It’s never too early to start thinking about careers.
By understanding more about skills, strengths and interests, you will be able to support your child and help them to make more informed decisions. But that takes time, which is why you need to start preparing now.
This section of our Careers page is designed to help you understand our careers programme and the careers pathway for your child.
Our school programme will be supported by the careers package called UNIFROG, which is used to guide students from Year 7 through to Year 13. UNIFROG is the complete destination platform, a one-stop-shop where pupils can find a full package of information about careers “all in one place”.
Year 7
- Students are introduced to Unifrog and informed how to navigate the site.
- Students are encouraged to identify personal traits, strengths and skills and develop confidence and have high expectations of themselves.
- Students will have at least one meaningful encounter with an employer through educational visits and/or visiting speakers.
- ‘Guess My Job’ workshop delivered by CC and a range of local employers.
- Students take part in a range of activities during National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week.
- CEIAG assemblies will run throughout the year.
- Students will regularly review their experiences through Unifrog.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers – weekly drop in sessions available.
- By beginning careers education early, pupils can make better informed decisions at transition stages and are more motivated in school in order to follow a particular pathway.
Year 8
- Students continue to build a careers profile on Unifrog.
- Students build on personal strengths and begin to link skills to specific careers enabling realistic and informed decisions at transition stages.
- Students will take part in Careers lessons during Well-being, exploring the importance of employability skills, personal qualities and their link to career choices.
- Students are introduced to the world of work and how it is constantly changing.
- Students will have at least one meaningful encounter with an employer through educational visits and/or visiting speakers.
- Students take part in a range of activities during National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week.
- ‘Guess My Job’ workshop delivered by CC and a range of local employers.
- CEIAG assemblies will run throughout the year.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers – weekly drop in sessions available.
- Students regularly review their experiences through Unifrog.
Year 9
- Students are encouraged to re-assess personal strengths on Unifrog with a focus on transferable skills.
- Students are encouraged to investigate different jobs and careers on Unifrog and what they mean in terms of lifestyle, budgeting and a good work/life balance.
- Students will take part in Careers lessons during Well-being, focusing on decision making skills ‘KS4 options’.
- Students will access ‘Aspire to HE’ resources during Well-being, with a focus on choices, opportunities and HE.
- Students are encouraged to challenge stereotypes within the world of work and traditional job roles.
- Students begin to think about GCSE options in terms of career pathways and plan their future. Students link curriculum areas to careers to help prepare them for choosing their GCSE options.
- Students take part in a range of activities during National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week.
- CEIAG assemblies will run throughout the year.
- Students will have at least one meaningful encounter with an employer through educational visits and/or visiting speakers.
- Students will attend a Careers Fair, where they will meet representatives from Further and Higher education, local and national businesses and service sectors.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers – weekly drop in sessions available
- Students regularly review their experiences through Unifrog.
- Students and parents will take part in a KS4 options event – guidance for selecting subjects at KS4.
Year 10
- Students have the opportunity to develop their CV.
- Economic awareness developed further and students are encouraged to think about employability, which careers appeal and to identify and set themselves realistic future goals.
- Students will take part in Careers lessons during Well-being, using both Unifrog and ‘Aspire to HE’ resources, focusing on FE, HE, Work Experience, choices and opportunities available to them.
- Students develop their interview technique and complete a mock interview with a local employer.
- Students will have at least one meaningful encounter with an employer through educational visits and/or visiting speakers.
- Students have access to independent and impartial advisers – weekly drop in sessions available.
- Students take part in a range of activities during National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week.
- All students in Year 10 have the opportunity to engage in Work Experience and the process of securing a work placement. Students record their progress in this process.
- CEIAG assemblies will run throughout the year.
- Students regularly review their experiences through Unifrog.
Year 11
- Students will have a 1:1 interview with a careers adviser.
- Students are assisted further with their CV and cover letter through Unifrog.
- Students will take part in Careers lessons during Well-being, using both Unifrog and ‘Aspire to HE’ resources, focusing on FE, HE, Post 16 options, employability skills, professionalism, preparing for next steps and budgeting.
- Students are helped with post-16 choices and encouraged to consider all their options including further study in the Academy Sixth Form College and apprenticeships.
- Students are given specific support with post-16 applications.
- Taster sessions for post-16 subjects will be available to all students.
- Students take part in a range of activities during National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week.
- Students are encouraged to attend careers talks, fairs, open days and taster days with employers.
- Students have optional access to independent and impartial advisers – weekly drop in sessions available.
- Students will have at least one meaningful encounter with an employer through educational visits and/or visiting speakers.
- CEIAG assemblies will run throughout the year.
- Students and parents will take part in a Post 16 options event – guidance for next steps.
- Post 16 interviews will take place for students who have applied to the Academy Sixth Form College.
Year 12/13
- Students will use Unifrog to research post-18 options and complete activities that will develop their CV and personal statement.
- Students attend the UCAS convention and visit stands to speak to universities, gap year and apprenticeship providers to find out about their post-18 options.
- Students will take part in Careers lessons during Well-being, using both Unifrog and ‘Aspire to HE’ resources, focusing on HE, choices for the next stage, how to apply for the next stage of education/employment.
- Students will have a 1:1 interview with an independent and impartial careers adviser who will advise on the most appropriate post-18 pathway for them.
- Students will receive individual support and guidance with their personal statements.
- Students take part in a range of activities during National Careers Week, Apprenticeship Week and Engineering Week.
- Students are encouraged to attend fairs, open days and taster days with universities and employers.
- Students will visit the onsite Staffordshire University Bus – exploring what is on offer and speaking to university staff
- Students will have the option of completing a Work Experience placement/volunteering opportunity during sixth form.
Our lady and St Chad work in collaboration with Aspire to HE who help us fund and organise some of the careers activities in Key Stage 4. Each year students in year 11 complete a survey. The results of this survey are shared with Aspire to HE on a yearly basis. The privacy policy of Aspire to HE can be found here which explains how data from this survey is used and kept.
Careers Research
Apprenticeships
Information on apprenticeships
Find an apprenticeship
A parent’s guide to apprenticeships
Amazing Apprenticeships