Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at North Liverpool Academy
There has never been a time when career guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. The landscape of education, training and employment opportunities that students need to navigate is more complex and more challenging than that faced by previous generations.
We strongly support students in making well-informed decisions by providing access to differentiated, impartial, and independent information and guidance about the range of options (including academic, vocational, and apprenticeships) that are most likely to help them to achieve their ambitions. By helping students with decisions at crucial stages, informing them of all their options, we aim to prepare them for the world of work in whichever pathway they choose.
Aims
The aims of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at North Liverpool Academy
- 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.
Our Careers Programme is informed by the local labour market. You can find out more about growth sectors in the Liverpool City Region below.
Implementation
Implementation of our Careers Programme
Our Careers Programme is delivered to students in all year groups as part of our PACE programme.
Click below for our document containing an Overview of Careers Information Advice and Guidance at North Liverpool Academy.
Impact
Measuring the Impact of our Careers Programme
The school's progress towards achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks is evaluated using the online Compass tool. This is conducted on an annual basis by the Careers Leader. The Careers Action plan is based upon the outcomes of the Compass audit.
Provision is also monitored through regular feedback from students, staff, governors, and our partners. This feedback is collected through questionnaires and focus groups following key career activities and at the end of each academic year. This is analysed by the Careers Leader with actions fed back to staff via CEIAG meetings. Key action points are also included in the annual school improvement plan.
External provision is monitored and evaluated through the School’s Quality Assurance procedures, including observations, student, and if appropriate parental voice. This is analysed by the Careers Leader with actions fed back to key staff.
The effectiveness of our careers' guidance will be reflected in the higher numbers of students progressing to positive destinations such as apprenticeships, technical routes, sixth form colleges, further education colleges, universities or employment. Destination data (DFE) is used to assess how successfully students make the transition into the next stage of education or training, or into employment and to inform future CEIAG provision.
A designated governor has responsibility for overseeing the quality of careers guidance. The Careers Leader reports to the Governor for CEIAG.
The CEIAG policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Careers Leader. This is ratified by Governors.
The Careers Programme is planned and reviewed annually.
If you would like further information about our careers programme, please contact our Careers Leader Mrs H Darlington [email protected]
Our Commitment to the Gatsby Benchmarks
Access to independent careers advice is provided by Career Connect. Students at North Liverpool Academy receive impartial independent careers advice from a qualified Careers Advisor, Mr M Cato who works in school two days per week.
The Gatsby Benchmarks
The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of 8 guidelines about what makes the best careers provision in schools and colleges. The Careers Strategy is built around them. Our CEIAG programme is based around these eight benchmarks.
Research tells us that careers education is the linchpin for school improvement – pupils are motivated when they know what they want to achieve in their lives and how to go about it.
The publication of Careers Guidance and Access for Education & Training Providers in January 2018 clearly states: “A successful careers guidance programme will also be reflected in higher numbers of pupils progressing to positive destinations such as apprenticeships, technical routes, sixth form colleges, FE colleges, university or employment.”
The guidance sets out some clear expectations. The most important of which is that all schools should have a Careers Leader and that all schools should be working towards achieving all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks are:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
Encounters with Employers and Employees
We annually host a careers' festival which is attended by many of the largest employers in Liverpool as well as smaller, more specialist businesses involved in the local employment growth sector markets. The festival offers students the opportunity to interact with both employers and employees, gaining insight into a variety of different workplaces and experiences. Within the curriculum we also have a number of outside speakers who work with students to inspire them and help them to understand the different pathways to get into particular careers.
Experiences of the Workplace
Within the curriculum, North Liverpool Academy facilitates several visits throughout each year group to give students experiences in a number of different workplace settings.
Encounters with Further and Higher Education
Many local universities and higher education institutions are represented at our annual careers festival and throughout Key Stage 4 and 5 open evenings and events are well promoted to encourage students to start thinking early about possible pathways of study. Outside speakers are also often used to support students in progressing within their education.
Unifrog
In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers guidance and tailored support when choosing their next step after school, we use Unifrog; an award-winning, online careers platform. All North Liverpool Academy students now have access to this excellent website.
More information about unifrog
Unifrog brings into one place every undergraduate university course, apprenticeship, and college course in the UK, as well as other opportunities, such as School Leaver Programmes, MOOCs and every college at Oxford and Cambridge. This makes it easy for students to compare and choose the best college courses, apprenticeships or university courses for them. They can also explore exciting opportunities further afield by looking at English-taught undergraduate programmes available in Europe and the USA.
Additionally, the platform helps students successfully apply for these opportunities by using Unifrog to write their personal statement, applications and CVs and guiding them through the process, allowing teachers to give live feedback.
Students access the tool for the first time using a sign-up code which is unique to their form group. They log in to Unifrog using their school email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage you to use the platform with your child so you can support them through the process of deciding their next step.
Students access the platform by clicking a link in their welcome email, where they create a password and can begin using the platform. They log in to Unifrog using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage you to use the platform with your child so you can support them through the process of deciding their next step.
Useful websites
Careersbox – a national careers film library showing hundreds of real people doing real jobs.
All About Leavers – offers advice on a range of apprenticeships.
U-Explore – helps people to build employability skills.
Gov/Education – the government website for further and higher education, skills and vocational training.
LRC Be More – the Liverpool City Region hub for apprenticeships and careers.