Information for Parents/Carers, and Pupils

Careers Advice (CEIAG)

A young person’s career is their pathway through learning and work. All young people need a planned programme of activities to help them make decisions and plan their careers, both in school and after they leave. The aim is for each student to manage their careers, sustain employability and achieve economic well-being in order to make a positive contribution to our community and society.

Please find on this page a constantly evolving collection of resources made available to help you and your child with their career path.

Careers education, information advice and guidance (CEIAG) is an essential and statutory part of the support we offer to all pupils at Venerable Bede CE Academy.

The Academy recognises the essential part of careers education and guidance can play in helping our young people prepare for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of life. 

A young person’s career is their pathway through learning and work. All young people need a planned programme of activities to help them make decisions and plan their careers, both in school and after they leave. The aim is for each student to manage their careers, sustain employability and achieve economic well-being in order to make a positive contribution to our community and society.

Venerable Bede Academy is committed to providing a planned and impartial programme of careers education, information and guidance incorporated within the Personal Development programme for all students in Years 7-11 in partnership with Youth Direction.

We have a designated Level 6 qualified matrix accredited Personal Adviser assigned to our school. Her name is Tina Holley and she can be contacted via school, by leaving a message with school reception. Tina predominately works with Year 11 students ensuring that they have a suitable post 16 progression learning opportunity. If pupils in any other year groups would like general advice, they can arrange to speak to Tina via Mrs. Tracey.

The Department for Education sets out the statutory duties that schools must discharge in relation to Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance. In addition to the planned programme of careers education that is delivered in school through our PD programme, Venerable Bede also meets its statutory duty in ensuring that the independent guidance provided is presented in an impartial manner, includes information on the range of education or training options, including apprenticeships and other vocational pathways. Also that it will promote the best interests of the students to whom it is given.

Aims and objectives

The Venerable Bede Academy careers programme uses both statutory guidance and the Gatsby benchmarks as its core, as well as the importance of knowing our pupils well and what they may need to succeed in later life.

The careers programme is planned to:

  • Encourage pupils to be ambitious, broaden their horizons and explore their own career aspirations through their life at school
  • Ensure pupils’ readiness to take their next step in their learning or career
  • Give a firm foundation in careers learning from Year 7 to ensure pupil learn about themselves, their skills, their interests and how this fits into future qualification choices and learning pathways
  • Help pupils understand the changing world of work
  • Ensure the needs of all pupils are met for their transition onto their next stage
  • Facilitate meaningful encounters with employers for all pupils
  • Support positive transitions both from KS3-KS4 and from KS4-Post-16
  • Enable pupils to develop the research skills to find out about opportunities available to them
  • Help pupils develop the skills, attitudes and qualities to make a successful transition into the world of work
  • Give pupils at least one personal experience of the world of work and the workplace
  • Encourage participation in continued learning, including further and higher education, apprenticeships and other approved technical qualifications
  • Support inclusion, challenge stereotypes and promote equality of opportunity
  • Contribute to strategies for raising achievement, particularly by raising motivation and aspiration
  • Promote the RPA agenda (raising the participation age) and show the importance of maths and English in all aspects of employment
  • Give pupils at least one opportunity to access face-to-face, personal careers advice from a qualified careers advisor
  • Support and equip parents with careers information, including pathway choices, provider information and support at key transition points.

The academy provides continuous access to help with careers education and guidance for parents/carers. Please email Lead Teacher for Careers and Guidance – Holly Tracey with any questions and a member of staff will get back to you as soon as possible.

Over the year pupils study a range of lessons relating to careers. This is enhanced by external visitors and opportunities to engage with further education providers, employers and the workplace.

For further information or an overview of the activities and visits planned for this year, please contact Mrs. Tracey