Our careers programme

Our careers programme thoroughly prepares students for university and the world of work. We help students develop the skills and knowledge needed for the fast-changing job market, and provide them with a exciting range of opportunities to engage with employers, further education providers and higher education institutions throughout their time at the Academy.

Our programme aims to meet all of the 'Gatsby Benchmarks' – a nationally recognised framework for world-class careers guidance – through the following strategic adjectives:

• Organise parent engagement events to inform parents about today's job market and world of work, and how to advise their children on these topics.
• Individually track every pupil's progress through the careers curriculum, including the trips and activities they take part in.
• Make time for active reflection after each trip and activity, so that each pupil is continually evolving their vision for their future.

Year Overview

In Year 7, students are introduced to the working world by exploring a wide variety of jobs and careers. They make connections between our school values (Work Hard, Aim High, & Be Kind) and how these are essential for success in the workplace. They learn about the language of skills and how employers use these to describe traits desired by employers. 

Students begin to identify their interests. They learn how recording and reflecting on their experiences in-and-out of the classroom can support them in making informed future study and career choices.  

From Spring term, students begin to use the Unifrog platform to: 

• Create their interests profile to identify and understand their key interests 

• Explore the careers library independently to learn about job sectors and the employability skills they require 

Gatsby Benchmarks

Particular benchmarks addressed in Y7 C&P lessons include: 

Benchmark 3 – Addressing the needs of each pupil 

• A school’s or college’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations. 

Benchmark 4 – Linking curriculum learning to careers 

• Study programmes should also reflect the importance of maths and English as a key expectation from employers. 

Benchmark 5 – Encounters with employers and employees 

• Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer. 

In Year 7, students are able to: 

• 1 Describe yourself, your strengths and preferences
• 5 Identify different kinds of work and why people’s satisfaction with their working lives varies 
• 11 Recognise the qualities and skills needed for employability and provide evidence of progress from both in and out of school

Year Overview

In Year 8, students explore the concept of ‘pathways’, learning about the decisions they will make in the years ahead. Particular attention is paid to GCSE options, post-16 and post-18 study options.   

Students continue to be exposed to careers widely, with greater attention paid to the requirements of particular jobs or sectors. They begin to build awareness of labour market information, and how jobs in the future may change, or may not even exist yet. 

In Summer, Year 8 students complete the ‘How can I make a difference?’ unit in PSHE. Through the project they are taught the importance of issues affecting their local area and reflect on opportunities within this.  

Students continue to use the Unifrog platform to: 

• Explore the careers library independently to learn about the requirements of particular jobs and sectors 

Gatsby Benchmarks

Particular benchmarks addressed in Y8 C&P lessons include:

Benchmark 2 – Learning from career and labour market information 

• By the age of 14, all pupils should have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options. 

• During their study programme all students should access and use information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions about study options. 

Benchmark 5 – Encounters with employers and and employees 

• Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes 

Benchmark 7 – Encounters with further and higher education 

• All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both technical and academic routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace. 

• By the age of 16, every student should have had a meaningful encounter with providers of the full range of educational opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and students. 

In Year 8, students are able to: 

• 6 Describe what various businesses do including their structures and plans
• 14 Demonstrate that you can make logical career decisions based on a wide range of information
• 17 Show that you can be positive, flexible and well-prepared at transition points to generate new opportunities and make the most of them 

Year Overview

In Year 9, students reflect on the knowledge they have developed during KS3 and how their experiences inform their choices of GCSE options.  They reflect on how their interests have developed and changed since Year 7.   

Students consider local market information (LMI) in more detail – what skills employers are looking for, and how to ensure they keep paths open to as wide a range of education and employment opportunities. Students explore how maths and English are used in the workplace, and how developments in STEM and globalisation are affecting the labour market. They consider misconceptions and stereotypes linked to LMI, and how this can impact choices at transition points in negative ways. Students also learn about laws on child employment – including maximum working hours and how to manage a part-time job with studying.  

In the Summer term, students complete a campus visit to a university to learn about university life and build aspiration for future applications.  

Students continue to use the Unifrog platform to: 

• Explore the careers library independently to learn about the requirements of particular jobs and sectors 

• Consider future university, apprenticeship, and technical pathways that are open to them in the local area and beyond.  

Gatsby Benchmarks

Particular benchmarks addressed in Y9 C&P lessons include: 

Benchmark 2 – Learning from career and labour market information 

• By the age of 14, all pupils should have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options. 

• Parents should be encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to their children. 

Benchmark 3 – Addressing the needs of each pupil 

• A school’s or college’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations. 

• Schools and colleges should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each student, and subsequent agreed decisions. All students should have access to these records to support their career development. 

Benchmark 4 – Linking curriculum learning to careers 

• By the age of 14, every pupil should have had the opportunity to learn how the different STEM subjects help people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers. 

• Throughout their programme of study (and by the end of their course) every student should have had the opportunity to experience how their subjects help people gain entry to (and be more effective workers within) a wide range of occupations. 

Benchmark 5 – Encounters with employers and employees 

• Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer. 

Benchmark 6 – Experiences of workplaces 

• By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have. 

In Year 9, students are able to: 

• 4 Describe different ways of looking at people’s careers and how they develop 

• 6 Describe what various businesses do including their structures and plans 

• 7 Be aware of what job and labour market information (LMI) is and what it can do for you 

• 8 Identify how to challenge stereotyping and discrimination that could be damaging to you and those around you 

• 9 Be aware of the Law related to young people’s permitted work hours and know how to minimise health and safety risks to you and those around you 

• 10 Identify and make the most of your personal networks of support including how to access the impartial careers information, advice and guidance that you need 

Year Overview

In Year 10, students reflect on their current areas of interest and the choices they have made to guide further research and experiences. They learn how to set targets, and how choices they make now can help or hinder their future life outcomes. They learn about wages and salaries – how these are set, and what they would like to be able to earn in the future.  

Students use LMI to engage with ongoing research into potential pathways. They think more deeply about post-16 options; academic, vocational, technical, and work-based. They use the Unifrog platform with increasing independence, including to begin searching for their own opportunities e.g. additional work experience, apprenticeships, college/sixth form. 

All students will complete work insight projects within Summer 2 of Year 10. Students will work towards a high-quality project for a local employer, charity, or voluntary organisation. These projects will be completed in form groups during PSHE time, before being presented at the end of the academic year. Students will meet with the employer during their project and receive feedback on the work they produce. Projects will where possible be chosen based on similar aspirations of students within each form. 

Gatsby Benchmarks

Through the taught Careers & Pathways curriculum, students work towards the following Gastby Benchmarks: 

GB2 – ‘all pupils access and use information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions and study options’ 

GB3 – ‘schools should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each pupil, and subsequent agreed decisions. All pupils should have access to these records to support their career development.’ 

GB4 – ‘all teachers should link curriculum learning with careers’ 

GB6 – ‘by the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs 

Year Overview

In Year 11, students prepare extensively for the start of post-16 education or training. They set aspirational goals for their future in the short and longer term. These goals are informed by engaging with their subjects, wider experiences, and careers learning.  

All students receive 1-1 guidance interviews in the Autumn term. These are used to identify intended post-16 destinations, and to provide further advice for those unsure or who may opt for unsuitable pathways.  

Students continue to engage with the Unifrog platform to: 

• Shortlist universities, colleges, sixth forms, and apprenticeship opportunities 

• Record activities and employment interactions 

Gatsby Benchmarks

Through the taught Careers & Pathways curriculum, students work towards the following Gastby Benchmarks: 

GB2 – ‘all pupils access and use information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions and study options’ 

GB3 – ‘schools should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each pupil, and subsequent agreed decisions. All pupils should have access to these records to support their career development.’ 

GB4 – ‘all teachers should link curriculum learning with careers’ 

GB6 – ‘by the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs 

For more information about our careers programme please contact Harry Morgan on info@arksoane.org or 020 7430 8876

We always welcome offers from providers to come into school to speak to pupils or their parents or carers where we can accommodate. 

All pupils in years 8 to 13 are entitled:

• To find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point.
• To hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships - through options events, assemblies and group discussions as well as taster events.
• To understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

Our main format for delivering careers talks is our "Lunchtime Leaders" programme. Speakers present a very brief talk (no more than 5 minutes) to a year group of 180 Year 7-10 students, before giving them a question to discuss on their tables over lunch about that career. Typically, talks cover the following questions:

• What is your job?
• What does it involve?
• Why did you choose it? Did it link to your qualifications?
• One brief anecdote from your job that students will find particularly interesting/exciting

After your talk, we would love for you to join us for lunch, and to meet and answer questions from lunch tables. Students are always very keen to get to know visitors and how they got to where they are now. 

If this is something you would be interested in, please complete the "Careers Speakers - Expressions of Interest Form" below, indicating your preferred dates and we will be in touch to confirm. The weeks on the form are those that work best for our school calendar, but we may be able to accommodate outside of these if none work well. We would require you from 12:05pm - 13:25pm on the day. You would present two talks to separate year groups (first lunch sitting, then second lunch sitting).

We are also able to accommodate assembly talks to a single year group, or virtual talks via Microsoft Teams to multiple groups. These would take place between 15:05-15:25pm on a day that works best for yourself and the school. Please get in touch via the Microsoft Form Link below to discuss. 

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to get in touch.