Amethyst Aspire Careers and Employability Programme

Moreton School delivers independent careers guidance for all year 7 to 11 students in accordance with ‘The government’s careers strategy’ published in December 2018.  In line with our school vision and ethos here at Moreton School, we aim to provide a rounded, fair and challenging careers programme for our young people that challenges stereotypes, raises aspirations, and showcases the equality of opportunity that is accessible to today’s learners when being provided with outstanding guidance.

Our careers programme has been developed and designed to shape the future, together. All of our staff (be those teaching, leadership or support), maintain high aspirations for all of our young people and mentor and coach each individual to have the highest aspirations for themselves. There is a team focus on ensuring each child is aware of how the choices they make with their learning will impact their future careers, lifestyle and wellbeing. The programme equips students with the knowledge to choose fulfilling pathways in areas of which they enjoy, challenges stereotypes and drives them to achieve their potential and beyond.

We provide a vast range of subject specific careers guidance both within and outside of the classroom to engage our young people and to give them a wide variety of options, pathways and choices. We equip all of our students with the knowledge which helps them to grow the belief and motivation to achieve success in each individualised future plan.

As recommended by the Government, we have adopted the Gatsby Benchmarks as a foundation for measuring the quality of the CEIAG that we provide, making good use of the Compass tool to track our progress against the Benchmarks over time.

To ensure that we provide a stable yet inspiring careers programme, we have several working partnerships with a range of different providers. As of August 2018, Moreton School became a Black Country Careers Hub School which will allow us to access a great deal of opportunities for our students and will be fundamental in continuing to develop our careers programme. We also work with Aspire to HE, Headstart, the DWP, the Amethyst Aspire Business Partners, Wolves Community Trust and many others. In partnership with the Local Enterprise Partnership, we hold several careers fairs over a school year and make our young people available to a range of institutions at parents’ evenings and in curriculum time, so as to provide impartial access to all pathways.

Amethyst Aspire Career Programme – Aims

Enabling students to make considered decisions in regard to future choices; and preparing students for transition to further education or employment with training
To raise students’ aspirations and to broaden their horizons
To inspire and to empower students to make informed realistic decisions at key transition points in learning and work
To provide good quality independent and impartial careers advice to students which inspires them and motivates them to fulfil their potential
To provide advice and guidance which is in the best interests of the student
To provide opportunities to work in partnership with employers, training providers, local colleges and others to provide opportunities to inspire students through real-life contact with the world of work
To develop enterprise and employability skills including skills for self-employment
To support inclusion, challenge stereotyping and promote equality of opportunity
Provide a range of opportunities that enhance the curriculum (enterprise projects, visits/taster days to colleges/universities)
Promote awareness of the world of work (visitors from business, work experience, volunteering)
Promote a range of opportunities and provisions which assist in raising aspirations and achievement (industry specific talks and presentations, visitors from colleges and sixth forms, skill show visits)
Provide informed and impartial guidance (options evenings, careers fairs, college/sixth form/university visits, access to a qualified and impartial careers adviser)
Develop and maintain effective links with key partners (independent guidance providers, EBP, colleges, universities, training providers, employers, enterprise partnerships (through local networks or national programmes such as Inspiring the Future)
Ensure that each curriculum area identifies careers and work related learning elements and includes these in lesson planning
Ensure departments display subject links to occupations and progression
Ensure that each curriculum area identifies careers and work related learning elements and includes these in lesson planning
Ensure departments display subject links to occupations and progression

The CEIAG Team Roles and Responsibilities

The Gatsby Benchmarks

Our planned programme for CEIAG supports the achievement of the eight Gatsby benchmarks:

Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme

Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by Students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

Benchmark 2: Learning from Career and Labour Market Information

Every Student and their parents should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make the best use of available information

Benchmark 3: Addressing the Needs of Each Student

Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each Student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers

All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of careers paths.

Benchmark 5: Encounters with Employers 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 6: Experiences of Workplaces

Every Student should have first-hand experience of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing, and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

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 academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

Every Student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all Students but should be timed to meet their individual needs.

Student Entitlements

Careers Champions

• New to 2018, subject specific careers leaders and ambassadors have been instated across the school. Each Careers Champion prepares and implements subject specific activities throughout the year across all year groups. Careers Champions plan and develop careers in the curriculum lessons and elements of lessons to highlight the transferrable skills and knowledge that can be used within a wide range of careers.
• Each subject area delivers a ‘Careers in the Curriculum’ assembly which highlights the wide range of careers that are associated with the subject area, giving students a varied and thorough insight into where their future could lead them.
• Each subject area champion plan, source and implement a careers in the curriculum event including inspirational guest speakers, mentoring, STEM days and enterprise workshops.

Amethyst Aspire Programme (CEIAG) By Year Group (2021-2022)

Further Information