Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School has an on-going commitment to ensuring that all our students have access to good quality impartial careers advice, thereby ensuring that each student has the best possible foundation on which to base their future choices and pathways.
It is the policy of this school that all pupils should be given the opportunity to:
Know and understand themselves better and develop their capabilities.
Investigate education, training and career opportunities.
Implement their career plans by making informed choices, in a supportive atmosphere, about their own continuing education and training.
Our careers team offer a wide range of activities and resources, which help our students make good informed decisions about their future as they progress through the school.
Careers lead:Â Â Mrs S Roberts
Careers support:Â Mrs A Hamilton
Sample program of extra-curricular career activities
The table below shows the range of extra-curricular activities and events carried out for each year group during an academic year.
This will vary slightly year on year and does not include subject specific activities or those aimed to meet specific individual needs.
Autumn Term
Spring Term
Summer Term
Year 7
Careers assembly
Interests for careers
Successful start workshops
Careers lessons – looking at the different types of jobs and qualities and skills
Employer visits
Employer visits
Year 8
Employer visits
Employer visits
Enterprise day
BCOT -introduction to colleges
Apprenticeship week
Employer visits
Health Reach
Year 9
Workplace visits
Making successful option choices workshop
Careers programme – Morrisby
1 to 1 CIAG appointments for selected students
Employer talks
Workplace visits
KS4 Pathways Evening
1 to 1 CIAG appointments for selected students
QMC – Exploring different routes for careers; looking at available courses.
Apprenticeship week
Get Inspired Careers Fair for selected students
Employer talks
Workplace visits
1 to 1 CIAG appointments for selected students
Employer talks
Year10
1 to 1 CIAG appointments Post -16 options workshop
Employer talks
1 to 1 CIAG appointments
Apprenticeship week
Speed Networking Event with Employers
1 to 1 CIAG appointments College presentations from QMC, BCOT, Peter Symonds, Andover and Sparshot
College Taster Days
Apprenticeship Talks
Mock Interview Prep
Personal statement workshop
Employer talks
Year 11
College presentations from QMC, BCOT, Peter Symonds, Andover and Sparshot
FE Applications
Careers Interviews
FE Interview
Apprenticeships Talks
Mock Interview Evening
College Application Support
Employer talks
Careers Interviews
FE Interview
Apprenticeship week
Apprenticeship Application Workshop
Employer talks
Exam Preparation
Information for Employers
Bishop Challoner Catholic secondary school is committed to creating and maintaining quality relationships with employers from the local area and has a number of links with a range of different companies who support the school in issues related to careers advice and guidance. This support ranges from STEM activities to career insights as well as attendance at career fairs and enterprise days.
Any employer wishing to discuss how they can get involved should contact Mrs A Hamilton in the first instance either by emailing careers@bcs.hants.sch.uk or calling 01256 462661.
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Information for Teachers
All teaching staff at Bishop Challoner Catholic secondary school are committed to embedding careers information into the curriculum. In addition to this, all staff are involved in career related PSHE lessons. Year group tutors deliver a programme of activities on a range of topics, including careers, during tutor time and control the feedback forms completed after all career related activities. Staff undergo training in aspects of careers Gatsby Benchmarks regularly.
Information for Students and parents
The Library
The library holds a wide selection of college prospectuses and career option information. This literature is constantly updated and available for students to take home as they please.
School Careers Advisor
Michael Stockwell is in school every Tuesday holding 1:1 Post 16 Option advice sessions for year 10 and 11 students in their final 12 months at school. Although all students will be offered an appointment, students may request appointment by speak to either Mrs Roberts, Mrs A Hamilton or though their tutor.
 Measuring & Assessing the Impact of the Careers Programme
After each careers event we obtain student, staff and visitor feedback. This is evaluated for future reference and feedback acted on. This information is then feed into the action plan for the following academic year.
The information in the above guide really breaks down the steps students need to take to try and secure an employer for their apprenticeship. The guide is aimed at parents to help them know what they can do to support a child wanting to do an apprenticeship.
Bishop Challoner Catholic School is on a pathway to securing the Investor in Careers Award. This award recognises the hard work and determination of all staff in ensuring that the highest quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is being delivered to all students within the school.
The ‘Investor in Careers’ mark is a nationally recognised quality standard that shows we are educating and providing guidance related to pupils’ futures. We were recently initially assessed over our ability to inform pupils about the wealth of careers in the world and their future options after school. We received high praise across many areas that show we have a comprehensive careers programme for all pupils. The Careers Department are now focused on working to develop our employer engagement.
We will continue to strive to improve and demonstrate our commitment to providing high quality, independent and personalised careers education for all pupils, preparing them for the demands of adult life.
Finding a career to suit: Encourage your child to research the type of career that they would like. Help them to find out and consider the necessary qualifications, location, salary, career progression and working conditions.
Career planning: where to start: Help your child to think about and list their interests inside and outside of school including voluntary work, travelling and specialist courses.
Exploring types of careers: Information about careers in particular industries can be obtained either through our career advisor or using online support such as Eclips, icould and Careersbox. Encourage your child to talk to a variety of adults who have pursued different career paths.
Help with career planning: Talking to a careers adviser will help our students to focus, both internal for Year 9 students and external for Year 10 students. Check that your child knows when these opportunities arise.
By the time students leave Bishop Challoner they will have developed the skills and confidence to make decisions and take responsibility for their future. Working together in partnership with parents we hope that every child will find not just a job but a vocation in life which will value their talents and aspirations.
Useful websites
The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice. This is supported by qualified careers advisers.
The National Careers Service website aims to:
help you with careers decisions and planning
support you in reviewing your skills and abilities and develop new goals
motivate you to implement your plan of action
enable you to make the best use of high quality career related tools.
Careersbox is a free online library of careers related film, news and information. As the preferred digital new media partner to the Institute of Career Guidance, the largest careers body in the UK, Careersbox aim is to deliver a new way for students to explore their skills and career options.
Plotr is a website created to help 11-24 year olds discover and explore careers they’ll love.
It’s built around the Game which uncovers careers matched to their skills, interests and personality.
LifeSkills, created with Barclays, is a free, curriculum-linked programme, developed with teachers to help improve the skills and employability of young people in the UK.
icould has a range of video clips showing real people talking about their jobs and careers.
Plan your study & work. Â Your choices at 14, 16 and 18, explore different job sectors and how you can study and work at the same time – even to university level.
Success at School is the place for young people to explore careers, get the lowdown on top employers, and search for the latest jobs, courses and advice.
The study guide section within youthspace contains a range of information including help on making options choices in Year 9, post 16 options, and getting into higher education.
Central Governments dedicated apprenticeship website has a whole range of information to help young people decide if Apprenticeships are the right route for them. You can also search for apprenticeship vacancies.
Changes to Informed Choices guidance for Post 16 choices.
To ensure as many students and parents as possible have access to Informed Choices, we are moving the guidance onto a new website that will go live in the coming weeks: www.informedchoices.ac.uk.
http://www.lmiforall.org.uk/widget/ – A Jobs search engine to give you information about average wages, growth in the industry and potential job opportunities.
Careers
