Careers & PFA
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Within our school context a ‘career’ is defined as a pathway through life. This includes independent living skills, learning about the world around them and the understanding of options available to them when they leave school, with support and advice through creative careers education, guidance and work related learning opportunities.
The careers programme is reviewed annually as part of a formal audit process.
The teacher responsible for Careers is Mrs C Calcutt. She is contactable via the school office on 01670 823182 and admin@cleaswellhill.org.
Expanders
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Careers Information
Students at Cleaswell Hill School have access to an embedded age/stage-appropriate CEIAG programme which is strategically designed to ensure that our learners’ needs are met throughout their journey with us.
Useful Links
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers
https://careerswales.gov.wales/
https://www.amazingapprenticeships.com/
https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch
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Information for Parents
Useful Links
https://www.northumberlandsend.co.uk/
https://www.northumberlandsend.co.uk/preparing-for-adulthood
https://www.amazingapprenticeships.com/
https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
We are always working to make sure our careers programme meets the needs of all our students and helps them prepare for life after school. To help us improve, we would really appreciate your feedback. Please take a few minutes to complete our short survey. Your views are important to us and will help us shape future careers activities, visits, and learning opportunities.
The survey is designed to be quick and easy to complete. Your responses will remain confidential and will only be used to support the development of our careers provision. Thank you for your time and for your continued support. If you would like to discuss anything further, please feel free to contact us.
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Information for Employers
As part of Gatsby Benchmark 5 (Encounters with employers and employees), we aim to provide multiple encounters to our students.
We host employers and employees at mock interviews and LMI themed lessons, as well as teaming up with local businesses to provide our students with workplace visits and work experience.
How could you support out careers programme?
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Careers talks to inspire young people about your sector, business and the world of work
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Targeted workshops tailored to those interested in your industry
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Be part of our workplace visit programme
How could supporting our school benefit my business?
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It empowers employees to contribute towards improving young people’s life chances
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It increases the range of professional development opportunities available within the business
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It helps to raise awareness of your industry and inspire the next generation
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It develops, broadens and diversifies talent pipelines
Employer Standards SME Starter Pack
Thank you very much for taking the time to support our careers programme. We really appreciate you sharing your experience and insights with our students, it makes a genuine difference to their understanding of the world of work. To help us continue improving our events, we would be grateful if you could spare a moment to complete a short feedback form. It should take no more than a few minutes. Your comments will help us shape future activities and ensure we provide the best possible experiences for our students and visitors. Thank you once again for your support.
Employer Feedback Form – Fill out form
We are always looking for new businesses to engage with and we would love to work with you. We want to work with self-employed people, small businesses and large multinationals. If you would like to be part of our employer community, please contact our careers lead, Charlotte Calcutt on 01670 823182 or email admin@cleaswellhill.org
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Labour Market Information
Labour Market Information (LMI) is data taken from publicly available sources, which gives information on jobs and industries. It informs us where work opportunities are increasing or decreasing, what occupations exist, what is required to take up an occupation. Labour markets operate at local, regional, national and now international levels. LMI can highlight information such as:
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The industries and businesses that operate in your local area
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What jobs and skills employers are looking for
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Which industries are hiring and where they are located
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Skills gaps
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Wage rates
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What education and training you need for specific jobs
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Which job areas are growing in the future
You can find helpful information on the North East’s labour market here: https://ambition.northeast-ca.gov.uk/labour-market-information
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Qualifications Offered
At Cleaswell Hill School, our qualifications offer is personalised to each student’s strengths, needs and aspirations. We recognise that achievement looks different for every young person. For some, this means gaining formal qualifications; for others, it means developing communication, independence, confidence and the practical skills needed for adult life.
As students move through the school, we identify the most appropriate accreditation pathway for them. Our offer includes qualifications from Entry Level 1 through to Level 1 and GCSE. Subjects may include:
English
Mathematics
Science
Art and Design
Computing
Food and Catering
Performing Arts
Personal and Social Development
Vocational and work-related learning
Students may also gain recognised awards through programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and other practical, vocational and personal-development courses.Qualifications are carefully selected to provide suitable challenge and a meaningful next step. We do not use a one-size-fits-all approach or enter students for qualifications simply to increase the number achieved. Each course must be relevant to the student and support their intended destination, whether this is further education, supported employment, independent living or greater participation in their community.
For students following our Engagement Pathway, formal qualifications may not always be the most appropriate measure of achievement. Progress is instead recognised through personalised learning goals and assessment systems that capture important developments in communication, cognition, physical development, independence, emotional regulation and engagement with learning.
Students based at the Appleby Centre continue to study core subjects alongside an individual programme of accredited, vocational and preparation-for-adulthood learning. Careers education, work-related experiences, independent living skills and community participation help students understand how their learning connects to life beyond school.
Our aim is for every student to leave Cleaswell Hill with achievements that are meaningful, valued and useful—together with the confidence, knowledge and skills needed for their next stage.
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How we Measure Impact
The impact of our Careers Programme is measured through a range of quantitative and qualitative approaches to ensure that careers education, information, advice and guidance has a meaningful impact on students' preparation for adulthood. Our approach reflects the individual needs, aspirations and pathways of our learners and enables us to evidence progress over time.
All careers-related activities are recorded and monitored using Compass+, allowing us to evaluate our provision against the Gatsby Benchmarks and identify strengths and areas for further development. This helps ensure that our careers programme remains comprehensive, progressive and aligned with national expectations.
Within the curriculum, the Preparing for Adulthood (PfA) scheme of work is mapped against the PSHE SEND Framework outcomes. Careers education is delivered through the PfA Employment strand, which covers areas such as vocational exploration, understanding careers and work, employability skills, workplace independence, post-16 and post-18 planning, and preparation for applications and interviews. Student progress is assessed against these curriculum outcomes, enabling us to measure the development of knowledge, skills and understanding over time.
The impact of work-related learning is monitored through our Work Related Learning Experience Register, which is used to plan, record and evaluate students' experiences. Each placement or work-related activity has clearly identified objectives linked to employability skills, preparation for adulthood outcomes and individual pathways. Staff record the impact of each experience, evidencing progress in areas such as confidence, communication, independence, responsibility, workplace behaviour and career aspirations. This enables us to track individual progress and demonstrate how experiences contribute to students' readiness for adulthood.
We also evaluate the impact of our careers programme through destination data, student voice, employer and provider feedback, annual reviews and ongoing assessment of EHCP Preparing for Adulthood outcomes. Together, these measures provide a clear picture of how effectively our careers programme supports students to make informed choices and successfully prepare for their next steps in education, training, employment and adult life.