Becket Keys

Careers

The Careers Leader at Becket Keys Church of England School is Head of PSHE, Ms Katie North. She can be reached via office@becketkeys.org or on 01277 286600.  Click here for more information about Careers Provision Outline 2019-20 at Becket Keys.
Visit our "Careers Explorer" page here:

Our strategy has been developed in line with the DfE document: Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents (4th December 2017)

We want to create a stronger, fairer society in which people from all backgrounds can realise their potential. A thriving careers system, that is accessible to everyone, is at the heart of our focus on social mobility. We must break down the barriers to progress that too many people in our country face today, and give young people the skills to get on in life. Our careers strategy will support everyone, whatever their age, to go as far as their talents will take them and have a rewarding career. - The Rt Hon Anne Milton MP Minister of State for Apprenticeships and Skills and Minister for Women

CEIAG has a focus on six attributes, skills or actions needed to achieve career goals and aspirations. The six areas can be nicely organised into the word ‘Career’:

  • Consider your interests, your strengths, and your skills;
  • Ambition: The sky’s the limit.
  • Research what you need to get there (GCSEs, A levels, a degree, professional qualifications?);
  • Enterprise: Grasp opportunities that could enhance your skills;
  • Excitement: Passion for your dreams and reading around the subject are important;
  • Responsibility: Work hard, ask questions and discuss with anyone that will listen.

Further Reading:

We are aware that the job market is is forever evolving so if you ever see a gap in our provision please contact us. 

We aim to give our students quality information, advice and guidance to help inform their choice of Sixth Form, 16-18 qualifications, higher education and future career.

We do this by:

  • Ensuring that careers information runs through the curriculum, via our PSHE lessons and tutor resources (including VotesForSchools which feature a careers focus for every week of the year) and a free careers advice website here.
  • Ensuring that departments link learning in their subject areas to future careers through their teaching and through displays and other information provided in the learning environments. 
  • Running Enrichment Days three times per year every year. The days often involve a chance to profile their interests and skills; try taster sessions in new subjects; and speak to people working in various different careers. 
  • Providing and using 'Careers Explorer' with all students, offering independent and free careers/courses advice. 
  • Ensuring that every Year 9 student has a 1:1 interview with their tutor/head of year/ a senior member of staff to discuss and agree their GCSE options. 
  • Ensuring that every Year 11 student has at least one 1:1 interview with a senior member of staff to discuss their post 16 options.
  • Running a Year 9 information Evening in January, to which every family is invited.
  • Running a Year 11 Information Evening in September/October to which all Year 11s are invited to explain our sixth form provision. 
  • Organising for alternative providers to come in and speak to our Year 11s.
  • Attending 'Opportunity Thurrock' (the largest educational and careers fair in the local districts) with Year 9 every year. 
  • Arranging visits and tours of local colleges for Year 11s. 
  • Supporting all SEN students with individual careers advice. 
  • Inviting speakers from local apprenticeship providers to come and visit the school. 
  • Arranging regular visits for students to workplace environments. 
  • Having oversight of Work Experience opportunities that students and families arrange for themselves and making sure that all students who want help arranging such opportunities are assisted. We particularly engage with Pupil Premium students at such points to ensure that they are having rich and varied experiences. 

We review our provision through obtaining regular feedback from parents and students. In the academic year 2018-19 our focus is on looking to expand the number of encounters our students have with employers.

Superb Sixth Form Provision

  • Mock interviews for jobs and UCAS, help with all application forms and writing CVs. 
  • Share information of opportunities for visits and trips that are free for students
  • Arrange for visiting speakers from universities to come in and address groups of students:
    • Oxbridge
    • Medics
    • Law
  • Students given release time to undertake Work Experience
  • UCAS Exhbition in London Excel Arena
  • Visits to Financial Institutions in London
  • Free Access to Unifrog. Unifrog online service focuses on CV writing, universities, apprenticeships and MOOCS.
  • Unifrog will be used to collate useful progression information (activities, competences and interactions).
  • Unifrog will be used to support production of UCAS application forms, personal statements and teacher references.
  • Free Access to Careers Explorer
  • Superb 1:1 guidance on UCAS applications and statements
  • Use of Pathways Apprenticeship Programme
  • Use of Essex Skills Apprenticeship Hub
    • Face to face mentoring
    • Phone hotline mentoring
  • A Higher Education lesson, as part of the curriculum, to be run weekly for Year 12.
  • Students in the Sixth Form will be encouraged to visit university open days, masterclasses, taster courses and summer schools at a variety of universities, to develop their application profile.
  • The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) helps develop invaluable research and independent learning skills which are central to higher education.
  • There is a dedicated team to support students with the UCAS process. Each student will have support tailored to their application from a subject advisor, their form tutor and the Sixth Form team.
  • Interview preparation, practice and workshops are led by departments and the Sixth Form team.
  • There is preparation for, and support with, aptitude and pre-admissions tests.
  • The pastoral curriculum for Years 12-13 will include lessons on life at university, including finances.
  • Charity fundraising and enterprise activities will be encouraged e.g. the Young Enterprise competition and Patronal Festival Charity Week fundraising
  • Sixth Form students will be encouraged to undertake volunteering and work experience to support their university applications. A range of opportunities will be advertised throughout the academic year, as appropriate to specific students.

 

This careers page is updated in September every year. 

Excellent Year 11 Provision

  • Sixth Former For A Day
  • Regular consultations with senior staff
  • Free Access to Careers Explorer
  • Sixth Form Information Evening
  • SENCO and Assistant SENCO support for Lower Ability Students to find the right destinations
  • 1:1 Interviews with Senior Staff including careers advice, course advice and guidance
  • 1:1 Mentoring and small group support sessions after school
  • Bridging Week after Exams to assist in making the move to Sixth Form
  • Bridging Work for the Summer Holiday
  • Trips to Cambridge as part of Bridging Week

High Quality Key Stage 3 Provision

  • Unifrog online service provides a focus on subjects, jobs and GCSE choices.
  • The options programme for Year 9 is designed to support them in their GCSE choices.
  • The pastoral curriculum in Year 7-9 covers economic well-being, active citizenship and develops enterprise and entrepreneurship. 

Tutor Programme & PSHCE

Our tutor programme  will cover aspects of CEIAG where possible, in conjunction with our PSHCE programme. 

  • Year 7 – Growing up (Settling in)
  • Year 8 – Money Management (NAT WEST)
  • Year 9 – My Future (Options)
  • Year 10 – The World of Work (Work Experience)
  • Year 11 – Choices, Choices (Post 16 Education)
  • Year 12 – Where will I go? (Applications/Progression)
  • Year 13 – The Final Push (Life beyond school)

CEIAG issues will also appear in our weekly Votes for Schools sessions.

Other Providers

Becket Keys welcomes the involvement of other education providers to enable our students to access the widest range of appropriate courses. Involvement of these other institutions is covered by our Provider Access Policy

Gatsby Benchmarks

In order to meet our statutory requirements with CEIAG we use the Gatsby benchmarks to guide our policy and practice.The eight benchmarks are;

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

 

Login