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Careers Programme

Preparing our pupils for successful and meaningful careers is a core part of our curriculum at Whitefield School.

Please see our Careers Policy and our Provider Access Statement. We know our pupils are capable of following their careers of choice and we will always do what it takes to help them achieve their dreams.

We work closely with pupils and their families to explore future options and develop a path that will lead them to secure rewarding employment.

Whether a pupil moves on to Higher Education, a work placement or paid employment, we will always work with families to ensure a smooth transition.

Project SEARCH

As part of Flourish Learning Trust, Joseph Clarke School pupils have the opportunity to participate in Project SEARCH - a supported internship program for young people with sensory impairments, learning disabilities, and/or those on the autistic spectrum.

As part of the project, young people aged 16-24 undertake three work placements at Whipps Cross Hospital in east London working in a range of clinical and non-clinical departments as porters, receptionists, and assistants.

Throughout the year-long program, interns receive intensive, personalised support from exceptional mentors who ensure they feel secure and comfortable every step of the way. Support might include helping interns travel independently to work, giving them the confidence to speak to new people, or identifying ways to work through a list of tasks. This support enables our interns to excel in their placements and become highly-valued team members making a meaningful contribution to their department.

With an employment success rate of over 70%, Project SEARCH has a proven track record of helping young people with SEND secure fulfilling and meaningful jobs. Some graduates of the programme go on to gain full-time, paid employment which they have secured through competitive application processes.

Provider Access Statement

Schools are required to ensure that there is an opportunity for a range of education and training providers to access students in years 8 to 13 for the purposes of informing them about approved technical education, qualifications or apprenticeships.

Schools must also have a statement that outlines the circumstances in which education and training providers will be given access to these students.

This is outlined in section 42B of the Education Act 1997, the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022 and on page 43 of guidance from the Department for Education (DfE) on careers guidance and access for education and training providers.

This statement shows how our school complies with these requirements.

Student Entitlement

All students in years 8 to 13 at Whitefield School are entitled to:

Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
Two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend
Two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase’ (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend
Find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities as part of our careers programme, which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point
Hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education, supported internships and apprenticeships, e.g. through activities and events such as options events, assemblies and taster events
Understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses

Further information can be found in Whitefield School’s Careers Policy which is available on the school website.

Management of provider access requests

Procedure

A provider wishing to request access should contact the Careers Leader or Principal.

Careers Leader: Kayleigh Hardy

Email: k.hardy@whitefield.waltham.sch.uk

Telephone: 0208 531 3426

Opportunities for access

A number of events, integrated into our careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to students and/or their parents/carers:

Careers Week
Post 16 introduction sessions
Curriculum links and events
Visits throughout the year from providers of apprenticeships and technical qualifications, employers, further education providers and other destinations.

Please speak to the Careers Leader to identify the most suitable opportunity for you.

Safeguarding

Our safeguarding policy outlines the school’s procedure for checking the identity and suitability of visitors.

Education and training providers will be expected to adhere to this policy.

Premises and facilities

The school will make the main hall, classrooms or meeting spaces available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available AV and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team.

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature with Kayleigh Hardy, Careers Leader. This will be made available to pupils and families as appropriate.

Careers Lead

Kayleigh Hardy - Whitefield School Careers Leader k.hardy@whitefield.waltham.sch.uk

Careers Adviser

Jade Wallace - jade.wallace@whitefield.waltham.sch.uk

Link Trustee for Careers

Shaun Jarvis

CEIAG Entitlement Statement for Students and their Parents and Carers

Students:

All learners at Whitefield School will:

Take part in a careers programme in years 7-14 that helps them to:

Understand their education, training, employment and other progression opportunities
Develop the skills they need to plan and manage their own personal development and career progression
Access relevant information and learning from taster activities and experience
of work
Make and maintain individual progression plans to help them improve their prospects of success as part of their annual review
Offer feedback and ideas on how to improve the careers programme

Have access to, and support with using careers information that is:

Easy to find and available at convenient times and in convenient locations, including on the internet
Clearly labelled and referenced
Comprehensive, giving details of all progression opportunities and associated support arrangements such as financial help
Unbiased and up to date

Obtain careers guidance that is:

Impartial
Confidential
Focused on individual needs and fit for purpose
Supportive of equal opportunities
Provided by people with relevant training and expertise

Parents:

All parents and carers can expect to:

Be able to make an appointment with a member of staff or specialist independent and impartial Careers Adviser to discuss their child’s progress and prospects
Have access to tutors, subjects, learning partners and specialist advisers at parents’ evenings in years 7-14.
Request to look at schemes of work and careers activities, information and resources, using and contributing to them if they wish.
Can comment on the usefulness of the careers programme to their child and how it could be improved.

Our careers programme is focused on our pupils need for individual planning in order to ensure each pupil is aware of all of their options and prepared for a successful life after Whitefield. An example of events and key stage progression is listed below.

Key Stage	Overview
Key Stage 3 Reaching out, Stepping on and Climbing Up	Personalised learning preparing for adulthood	Careers week and visits from / to pathway providers throughout the year	ASDAN – My Independence: Exploring Aspirations	Begin working towards functional Skills / Entry Levels in English and Maths	Core curriculum	Access to qualified Careers Advisor
Key Stage 4 Reaching out, Stepping on and Climbing Up	Personalised learning preparing for adulthood	Careers week and visits from / to pathway providers throughout the year	ASDAN – My Independence: Exploring Aspirations / Supporting Aspirations	Functional Skills / Entry Levels in English and Maths	Core curriculum	Access to qualified Careers Advisor	Visits to colleges and further education providers	Work experience / workplace visits
Post 16 Taking Off – Reaching out and Stepping on	Personalised learning preparing for adulthood	Careers week and visits from / to pathway providers throughout the year	ASDAN – My Independence: Transforming Aspirations / Supporting Aspirations	Everyday Living Curriculum	Enterprise activities	Access to qualified Careers Advisor	Visits to social care providers, colleges and further education providers	Work experience / workplace visits
Rowan 6^th Form- Taking Off – Climbing Up	Personalised learning preparing for adulthood and pathway programme	Careers week and visits from / to pathway providers throughout the year	ASDAN – My Independence: Realising Aspirations	Mencap supported work placements	Capel Manor College Courses in Horticulture and Animal Care	Access to qualified Careers Advisor	Media / Music Training and qualifications	Functional Skills / Entry Levels in English. ICT and Maths

Work-related learning in the classroom

We recognise that there is a difference between being able write a CV and being ‘work ready’. Helping pupils become ‘work ready’ means developing an understanding of the expectations and responsibilities that a job brings. To prepare pupils for the world of work, we provide numerous opportunities for them to take on roles of responsibility, for example as Classroom, PE and Library Assistants. Pupils also have regular opportunities to engage in mini-enterprise projects whereby they make products and sell them at end-of-term celebrations to raise funds for future projects.

Through our World of Work programme, our post-16 pupils also participate in a six-week unit away from the classroom during which they visit a range of different working environments and complete a set of tasks around school. This programme seeks to develop important employability skills such as teamwork, communicating in the workplace, problem solving and decision making.

Work Experience in the local community

Year 12 pupils are given the opportunity to develop their employability skills by undertaking real-life supported work experience placements within the local community.

Our teachers work closely with employers to ensure the placements are tailored to meet pupils’ individual needs.

Throughout these placements, we encourage pupils to be as independent as possible.

Careers Advice

We work closely with a qualified careers advisor to provide face-to-face and over the phone advice to pupils and their parents on all aspects of workplace training and employment opportunities. We also encourage pupils to access the National Careers Service which provides over-the-telephone and online careers services to 13-18 year olds:

National Careers Service

For further information about our careers programme, please contact our Careers Leader below.

For further information or to offer careers options to our pupils please email careers@whitefield.waltham.sch.uk

Learning Outside the Classroom

Whilst it is important that pupils learn within a familiar environment, we are keen to enhance their learning experience by giving them as many opportunities as possible to learn outside the classroom.

We make full use of our spacious grounds and excellent facilities in order to bring learning alive for all our pupils. Pupils also benefit from regular visits to our allotment, the swimming pool and local leisure centre.

Likewise, we offer a range of educational trips and short-term residential visits. These experiences
are invaluable in helping pupils develop their sense of independence, strengthen friendships and learn new skills.

Upcoming Events

Parents and Carers introduction to Careers from Careers Advisor and Careers Lead – 9^th February at 2.30pm

Whitefield Careers Fair for pupils and parents – 10^th March from 2pm – 4pm

For further information or to attend the events please email careers@whitefield.waltham.sch.uk

Useful links for pupils, parents and carers

National Careers Service https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk

Labour Market Information- LMI for all https://www.lmiforall.org.uk

Careerometer https://www.icanbea.org.uk/career-o-meter/

Career Pilot https://www.careerpilot.org.uk

icould-buzz quiz https://icould.com/buzz-quiz/;

National apprenticeship website https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

Project Search Project SEARCH Internships - Whitefield Academy Trust

TFL Step Into Work programme Steps into Work programme - Transport for London (tfl.gov.uk)

MENCAP Supported Internship Supported internships | Mencap

Waltham Forest Careers Service

We work closely with Waltham Forest Careers Service to provide face-to-face and over the phone advice to pupils and their parents on all aspects of workplace training and employment opportunities. We also encourage pupils to access the National Careers Service which provides over-the-telephone and online careers services to 13-18 year olds: