Careers

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:  Mrs S Roberts
Careers support: Mrs A Hamilton

They can be contacted on careers@bcs.hants.sch.uk or by calling the school office.

Sample programme 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		 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		 Workplace visits
1 to 1 CIAG appointments for selected students
Year 10 1 to 1 CIAG appointments
Post -16 options workshop		 1 to 1 CIAG appointments
Apprenticeship week
Speed Networking Event with Employers		 1 to 1 CIAG appointments College presentations
College Taster Days
Apprenticeship Talks
Mock Interview Prep
Personal statement workshop
Year 11 College Presentations
FE Applications
Careers Interviews
FE Interview
Apprenticeships Talks
Mock Interview Evening
College Application Support		 Careers Interviews
FE Interview
Apprenticeship week
Apprenticeship Application Workshop		 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.

 

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.

Post 16

Quick guide to post 16 Qualifications

Y10 Summer Term

College Open Evenings are advertised in tutor time, on the school website and on posters on Careers Notice board and Career area within the library in preparation for Y11 college applications.

BCOT hold Taster Days for students to attend and students attend on a voluntary basis.

Student receive a one to one careers session with are career adviser Michael Stockwell.

Y11 Autumn Term

College/Apprenticeship Assemblies given by all local colleges, QMC, BCOT, Peter Symonds, Andover and Sparshot.

We advertise the open Evenings dates in tutor time, posters around school and on the school website.  In addition to this the colleges attend Y10/11 Parents Evenings.

College application are completed by the students in their own time, however, QMC and BCOT provide application workshops for students at lunchtime (in school) to support them with the process if needed.

For those students who are still unsure of their path, they are offered a second Careers adviser interview.

 

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.

Writing a personal statement

  1. >Careers Education Guidance 2021
  2. >Careers Provider Access Policy
  3. Pupil Career Entitlements Outcomes

Apprenticeship Advice & Guidance

>Parents-Pack-September-2021-1

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.

New ASK Offer Explainer Film

College Information

College Open Evening Dates 2021 -2022

BCOT

College Presentation in school – Thursday 23rd September

Open Events

Tuesday 3rd May 4.00pm – 8.00pm

Apprenticeship Events

Monday 20th June 4.30pm – 7.00pm

QMC

 

College Presentation in school –  Monday 13th September

Open Events

Wednesday 6th October 5.00pm-8.00pm

Thursday 7th October 5.00pm – 8.00pm

Peter Symonds

 

College Presentation in school –  Thursday 30th September

Application deadline 4.00pm Monday 13th December

Open Events

Monday 18th October 5.30pm – 8.30pm

Tuesday 19th October 5.30pm – 8.30pm

Sparsholt and Andover

 

College Presentation in school – Thursday 16th September

Open Events

Sparsholt Andover
10 & 11 students aware that registrations are still open for Sparsholt College’s next open event on Saturday 5 February 2022. At the moment this is an on campus, in person event.

To attend, please register for the event as soon as possible by visiting Experience Sparsholt – Sparsholt College Hampshire as our events do fill up quickly! At this event students will have a tour of the subject area they are interested in at a specific time which they will book in advance.

 10 & 11 students aware that registrations are still open for Andover College’s next open event on Wednesday 16 February 2022, 4.30pm – 7.30pm. At the moment this is an on campus, in person event.

To attend, please to register for the event as soon as possible by visiting Open Events – Andover College | Hampshire as our events do fill up quickly!
Saturday 5th February 10.00am – 2.00pm
Saturday 5th March 10.00am – 2.00pm Wednesday 16th February 4.30pm – 7.30pm
Wednesday 4th May 4.00pm – 7.00pm Wednesday 11th May 4.30pm – 7.30pm
Thursday 16th June 4.00pm – 7.00pm 30th June 4.30pm – 7.30pm
Thursday 17th July 3.00pm – 7.00pm

 

Farnborough College of Technology

 

Open Events

Wednesday 2nd March 4.00pm – 7.30pm

Aldershot Construction Campus

Thursday 3rd March 4.00pm-7.30pm

Farnborough 6th Form College

Open Events

Alton College – timings TBC

Open Events


Open Evening 18/19 Oct 2021

Applications open online Monday 13th September

Careers Programme


YEAR 7, 8 & 9

We aim to help all pupils develop skills, attitudes and abilities which will enable them to be effective in a variety of adult occupations and roles, and improve their employability.

Pupils in KS3 will have the opportunity to have company visits, employability workshops, and enterprise activities. This exposure to a wide range of opportunities helps them to focus on the type of career they would like to follow and the pathways needed to support that.

Pupils will work with the careers team (the careers coordinator, head of year and tutors) regularly discuss/monitor/evaluate the programme as necessary working alongside with the Basingstoke Consortium who provide the school with our independent careers advice.

Each pupil can have the opportunity on request to discuss their career aspirations with a careers advisor and is given the knowledge and support to make informed choices for their KS4 pathways.

All students will have the opportunity to attend employability workshops at school or in a local workplace that follows with their indicated career interests.

A variety of careers talks will take place inviting guest speakers to come into assemblies and classes.

KS4 Pathways Evening – An evening with the Senior Leadership Team and Curriculum Leaders to discuss appropriate pathways for GCSE’s.

Enterprise Day for Y8 students.

University Trips – Reading & Winchester Inspiring the Future


Year 10 & 11

During KS4 each pupil will have at least 1 careers interview and are given the knowledge and support to make informed choices for their post 16 pathway.

All Y10 & Y11 pupils will have College, apprenticeship and employability skills presentations to assist them to make informed choices about their future pathways.

During Y10 each pupil will be involved in a Job application sessions in preparation for their mock interview in Y11.

Pupils in KS4 will have the opportunity to have company visits, employability workshops, and enterprise activities. This exposure to a wide range of opportunities helps them to focus on the type of career they would like to follow and the pathways needed to support that.

All our year 11 pupils follow our Mock Interview Evening programme, during which they learn self-assessment, self-presentation and interview skills. The programme culminates in our Mock Interview Evening, during which all pupils are interviewed and debriefed by a representative from the world of work. Once again, they are able to use their interviewers’ feedback to assess their own learning.

We help our year 11 pupils to successfully make the transition from KS4 to post 16 college/training/work through visits to and from our local colleges/training providers, and they are available to parents at our year 11 parents evening.

Exam Preparation Workshops.

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.  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.

Education Development Trust LMI Bulletin No 83 – November 2021

Space Sector – Labour market information – September 2021

Emerging Jobs – LinkedIn

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