups. The eight benchmarks set out in the report serve as a framework for improvement in careers provision. Research has found that the benchmarks have a positive impact on students’ career readiness and GCSE attainment. We constantly review our Careers and PSHCE offer to ensure it is up to date and meets the needs of our pupils in an ever changing society.
Gatsby Benchmark
For the Careers progress students make, please see the Year 7 - Post 16 for the year group break downs.
In the event that a student changes their decision about academic or career ideas, they can attend an Interview with the careers professional to discuss all their options for further study, apprenticeships or employment.
Please contact Mr P Golding, Assistant Principal, for more information: pgolding@abbeygrangeacademy.co.uk
We aim to give you the best experience possible. Abbey Grange is working towards the Quality in Careers Standard. The school is also working towards full implementation of the Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure that careers provision is of the highest quality for all pupils.
The Gatsby Benchmarks are:
As part of our Careers programme, you will:
We ask all of our students to embrace every opportunity to develop their understanding of the opportunities that are available to them. We encourage students to be proactive and seek out additional support, working in partnership with Abbey Grange to transform their lives.
Please contact Mr P Golding, Assistant Principal, for more information: pgolding@abbeygrangeacademy.co.uk
The following steps are in place to evaluate the effectiveness of its careers programme each year.
The evaluation cycle involves:
The evaluation also involves looking at a range of evidence such as:
Feedback from other stakeholders includes:
An outline of the evaluation schedule is as follows:
1. Are we making the best use of the resources we have allocated for careers work? (Termly)
2. Are we optimising students’ learning from the careers programme?
3. How well are students succeeding in taking the next steps in their education, training or employment that are ‘right for them’?
Date reviewed: 1st March 2023
Next review period: 1st March 2024