Careers

Aims & Vision

We deliver high quality vocational and careers education for young people with special educational needs. It is delivered in a meaningful and appropriate way, taking into account their needs and circumstances.

Our vision is to increase the opportunities our students have of finding quality employment in later life and preparedness for their next steps.

Through person centred planning with Education, Health & Care plans, we support students to articulate their aspirations for adult life, including supported living or an aspiration to work.

We want every student to:

Develop pro-social behaviours and skills and recognise and celebrate their own strengths
Have access and exposure to a range of opportunities which help to build a picture of what they want their future to look like
Make informed decisions with their parents/carers about their future

We strive to ensure that our careers programme is as effective as it can be in supporting our students to make positive transitions. As part of this we undertake regular reviews of our programme and use a range of methods to measure its effectiveness and impact, including:

Tracking student transitions from aspiration to destination
Future Skills Questionnaire
Surveys of students, parents, carers, employers and providers of learning
Feedback and evaluation from participants in careers activities

Annual Plan

Updated: 31/08/2023 28 KB

Careers Education Summary

Key Stage 3	Careers Education Focus
Year 7 & 8	Classroom lessons on skills & interests Roleplay of work related activities An opportunity to join in with and observing older learners carrying out vocational activities in school Visits to workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre. Lessons focused on life skills e.g. cookery.
Year 9	Education, Health & Care Plan Transition Review Working together with students and families to identify aspirations and goals for the future Moving on event with external providers (Social Enterprises, Post 16 Provisions and some Companies). Support from our 14-25 Additional Needs Advisor Visits to workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre. Continuation of lessons focused on Life Skills e.g. Cookery and bed making.
Key Stage 4	Careers Education Focus
Year 10	Classroom lessons on skills & interests. Functional skills lessons understanding what jobs are for and introducing concepts of making money and budgeting where appropriate. Lessons focused on understanding and writing CV’s, applying for jobs, interview practice (with external people) and appropriate behaviour. On site work related learning activities such as the farm, gardening, online store or office tasks such as shredding, photocopying and laminating. Support from our 14-25 Additional Needs Advisor Visits to workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre. Continuation of lessons focused on life skills e.g. Cookery and bed making and window cleaning.
Year 11	Offsite work experience placement related to their future aspirations. Continued classroom and on site work focusing on CV’s, applications, interviews and behaviour where appropriate. Visits to Skills and Employment Fairs Education, Health & Care Plan Transition Review Working together with students and families to identify aspirations and goals for the future through a Vocational Profile Supporting students with transition to mainstream college for those who choose to do so. Interview with a qualified Careers Advisor to coach through next steps. Support from our 14-25 Additional Needs Advisor Visits to workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre Link visits to colleges and post-16 providers Continuation of lessons focused on Life Skills e.g. cookery, bed making and window cleaning
Key Stage 5	Careers Education Focus
Year 12	Increase in on site work related learning activities to include a vocational subject for half a day a week and Laundry service. Access to a social enterprise placement. Invitation to Moving On events. Support from our 14-25 Additional Needs Advisor Visits to Workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre Continuation of lessons focused on Life Skills
Year 13	Continued on-site work related learning activities to include a vocational subject for half a day a week and laundry service Access to a social enterprise placement Invitation to Moving On events Support from our 14-25 Additional Needs Advisor Visits to Workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre Continuation of lessons focused on Life Skills
Year 14	Continued on site work related learning activities Interview with a qualified Careers Advisor to coach through next steps (where relevant) Access to a Social Enterprise Placement Invitation to Moving on Events. Support from Louise Brock (14-25 Additional Needs Advisor). Education, Health & Care Plan Transition Review. Working together with students and families to identify aspirations and goals for the future through a Vocational Profile. Supporting students with transition from school to appropriate further education. Visits to Workplaces in the community e.g. Costa, Local Leisure Centre. Continuation of lessons focused on Life Skills e.g. Cookery and bed making and window cleaning.

Strands of Careers Education

In order to support students to achieve their aspirations, careers education at Highfield Ely Academy consists of the following strands:

1. Vocational Education lessons to support students to identify their skills, interests and talents. Including CV writing, interview techniques and applications using the Talentino Careers Programme.

2. Work Related Learning opportunities offering meaningful vocational experience on site.

3. A varied programme of Social Enterprise Activities

4. Off Site Work Experience at local businesses and charities.

5. Support, including from external agencies including the 14-25 additional needs team, with job coaching and planning next steps once leaving school.

6. Opportunities to learn important Life Skills that would help with supported living.

At whatever age students join us, our careers curriculum allows them to gain a valuable understanding of the world of work. It aims to help them overcome any barriers they may face when trying to enter the workplace. We measure impact in a number of ways, from assessing pupils' understanding of theory work to how well they perform in work experience placements.

Our Careers Lead and Key Stage Leader of KS4/5 is Becka Butland. Becka can be contacted on 01353 662085 or by email at office@highfield.cambs.sch.uk

You can read our Careers Policy here and our Careers strategy below

Careers Strategy

Updated: 31/08/2023 87 KB

This information is due for review in September 2024.

Careers education is embedded across the curriculum and students learn about work through practical activities, visits in the community and a wide range of written and visual learning. For older students, this can include residential visits, mini enterprise and vocational lessons. They can also participate in appropriate and specific career related learning, for example work experience and careers events.

All young people need a planned, long-term careers programme that is appropriate to their needs, abilities and aspirations. We follow the eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Careers Guidance, a framework recommended to improve careers provision in all schools.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

We offer a comprehensive careers and work related learning programme for students in Key Stages 3 and 4. This aims to prepare them for the world of work, further education and training. We want every student to:

Develop good behaviours and skills and recognise and celebrate their own strengths
Have access and exposure to a range of opportunities which help to build a picture of what they want their future to look like
Make informed decisions with their parents/carers about their future

Our objectives are:

To have a clear plan for careers education, advice, information and guidance (CEIAG) for students in Year 7 through to Year 13
To ensure our students and their parents/carers have access to and engage in high quality careers education advice, information and guidance
To engage with employers, social enterprise companies, further education settings and other community based organisations to raise aspirations through knowledge of careers and career pathways
To provide all students with meaningful employer encounters and experiences that will prepare them for the world of work
To ensure students and their parents/carers receive impartial, independent advice at all stages of their time in school
To enable students to understand their next steps, explore different pathways and opportunities and prepare them for a successful transition to their next educational setting or place of work

Work Experience

We encourage as many of our students as possible to take up a work experience placement during Key Stages 4 and 5. We have a dedicated work experience coordinator who works with local businesses to source placements and we have seen huge benefits for many of our young people. We are always looking for new providers so please do get in touch with us on 01353 662085 if you would like to work with us.

Key Stage 4 students working with "VIY" volunteers to learn about Painting and Decorating.

Wherever possible we track our students' destinations post-Highfield to measure the impact of our careers programme and to establish how many have entered FE, training, or the workplace.

Moving On From Highfield

Student destinations after Highfield

Updated: 31/08/2023 270 KB

The Cambridgeshire County Council Moving On documents contain information for families on education, training, employment and moving from children to adult services for young people in Cambridgeshire with special educational needs and disabilities. The most recent version is available here

Students and their families living in Norfolk can find out about preparing for adult life by visiting the SEND Norfolk website

Provider Access Statement

Updated: 05/04/2023 471 KB

Our Provider Access Statement sets out our school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to students for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under section 42B of the Education Act 1997.

Preparation for Adulthood Tool

Preparation for Adulthood

Updated: 05/04/2023 1.22 MB

Local Labour Market Information

Updated: 15/03/2023 4.15 MB

Upcoming events

All of our local colleges have virtual tours and open days advertised on their websites. Why not arrange to go and take a look around? If you would like to see the SEN facilities or visit at a quieter time, the college will be able to arrange this for you.

https://www.camre.ac.uk/about/events/open-days/

https://cwa.ac.uk/about/open-days

https://peterborough.ac.uk/events/opendays/

https://www.wsc.ac.uk/about-the-college/open-events