Careers leader - Gill Clark
Email: gillian.clark@elms.kent.sch.uk
Telephone: 01304 201964

Elms School Career Strategy

Careers Education, information, advice and guidance

At Elms school we are committed to providing our pupils in our Primary and our Secondary phase with a careers programme that is centred around their needs. The careers programme is integrated into our pupils’ experience of the curriculum

Our aim is to:

• Encourage all pupils to consider their future careers through KS3 and KS4
• Encourage all pupils to develop decision making skills
• Inspire as well as inform and guide
• Provide pupils with impartial advice

Careers programme: Year 7 ‘exploring the pupils’ interests’

• Tutorial PSHE to help pupils understand more about themselves (self-development)
• Know where to look for information (careers exploration)
• Plan for their future (careers management)

Careers programme: Year 8 ‘exploring the pupils’ interests’

• Tutorial PHSE help pupils to self-evaluate their ‘strengths’ and ‘areas to develop’ to make decisions for their ‘options’

• Pupils have access to impartial careers guidance through KSent special schools network (careers management)

• Pupils visit the in-house annual careers fair
• Following on ‘research’ from the visit to the in-house annual careers fair

Careers programme: Year 9 ‘focus on building aspirations’

• Tutorial PHSE to help pupils form a deeper  understanding about themselves and their future (hopes, interests and ambitions)
• Pupils have access to impartial careers guidance through KSent special schools network (careers management)
• Pupils visit the in-house school annual careers fair
• Complete research
• Pupils have support planning college courses
• School employees visit school to discuss their job
• Early visit to local college ‘mini-taster’ days with careers lead
• Early planning for work experience opportunities

Careers programme: Year 10

‘Addressing self-presentation’ and focus on what employers want’

• Tutorial PHSE to help pupils form a deeper  understanding about themselves and their future (hopes, interests and ambitions)
• Prepare CV
• Mock interviews
• Subject teachers to give a presentation ‘My subject can …’
• Pupils have continued access to impartial careers guidance through KSent special schools network (careers management)
• Pupils attend the in-house school annual careers fair
• Pupils have support researching, planning college courses
• Early visit to local college ‘mini-taster’ days with careers lead
• Visit to the job centre
• Visits to external employers to discuss their job
• Early planning for work experience opportunities with a work experience opportunity

Careers programme: Year 11 ‘practical focus on making plans’

• Tutorial PHSE to help pupils form a deeper understanding about themselves and their future
• Employment trends, challenges to stereotypes
• Visit by the Department of Works and Pensions
• Pupils have continued access to impartial careers guidance through KSent special schools network (careers management)
• Pupils attend the in-house school annual careers fair
• Pupils make applications for college courses
• Visit local college ‘taster’ days’ and/or  ‘open days’ with careers lead and parents
• Visit to external employers visit to discuss their job

Preparation for work experience placement with an employer for a period of a week. While you are working there you will find out what kinds of skills employers look for. The completion of the work experience ‘journal’ will be a useful record for your future.