Careers/Further Education
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
At Priory, our students access a range of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) opportunities. We aim to help our students to:
- identify their individual strengths and weaknesses;
- be aware of education, training, the world of work and career opportunities;
- be able to make informed choices about the opportunities available at each stage of transition;
- be aware of the flexible nature of career development at the present time.
In addition, we are committed to enabling our students to:
- find out about technical education qualifications and Apprenticeship opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
- hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies, group discussions and taster events;
- understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.
As part of their impartial advice and guidance students will:
- go on a one-week work experience placement in the summer term of Year 10,
- be offered guidance in how to fill in application forms, write a C.V, prepare for interviews etc.; and
- have a variety of careers lessons and enrichment activities where they will investigate different careers, training and education routes, learn how to action plan and make informed decisions.
We commission a careers advisor and work closely with them to provide additional support, where our many students benefit from discussing their options with her.
For further information, contact:
e-mail: lcroft@prioryacademy.co.uk Tel: 01582 661158
Miss Croft - Careers Lead, Mrs Spokes - Work Experience Co-Ordinator
Miss Croft - SLT Careers Link, Mrs Kinson - Governors Careers Link
How the school measures and assess the impact of the careers program on pupils:
Termly Compass reviews, parent/student voice, Annual Activity Survey demonstrates low NEET figures.
We assess our careers program throughout the year to ensure we are meeting the needs of our pupils. We start by sending out a student/parent voice in September to identify the areas students would like to explore further. The school also completes a termly Compass review to show how our careers program fulfils the Gatsby benchmarks. In addition to this, the school also receives an Annual Activity Survey to show figures of our most recent leavers which demonstrates low NEET figures.
Next date of review: September 2024
Circumstances in which providers of technical education and apprenticeships will be given access to Year 8-13 pupils.
Providers will be given the opportunity to deliver assemblies/talks to provide a holistic overview of their post-16 options.
Careers Journey
Summary of the school’s careers program:
Attachment provided for careers journey- displayed on the website for pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access the careers program
At Priory Academy, we value the journey students undergo with us. Education underpins the heart of our school which extends to our careers program. We want to educate our students on their post-16 options, exploring their future goals and aspirations and help them to make informed decisions. This starts in Year 5 and continues until pupils leave in Year 11.
My Subjects - My Careers
BiologyBusiness StudiesChemistryEconomicsEnglishHistoryIT & ComputingMathematicsMedia StudiesPerforming ArtsReligious StudiesSports Science
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships
How to write a winning application
As it is now compulsory for students to stay in education or training until they are 18, apprenticeships are becoming a lot more desirable and sought after. With businesses understanding and valuing the idea of training and shaping a young mind from scratch, and with learning and development opportunities for young people, it is clear to see how apprenticeships are appealing. Continuing studying at school or moving onto university aren’t the only paths, so what is an apprenticeship?
A job, a qualification, a future
Apprenticeships give young people the opportunity to work for an employer, earn a salary and gain a qualification whilst gaining valuable workplace skills and experience.
Anyone living in England, over 16 years old and not in full-time education can apply to be an apprentice.
Earn while you learn
All apprentices aged under 19 must receive the appropriate national minimum wage of £4.15 per hour (April 2020)
A job
All apprentices should work for at least 30 hours a week, apart from in exceptional circumstances. Over 150,000 employers are offering apprenticeships in more than 200,000 locations. Apprenticeships are available at Intermediate, Advanced and Higher (degree) level, covering more than 170 industries and 1500 job roles, from advertising to youth work via environmental engineering and nuclear decommissioning.
A qualification
Quality is key to apprenticeships. All apprenticeships must be at least 12 months long and lead to a national qualification that is respected by employers around the world.
A real future
After finishing, the majority of apprentices (85%) will stay in employment, with two-thirds (64%) staying with the same employer. A third (32%) of all former apprentices had received a promotion within 12 months of finishing and, of those in work, three quarters (75%) reported taking on more responsibility in their job. Employers think that qualified apprentices are 15% more employable than those with other qualifications.
Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study.
As an apprentice you will:
• work alongside experienced staff
• gain job-specific skills
• earn a wage and receive holiday pay
• study towards a related qualification (usually one day a week)
• Apprenticeships take 1 to 4 years to complete depending on their level.
Levels of Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships have equivalent educational levels, see below for details
|
Level |
Equivalent Educational Level |
|
|
Intermediate |
2 |
5 GCSE passes at grades 4-9 |
|
Advanced |
3 |
2 A level passes |
|
Higher |
4, 5, 6 and 7 |
Foundation degree and above |
|
Degree |
6 and 7 |
Bachelors or Masters degree |
For more information see .GOV Apprenticeships Guide
For apprenticeship vacancies see .GOV Apprenticeships
Not going to Uni? Visit the Not Going to Uni website
For more information see UCAS Apprenticeships in England
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths)
The Government is encouraging more young people to study STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) related subjects because they give young people the skills they will need for a wide range of careers in the future.
Studying and working in STEM will enable young people to learn about the world of work, and find innovative solutions to real-world challenges, whilst playing a role in some of the country’s major discoveries and developments.
It has been predicted that 75 per cent of all jobs over the next 10 years will require STEM skills – so young people should consider this when choosing subjects and planning for future careers.
For more information on where STEM can take you look at these websites:
LMI (Labour Market Information)
Labour Market Information
Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help research future jobs in the local area, understand the skills needed for certain roles and the demand for future employment.
Please see link below for information about the South East Midlands region which includes Central Bedfordshire, Luton, and surrounding areas.
Employer Invitation
Employer Invitation
Are you an employer looking to work with the school? Then we are looking for you!
We are keen to work with employers who can pass on the benefit of their skills, experience and expertise.
Our careers events require volunteers for everything; from session facilitators to speakers, interviewers and stall holders at our annual careers fair.
We also welcome any job vacancies and training opportunities to be forwarded to the school for the attention of our students.
If you would like to find out more, or to volunteer for an event please contact:
Lorraine Croft, Careers Lead: lcroft@prioryacademy.co.uk
Gatsby Benchmarks
Our CEIAG (Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance) programme of activities is closely matched to the Gatsby Benchmarks, the criteria by which all CEIAG provision is measured within schools, colleges and universities. The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers guidance are:
1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance
