Careers Education and Guidance

Careers education and guidance forms an integral part of the school curriculum as pupils enter Key Stage 3. Paddock aims to deliver high quality, vocational careers and work related learning and guidance that is appropriate for the varying needs and aspirations of our learners. This provision compliments transitioning planning as part of a pupil’s EHC Plan and the school’s overall curriculum to equip pupils with the necessary skills and knowledge to be as independent as possible in adulthood.

Aim

The career programme aims for pupils to develop the skills and knowledge for as many pupils as possible to eventually transition into paid or unpaid employment. As a minimum, Paddock School’s aim is for all pupils to leave with the skills and knowledge for a ‘positive career’ which is defined by the Careers Development Institute as being ‘typically being happy with the way you spend your time, being able to make a contribution to your community and being able to have a decent standard of living’. ( https://www.thecdi.net/New-Career-Development-Framework).

Programme

From Year 7, pupils engage in a progressive careers programme adapted to meet the needs and aspirations of each pupil. The programme follows the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks:

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

The career programme is integrated throughout the main curriculum and for some learners supplemented via regular careers focused lessons following Talentino’s Careers at Every Level Programme. Where appropriate pupils are supported to meet with the school’s Careers Advisor or supported to consider and record their aspirations in an accessible format.

In Middle School, pupils are introduced to the idea of work and start to explore different jobs and workplaces, their interests, likes and dislikes and the idea of continuing to learn beyond school.

This is supported via employer visits to school and entrepreneurial projects. For some learners career related learning is supported via sensory learning and exposure to different jobs and professions that they may encounter in everyday life as an adult.

In Upper School, pupils continue to learn about types of jobs and workplaces in more detail, explore vocational areas or activities they enjoy, explore their strengths and weaknesses further and are introduced to the different type of learning and training options beyond school. In addition pupils start to develop work related learning skills. 

This is supported via onsite work experience, off site work place visits or volunteering, employer visits to schools, entrepreneurial projects and visits to a Further Education College or work based training provider. For some learners, career related learning continues via sensory learning and is expanded to workplace visits and/or visits to a variety of activities within their community.

In Post 16 , pupils start to identify vocational areas of interest or particular activities that they would like to pursue after school, identify or are supported to indicate their preferred next step after school, explore different barriers and support they may need to enter employment and develop and further develop their work related learning skills.

This is supported via continued on site work experience, workplace visits, the introduction of offsite work experience for some learners and visits to colleges or work based training providers. Pupils work towards ASDAN Personal progress modules linked to developing skills for the workplace. For some learners, this is further supported via visits to community organisations or activities within the community that they could access as an adult.

Evaluation and Development

Paddock School is working to better meet the Gatsby Benchmarks and a review of how the school is progressing is completed annually using the Compass Tool. The next review is due in October 2022.

Pupil’s are supported to be involved in evaluating their career related learning via regularly completing and updating their learning by completing their ‘Career Development Plan and also via the Annual Review process. Paddock School will monitor and assess the impact of the school’s career programme via pupil’s destinations and aspirations of parents/carers at their final Annual Review before they leave Paddock.

Please read more about how the school is developing this work here.

Contact Details

Fiona McMullan is the Careers Lead at Paddock School and has overall responsibility for the Careers Programme. Pupils, parents, teachers and employers can contact her either on 020 8878 1521 or via email fmcmullan@paddock.wandsworth.sch.uk.

The school is compliant with the careers guidance that the government set out for delivery from July 2021: ‘Careers Guidance and Inspiration for young people in schools.’ This states that all schools must give education and training providers the opportunity to talk to students about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships. The school’s policy on how education and training providers arrange to talk to students can be found within our Provider Access Policy Statement.

The above information is to be updated in September 2023.