I would like to take this opportunity to update you with the Academy’s past, present and future developments with our Careers Education, Independent Advice and Guidance (CEIAG). Over the course of the academic year the academy has provided students with a variety of different experiences to support their future career and educational choices.

 

At Harris Church of England Academy we pride ourselves on the number of students who continue with their education and training post 16. Out of 176 students from last year’s year 11, 98.9% of the students continued into education which is above the Warwickshire average of 93.5%.

 

To support our students with their career choices, the PSHE curriculum has been designed so that all students from years 7 to 11 are given the opportunity to use a piece of internet software called Fast Tomato. This piece of software allows students to investigate suitable careers and qualifications based on their current interests. These choices are regularly reviewed so that students can update their choices. In addition to this, all year groups are taught an appropriate careers unit of work for their age, this includes option choices in year 8, work experience preparation in year 10 and CV and interview preparation in year 11.

 

Year 8 this academic year had a future choice evening where local and national businesses, the armed forces, sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeship trainers and universities came and spoke to the students about careers and qualifications within the different sectors. This evening was linked to the students’ option choice process where a presentation was given to both parents and students outlining the option process and the future developments of GCSE’s and the impact this will have on the students. To support this process, all students were given interviews with the Senior Leadership Team and SENCO to guide and advise on option and future educational pathways.

 

On 20th April, 60 students from year 9 took part in a curriculum enrichment day with engineers from the HS2 Stem Day project. The students had to work on problem solving tasks which included building their own model railway lines. During May a select group of students visited Cambridge University to take part in a Physics Outreach competition that involved building bridges and suspension cranes out of paper. A team from our Academy won both of the competitions against 4 other schools on the programme.

 

In Year 10 all students have received an independent careers interview with a company called RightStep during the academic year. During the summer term, students in their PSHE lessons prepare themselves for their work experience which took place in the last week of May. During June Mr Dhillon organised for a representative from Aston Martin to talk to a group of students from years 9 and 10 about a career in the car industry and they had the opportunity to view an Aston Martin Vanquisher. I am also delighted to announce that two of our students have been selected to participate in a residential trip at Warwick University during the first week of July.

 

In Year 11, additional independent career interviews were provided for those students who requested them and were finding it difficult to decide on their post 16 choices. In November the entire year group were given practise interviews with professionals from local businesses to support them with college and sixth form interviews. Throughout the year students received assemblies with local sixth forms and we were lucky to receive apprenticeship video conferencing with Land Rover Jaguar organised by Mrs Edmonds.

 

Whilst lots of careers events have taken place during the academic year there is a careers fair planned for all year groups on 9th July from 3:00pm to 5:00pm in Hope Hall. The careers fair will include an architect company, nurses and doctors from NHS, the armed forces, network rail, and other local businesses, sixth forms, colleges, apprenticeship trainers and universities. The careers fair is open to both parents and students.

I would appreciate any feedback and suggestions for future careers events. Please email me at the Academy on: edmonds.s@harriscofeacademy.co.uk

 

Yours faithfully

Sam Edmonds

Assistant Head Teacher - Curriculum