Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance at Limpsfield Grange School
All students receive careers education, information, advice and guidance throughout their time at Limpsfield Grange.
At Limpsfield Grange our aim is for all of our students to become happy, healthy, empowered and included adults, who participate in, and contribute towards society. To enable our students to be happy and active citizens we have created a curriculum underpinned by our four areas for development:
- Wellbeing (W)
- Achievement (A)
- Communication (C)
- Independence (I)
Our careers education, information, advice and guidance forms part of our WACI curriculum through the ‘independence’ strand. It is inclusive of the needs of all of our students with the aim to ensure a smooth transition to their next destination after Limpsfield Grange. We adhere to the government’s statutory Careers guidance and access for education and training providers published in January 2023, which sets out the plan for building a high-quality careers system that will help all young people to achieve, whether they follow an academic, technical or vocational route. As part of this guidance all schools must use ‘The Gatsby Benchmarks’ to improve their careers provision:
The Gatsby Benchmarks
- A stable careers programme.
- Learning from career and labour market information.
- Addressing the needs of each pupil.
- Linking curriculum learning to careers.
- Encounters with employers and employees.
- Experiences of workplaces.
- Encounters with further and higher education.
- Personal guidance.
Careers Education at Limpsfield Grange
At Limpsfield Grange we ensure careers education is an intrinsic part of our curriculum offer through:
- regular careers lessons as part of the Independence strand of our WACI framework for all year groups. All classes have two hours of WACI lessons weekly, careers lessons are delivered regularly throughout the year in order to support students’ understanding and retention of the topics covered. This is explained in more detail below.
- weekly ‘Future Friday’ activities in tutor groups, these activities cover topics linked to post 16 and employment, alongside links to e.g. financial literacy.
- explicit careers links are made in all curriculum areas, as outlined in each subject’s curriculum development documents. Subject teachers will take and make the opportunity to discuss careers linked to their subject areas, and to where possible organise meaningful encounters with employers and employees
- weekly work experience for Year 11 students
- careers fairs
- a well-developed relationship with Innervate , who provide our independent personal careers guidance (Gatsby Benchmark 8) with a qualified careers advisor. Students have whole class, small group and 1:1 meetings with the advisor, with one encounter in each year from Year 7 to Year 11.
Career Programme
At Limpsfield Grange, most of the careers education is delivered through the Independence strand of the WACI Framework and is planned from each student’s individual start point, as a result a one size fits all careers programme is not used. The outline below ensures all aspects of Careers education are covered, although teachers adapt the timing of these areas in line with the individual needs of the students and the needs of the cohort as a whole. In all lessons teachers are mindful of ensuring students understand the vocabulary linked to careers education, e.g. appraisal, contract, probation, pro-rata, temporary, permanent, annual leave, promotion, referee. The programme is evaluated with feedback from all stakeholders.
The Careers Programme includes the following:
- understanding a range of job groups and work place environments
- skills and strengths and how they link to school subjects and the world of work
- likes, dislikes and interests and how they link to school subjects and the world of work
- transferable skills
- employability skills
- a wide range of careers, different pathways, entry requirements
- accessing and using information about the labour market
- information about STEM careers
- when and how to get a job
- encounters with colleges, sixth form, further education and higher education providers
- technical qualifications, apprenticeships and internships
- job adverts
- person specifications
- job applications
- CVs and personal statements
- interview skills
- workplace visits, at least one per key stage in addition to any work experience placements
- employer and employee speakers, at least one per year
- opportunities to meet with LGS alumni
- personal guidance with Innervate
The impact of the careers programme is measured through our WACI Independence Framework. Each student has a framework document and progress towards the statements/targets on this document is reviewed routinely and reported on termly via students’ termly reports. Students’ ability to manage their Year 11 work experience placements also directly links to their progress in relation to the careers programme.
The careers programme is reviewed yearly, as the WACI lead teacher and the other WACI teachers adjust and adapt the programme to meet the needs of the students. As the programme evolves, additional statements/targets are added to the WACI Independence grid in order that student progress can be measured. The programme will be reviewed next in July 2024.
If you are interested in supporting our students in relation to careers education e.g. by speaking to a class about your business or employment, or by inviting a class to see your workplace in action please refer to the Policy Statement on Provider Access – click here to go to our policies page.
Work experience
At Limpsfield Grange giving students opportunities in real life situations to practice their skills is crucial. As such all students at Limpsfield Grange undertake work experience. The vast majority of students undertake the work experience in the local community. Students do this for a morning per week during Year 11 until the exam season. Going weekly, rather than taking part in a ‘work experience week’ is more useful for our students. They develop relationships at the placements and start to build on their skills and knowledge from week to week. Some students also take part in work experience placements after school, arranged by the residential team. Examples of placements include:
Godstone Farm
Titsey Gardens
Elements Hair and Beauty Lifestyle
Local charity shops
Limpsfield Tennis Club
Local primary schools and nurseries
Useful careers links and resources
www.amazingapprenticeships.com
www.gov.uk/further-education-courses
www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk
www.careerpilot.org.uk/parent-zone
www.surreycc.gov.uk/children/support-and-advice/youth-voice/your-future
Outreach & Support for SEN/Social Mobility & Disability – school leaver support transition and employment (prepared by Innervate). Please click this link: Surrey Choices and support services SEN
The Policy Statement for Provider Access can be found here.
Careers leader
Janine Chippington, Assistant Headteacher
mrs.chippington@limpsfield-grange.surrey.sch.uk
Tel: 01883 713928
Please get in touch if you wish to find out more about our careers programme and how we deliver this through our WACI independence strand or if you have any feedback in relation to our careers education at Limpsfield Grange.