Careers Education, Information, Advice & Guidance
At St Mary’s we encourage every student to be aspirational and offer them a comprehensive programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) from Year 7 onwards.
St Mary’s has achieved the Quality Mark for careers education and guidance that is based on the Gatsby Benchmarks. In 2014, Lord Sainsbury’s Gatsby Charitable Foundation published a report titled “Good Career Guidance.” The report identified eight benchmarks that are the core dimensions of good careers and enterprise provision in schools and these are:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
The Gatsby Benchmarks have a key role in:
- raising young people’s aspirations and promoting access to all career pathways
- enabling all young people to develop the skills and outlook they need to achieve career wellbeing including adaptability and resilience
- underpinning the Department for Education guidance to schools on meeting their statutory responsibility for careers guidance
St Mary’s has a dedicated Careers Lead, Mrs Claire Scarisbrick, who oversees all aspects of careers education, advice and guidance at St Mary’s. Mrs Scarisbrick can be contacted using admin@st-maryshigh.herts.sch.uk
St Mary’s will facilitate access of providers to the School for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training
offer. This complies with the School’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. For details click on this link:
SMHS CEIAG Access Policy Feb 2019
For full details of our CEIAG policy please click on the link below:
School : CEIAG Policy July 2019
Key Stage 3
St Mary’s work closely with the University of Hertfordshire as part of their Outreach Programme and aim for each year group to have interaction with a University Outreach Officer in each year group. This can include workshops, talks and University Visits and cover topics such as Apprenticeships, Colleges and Further Education, Study Skills and Student Finance Support amongst other areas.
Year 7 – students will:
- experience workshops on building Aspirations
- have University of Hertfordshire Interaction
Year 8 – students will:
- participate in a work shadowing day
- discuss aspirations in form time
- PSHE lessons entitled “From School to Life”
Year 9 – students will:
- participate in a careers carousel
- have University of Hertfordshire Interaction
- discuss careers in Form time
- have an introduction to Sixth form
Useful Websites:
www.icould.com contains information and advice on choosing GCSEs
www.whichuniversity.co.uk gives further advice on the link between GCSEs and university
www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work
Key Stage 4
We continue to work closely with the University of Hertfordshire in KS4 along with the involvement of other Further and Higher Education institutions, Apprenticeship Providers and local employers.
We also provide independent Careers guidance through YC Hertfordshire for every student in Year 11 and offer a drop in service for students to discuss careers.
Year 10 – students will:
- undertake a weeks work experience
- experience workshops and talks on employability
- Create a CV and have a mock interview with a local employer
Year 11 – students will:
- have multiple interactions with Universities, Colleges, Apprenticeship providers and Employers
- have support with further education choices, applications and employability skills
Useful websites:
www.ychertfordshire.org has information on colleges or further education and training providers
www.russellgroup.ac.uk and www.whichuniversity.co.uk can help with choosing the right subjects for degree courses
www.apprenticeships.gov.uk for information about traineeships and apprenticeships
www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work
Post 16
Students will have continued opportunities to visit further and higher education facilities, experience Apprenticeship and University fairs and have support throughout their Sixth form journey.
Students will also:
- have UCAS and Oxbridge Application Support
- help with Professional Work Placements
- experience interview coaching
- work on employability skills
- have workshops on apprenticeship Sourcing and application Support
Useful websites:
www.apprenticeships.gov.uk for information about traineeships and apprenticeships
www.opendays.com for information on university open days
www.ychertfordshire.org jobs page for those seeking work along with apprenticeships and details on local employers
www.nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work
