Careers

Careers Lead: Mrs R Robinson – rrobinson@cornwallisacademy.com

Careers Advisor: Ms T McIntyre – tmcintyre@cornwallisacademy.com

As a school we pride ourselves on having a whole school approach to the provision of careers and in ensuring that we meet the needs of every student, throughout their time with us. Below is a table outlining how we meet the 8 key Gatsby Benchmarks. We regularly assess and evaluate how we meet the each of these key benchmarks through ‘Compass Plus’ tool, which tracks the provisions we put in place for all of our students.

Gatsby Benchmark

Gatsby Benchmark	Guidelines	What we do at Cornwallis Academy
A stable careers programme	Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers and employers.	Extensive careers curriculum mapped through each curriculum area and PSHE lessons. Specific assemblies in place throughout the academic year to raise aspirations and explore the world of work Information on the school website for both students and parents/guardians. Careers advise in place for students to utilise including 1:1 guidance in year 11 and sixth form Specific sessions on CV writing, supporting with university applications and interview support. Year 7 PSHE: Identify personal dreams and goals Skills for the 21^st Century workplace Steps to achievement Managing set- backs Responsible choices Year 8 PSHE: Short-, medium- and long-term goals Resilience Employability skills Career Choices My online ‘footprint’ and impact on future Budgeting Pear 9 PSHE: Personal strengths and weaknesses SMART planning Skills for change and adapting to change Self-reflection and evaluation Year 10 PSHE: Dreams for myself and the world Jobs- legislation around work for young people Managing setbacks/resilience building Planning for success Equality in the workplace Year 11 PSHE: Entering the adult world Legislation affecting 16- year olds Dreams and goals including financial, jobs, relationships Resilience Contingency planning
Learning from career and labour market information	Every pupil, 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 adviser to make best use of available information.	Careers advisor available. Dedicated section of school website to support both students and parents/guardians. Development of careers section in school library with information available. Students have access to the Unifrog Careers Service. Support post-16 with university application and apprenticeships.
Addressing the needs of each pupil	Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.	Even though careers 1:1 meeting for year 11 and sixth form, any student can request an additional one to ensure tailored advice and support can be given. Specific careers assembly to focus on diversity. Students have access to the Unifrog Careers Service.
Linking curriculum learning to careers	All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. For example, STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.	Careers section of the school website to include information on a wide range of careers linked to each subject. This information will also be held in the school library. Careers information boards to be found in each curriculum area. Development of SoW to include guest speakers from industry as well as a ‘day in the life of…’ for all year groups.
Encounters with employers and employees	Every pupil 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.	Careers fair for all year groups 20th March 2024 for students to explore a wide range of possible career paths and options. Department specific guest speakers
Experiences of workplaces	Every pupil should have first-hand experiences* of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.	Work experience in Year 10 and Year 12.
Encounters with further and higher education	All pupils 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.	Support pupils with finding placements and also to include visits to further educational establishments and broaden horizons.
Personal guidance	Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.	Careers interview in year 11 and sixth form. 1:1 interview with senior management in year 10 and 11 to support with this process to identify those students who may need further guidance.

Date of review: September 2025