Careers Mapping for Years 7-11

At Maiden Erlegh School in Reading we believe that every child should leave school prepared for life in modern Britain.

We aim to do this by:

  • Providing high quality taught curricular pathways which mean that students can develop skills, knowledge and attributes which will help them in the next phase of their education and in the world of work.
  • Ensuring academic rigour and high quality teaching on all of the curricular pathways so that students make strong progress outcomes significantly above the national average.
  • Providing a range of extra-curricular activities which build on and extend the taught curriculum so as to underpin success in education and employment.
  • Providing a programme of high quality, independent careers guidance from Year 8.
  • Drawing on strong links with local businesses and training organisations to provide students with inspirational experience of the work place and contact with people working in different sectors of business.

Below is an overview of our provision against the above aims

Foundation Stage Priorities:

  • Experiencing a broad and balanced curriculum
  • Developing strong English and maths skills (and narrowing any inherited gaps)
  • Developing attributes of resilience, problem-solving and pride in self-presentation
  • Awareness of their own strengths and aspirations and areas for development

Y9-11 Priorities:

  • Experiencing a high quality curriculum which stretches all students and prepares them for their future education/career aspirations
  • Further developing strong English and maths skills at the highest level (and narrowing any inherited gaps)
  • Awareness of their own strengths and aspirations and areas for development
  • Developing employability skills eg: CV and letter writing, interview skills, team working, communication and leadership
  • Ensuring an awareness of the full range of opportunities post 16 (for both students and parents)
  • No students will be Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) at the end of Y11

NB: For details of our curriculum pathways, see our Curriculum Statement on the website

  Skills & Attributes Careers Information Advice & Guidance Work Place Experience Links with Local Businesses Other (Incl. subject specific) Links with Parents
Foundation Stage

Silver Programme (for exceptionally able): problem-solving, reasoning, project management, teamwork

Passport for Life in Y7: organisation, fund-raising, self-management

Confidence & Communication group for SEND/Vulnerable students.

Y8 Buddies for prospective new students

Y8 Careers Interviews pre-options

Y8 Options Clinics

Y7 Personal Development:

Financial Awareness and preparation for adult life

Y8 Personal Development topics:

-Being a consumer

-Financial Awareness and Options

Year 7 STEM Day

 

Careers Fair pre options (Y8) 

Year 7 STEM Day

Y7 Visit to the Guardian newspaper

Y7 Parent Induction and Information Evenings

Y8 Options Process

Y9-11

Mock Trial Y9

Gold Programme (for exceptionally able) Y10+

 

Interact Club (through Rotary Club) Y10+

Y11 Careers Interviews pre-options

Bespoke additional independent support for SEND students.

College tours and taster days organised for vulnerable students

Talks from past students.

Y11 Options Clinics

Y10 Personal Development topics

-Mental Health issues

-Financial Awareness and career stereotyping

Y10 Personal Development topic:

Financial Awareness and Work Related Learning

Y11 Personal Development topics:

-Getting ready for the next step

-Financial Awareness

Y11 Work Experience (offered to all students during half terms) 

Careers Fair pre options (Y9 and Y11)

Y10 Enterprise day (summer term)Careers Seminars (Y11-13)

Careers Seminars

Women in to Engineering Day

Y9 Work Skills qualification as foundation to GCSE Business Studies.

Y10/11 Visits to Thales (link with DT)

Y10 Workshops with local artists

Junior Sports Leaders

Y11 Option Process

Support for parents of SEND or vulnerable students (eg: applying for college) 
General

Leadership and team work opportunities through:

Student Council

Student Ambassadors eg: acting as schools guides, hosting events, public speaking etc

Senior Team

Senior Committees

Strategic focus groups

Student interviewers

Student observers

Links to job and apprenticeship opportunities on the website    Link to WBC Careers Fair on the website    Links with local universities (eg: Reading University Chemistry Faculty) 

Careers Lead: Mr D Hood

SENCO: Mrs R Clarke

Trust Careers Advisor: Anna Finlason

Working with outside agencies

When working with outside agencies, we share with them our aims for Careers Education, so they are clear about their role in the delivery of this provision.

Businesses and organisations we regularly work with include:

 Allegis Tek Systems

 National Grid

 The Rotary Club

 Alston Business Catering

 Thales

 Young Enterprise

 Badenoch and Clark

 The George Hotel

 STEMNET 

 Diamond Light

 Thorpe Park 

 Holiday Inn 

 Waites Building

 Kaplan 

 

How do we monitor impact

We monitor impact by scrutinising a variety of sources of information eg:

Academic results / Destination data / Work experience / voluntary work tracking in the Sixth Form Retention and success data in the Sixth FormBehaviour log dataNumbers of NEETsStudent feedback (eg: in our annual survey)Parent feedback (eg: in our annual survey)Evaluations of key events (eg: careers fair or “Learn to Earn” day)