Introduction
Biddulph High School and Sixth form is committed to raising aspirations, challenging stereotypes, and instilling ambition within our students. CEIAG at BHS and BH6 aims to encourage students to make the most of the opportunities available to them and to steer students towards making informed choices at key transition points.
The intent of our careers programme, across the whole school, is to provide a stable careers programme where each student is given the opportunity to be part of the inclusive community based on mutual respect that instills a world class ambition in all our students, no matter what their background, to develop the skills to enter the ever-changing world of work.
Our core values are key to both our careers curriculum and the wider school aims. We intend to continue to meet the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure that students aspirations are raised through a variety of methods, including an awareness of labour market information, encounters with employers and workplaces tailored to individual needs and interests, experiences of further and higher education, links to careers within the curriculum, and personal guidance. This will allow all of our students to develop personal effectiveness and career readiness, resulting in positive outcomes in education and employment.
BHS obtained the ‘Quality and Careers Standard’ award in October 2022 and will continue to improve upon the high-quality provision offered to all students through quality information, advice and guidance.
NB. The effects of Covid-19 on careers provision have been significant, but as a school we have continued to offer high quality provision via the careers section of the school website, Teams, virtual work experience opportunities and Unifrog.
Please view our CEIAG Policy here: CEIAG Policy – September 2024
Careers Team
Careers, Enterprise and Employability Co-ordinator
Mrs C Campbell
Strategic Lead for Careers
Mrs C Carroll–Wright (Assistant Headteacher)
Careers Governor
Miss K Goodwin
If you wish to discuss anything relating to your child’s career education, or work experience opportunities please contact the Careers Team using the following details:
careers@biddulphhigh.co.uk or 01782 523977
Laura Smith
Hey, I’m Laura, and I’m the owner of Red Cloud Business Services Ltd. We offer business support; everything from basic admin and diary management, to project management and running 600 people events.
I left education after A Levels, having started a degree that I ultimately decided wasn’t for me.
My mission is to support other business owners to achieve their goals, with a particular enthusiasm for supporting Women in Business. Because of this, I’ve been lucky enough to work with some hugely talented people and make a difference to them and their business.
I look forward to working with the staff and pupils at Biddulph High and hopefully helping inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Red Cloud Business Services Ltd
Paul Williams is the Enterprise Coordinator working for the Stoke and Staffordshire Careers Hub with The Careers and Enterprise Company.
The role of the Careers Hub is to link schools and colleges with local employers, who will advise and offer strategy around careers support for all young people by building networks, supporting Careers Leaders using the Gatsby Benchmarks as a best practice standard.
My role is to focus everyone’s efforts on programmes and activities that are most effective in motivating young people, supporting independent choice and positive outcomes for the young people of Biddulph High School. I work directly with Claire Carroll-Wright, the SLT Careers Leader and Kayleigh Goodwin, the Careers Lead & Enterprise Employability Coordinator in school.
Biddulph are grateful to work with Liz Finneron and Laura Smith who are both Enterprise Advisers and who offer their time and expertise free of charge for the benefit of the whole school, staff and pupils.
Paul Williams
Careers Programme
Please find the CEIAG Programme here: CEIAG Programme – September 2023
Please find the Careers Booklet here: Careers Booklet – January 2023
Raising Participation Age (RPA)
In 2013 it became a Government requirement that all young people are expected to continue in Education or training until their 18th Birthday. This is called Raising the Participation Age.
What does this mean?
Any young person who completes year 11 will be required to continue in education until at least their 18th birthday (year 12 and Year 13). This does not mean that they must stay at school and can choose from one of the following:
- Full time education at sixth form or College
- Apprenticeship
- Foundation learning with local training providers
- Part – time education or training if a young person is employed, self-employed or volunteering full-time (defined as 20 hours or more per week)
Further information can be found here: GOV UK – Department For Education
Labour Market Information
‘Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help you to research future jobs in the local area, understand the skills needed for certain roles and the demand for future employment’
Please find some useful links below:
Nomis – Labour Market Profile – Stoke-On-Trent
Nomis – Labour Market Profile – Staffordshire
Skillsometer
Careerometer
Measuring Impact
Impact measurement, assessment and destination data. We continually measure and assess the impact of our programme in various ways such as student, parent and tutor surveys, as well as inviting feedback from employers who have been involved in activities. We also use destination data obtained from Post-16 colleges to monitor trends about where our students move onto.
Please view our destination data here:
Gatsby Benchmarks
The Gatsby benchmarks were created by Sir John Holman in 2014 to highlight what good careers provision looks like. The eight benchmarks are based on best national and international research and define the elements of an excellent careers programme.
The Benchmarks are as follows and our current benchmark scores:
| Gatsby Benchmark | Biddulph High Score | Nationally % Meeting Benchmark |
|
1. A stable careers programme |
100% | 43% |
|
2. Learning from career and labour market information |
100% | 66% |
|
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil |
100% | 38% |
|
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers |
100% | 60% |
|
5. Encounters with employers and employees |
100% | 56% |
|
6. Experiences of workplaces |
100% | 36% |
|
7. Encounters with further and higher education |
100% | 33% |
| 8. Personal guidance | 100% | 65% |
Quality in Careers Standard
In October 2022 we were inspected against the Quality and Careers Standards and were awarded the full accreditation for our careers provision.
Provider Access – Baker Clause
Biddulph High School believes in giving further education and higher education training providers the opportunity to talk to students at the school. Please view our Provider Access Policy here: Provider Access Policy Including Baker Clause Statement – September 2023
Work Experience & Employability Encounters
Please view our Work Related Learning & Enterprise Curriculum Policy here: Work Related Learning & Enterprise Curriculum Policy – May 2023
If you would like to discuss anything to do with the Work Experience Programme or have any opportunities you would like promoting please contact:
careers@biddulphhigh.co.uk or 01782 523977
Useful Websites
Unifrog is a complete destinations platform that allows students to search for opportunities and make applications for their next steps: Unifrog
Please visit the National Careers Service Website here: GOV – National Careers Service
A comprehensive careers website with job profiles, outlining: the skills required, main tasks, pay levels and career prospects for hundreds of different jobs. In addition, valuable guidance on the different stages involved in getting a job
Get in Go Far: – a website for anyone wanting to know more about Apprenticeships. The website also has a search facility for job-specific Apprenticeships in a particular area: Apprenticeships
Find an Apprenticeship – a website to support searching for local apprenticeships across all levels: GOV – Apply for an Apprenticeship
UCAS – A very helpful website for students thinking of applying to higher education. Also contains valuable information on different options, including Apprenticeships: UCAS
Subject/Career Specific Websites
Construction – Go Construct
Engineering – Bright Network – What is engineering?
Creative sector – Discover Creative Careers
Sport – Careers in Sport
IT/Computer Science – Computer Science – Top Careers in Computer Science
Maths – Maths Careers
Performing Arts – The Art Career Project – Careers in Performing Arts
History – History Association – Careers in History
What Next After College or 6th Form – Post 18 Career Education Options
Qualifications & Levels Explained – Post 16 Education Options
What Next After GCSEs – Post 16 Student Options
