Careers Education Programme
At Holyport College we believe it is never too early to start thinking about your career.
Careers education starts from Year 7 and students can expect a wide variety of activities to enhance their careers and work related education including:
- Regular opportunities to explore future careers during weekly Personal Development lessons (previously PSHE)
- Regular scholars’ lectures from professionals in a variety of industries
- Regular talks by visiting professionals
- 1-1, impartial careers interviews with an expert advisor at appropriate points in their educational journey
- Access to (and time and support) to utilise online careers packages such as Unifrog, icould.com and careerpilot.org
- The opportunity to attend careers fairs with a range of employers both in school and elsewhere
- The opportunity to attend workshops focusing on future career options, employability and workplace skills
- Impartial advice on alternative educational pathways and qualifications beyond the Holyport context
- The opportunity to undertake work experience and to attend local businesses
- The opportunity to attend careers events at Eton College
These opportunities ensure our students develop a curiosity about the world of work and an awareness of how the skills they develop in school prepare them for the modern workplace.
Our Careers Team
| Mr Boyle Founding Head Master Careers Lead | [email protected] 01628 640150 |
| Mrs Harding Deputy SENCO & PD Curriculum Coordinator | r.harding@holyportcollege.org.uk |
| Mrs Matovu Careers Coordinator | [email protected] |
The Gatsby Benchmarks
The Gatsby Benchmarks define what a good programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance looks like. The College bases its careers provision on these benchmarks:
| 1 | A stable careers programme | Every school should have a programme of careers education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers. |
| 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 advisor to make best use of the information. |
| 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 student’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout. |
| 4 | Linking curriculum learning to careers | All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM subjects teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths. |
| 5 | Encounters with employers and employees | Each 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. |
| 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 to expand their networks. |
| 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 |
| 8 | Personal guidance | Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, trained to the appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. |
Our Strategic Careers Plan
Our Strategic Careers Plan details the areas the College has identified as priorities for the next year. The plan will be evaluated and updated in February 2024.
Our priorities for the coming year are:
| Key Strategic Objectives | |
| 1 | All Year 12 students have a work experience placement in July 2023 |
| 2 | All students have experiences of the workplace |
| 3 | All students have meaningful encounters with employers and employees |
| 4 | The careers education programme, currently under review, is planned to fulfil the intent of our careers vision statement and meets the Gatsby Benchmarks |
| 5 | Students understand local, national and international labour market information |
You can view our Strategic Careers Plan here:
Our Key Aims for Students
| KS3 | KS4 | KS5 |
| To be able to identify careers other than those of your family/carers | To be able to identify careers other than those of your family/carers | To be able to identify careers other than those of your family/carers |
| To be able to identify some of the businesses or employers in your area of the country | To be able to identify some of the businesses or employers in your area of the country | To be able to identify some of the businesses or employers in your area of the country |
| To understand the skills needed by employers | To understand the skills needed by employers | To understand the skills needed by employers |
| To understand how to find out how much you could earn in different types of jobs | To understand how to find out how much you could earn in different types of jobs | To understand how to find out how much you could earn in different types of jobs |
| To understand who to go to for information and guidance about careers at school | To understand who to go to for information and guidance about careers at school | To understand who to go to for information and guidance about careers at school |
| To know how to find information online from trustworthy websites to help you make education and career choices | To know how to find information online from trustworthy websites to help you make education and career choices | To know how to find information online from trustworthy websites to help you make education and career choices |
| To understand how jobs and careers may change in the future | To understand how jobs and careers may change in the future | To understand how jobs and careers may change in the future |
| To understand how to build a network of people who work in industries and businesses that interest you | To understand how to build a network of people who work in industries and businesses that interest you | |
| To identify what you might do for a job or career in the future | To identify what you might do for a job or career in the future | To identify what you might do for a job or career in the future |
| To identify what subjects you might like to study for GCSE | To be able to articulate a plan for what to do after Year 11 | To be able to articulate a plan for what to do after sixth form |
| To understand all options after Year 11, including apprenticeships, A-Levels, traineeships and T-Levels | To understand all options after Year 11, including apprenticeships, A-Levels, traineeships and T-Levels | To understand all options at 18+ including apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, higher education and employment |
| To understand why an apprenticeship might be right for you | To understand why an apprenticeship might be right for you | To understand why an apprenticeship might be right for you |
| To understand why higher education might be right for you | To understand why higher education might be right for you | To understand why higher education might be right for you |
| To understand the costs and benefits of of different learning and career options | To understand the costs and benefits of of different learning and career options | |
| To understand different types of recruitment and selection processes, including interviews and assessment centres | To understand different types of recruitment and selection processes, including interviews and assessment centres | |
| To understand how to present yourself well if you want to be chosen for a role | To be able to present yourself well in a selection process for a course or job | To be able to present yourself well in a selection process for a course or job |
| To feel confident talking about your skills at an interview | To feel confident talking about your skills at an interview |
Businesses and Employers: We Need You!
We are committed to providing our students with enrichment activities and experiences of work. It’s a two-way process: we can help you to meet more young people and improve your recruitment and you can help our students in the following ways:
- Workplace visits
- Work experience
- Apprenticeships
- Enterprise activities
- School assemblies and workshops
- Careers fairs
If you think you can help us or would like to meet our students, please contact Walter Boyle- [email protected]
Parents: We Need You!
Could you help our students to plan their future careers? Could you come to school to do a talk on your job or your business, or could you put us in touch with someone at your palace of work who can help with this? Could you offer a work experience placement? Could you, or someone you know at work, attend a careers fair?
If you think you can help us, please contact Walter Boyle- [email protected]
Further Information
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Lower Sixth
Upper Sixth
Useful Links
Labour Market Information (LMI)