Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance

CEIAG at St Thomas More Catholic Academy

The Parents’ Guide provides parents with the information they need to help their teenage children make the right choices to create successful futures after GCSE and sixth form.

 

The importance of careers education, information and guidance (CEIAG)

CEIAG is an integral and important part of a student’s experience at St Thomas More. In our school we all ‘Aspire to be More’, and through our careers provision we aim to inspire pupils to achieve more and have higher expectations of their lives after school. To inspire this change in aspirations, we forge the links that connect education and employers together. Students benefit from exposure to business and the outside world through an improved knowledge base and the ability to make informed choices, but also through increased motivation as the rewards of qualifications in school becomes a tangible reality.

Through good careers intervention students are able to turn their personal aspirations into reality as they identify the steps needed to reach their goals. Students are equipped with the information, knowledge and understanding of their choices that will enable them to make informed decisions at key transition points and are encouraged to take ownership of their career development and path to success.

In addition, we develop our students’ transferrable skills which will allow them to become active learners in the present and effective employees in the future. Planning for future rewarding careers to help inspire our students’ success today.

All students have an entitlement to access impartial Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) through their time at school. At St Thomas More this is currently provided by a careers professional from the local authority who works in school. All Y11-13 students meet individually for personalised independent advice, and any student who it is felt needs additional support is also referred. All students who are at risk of NEET are identified in KS3 and are offered personalised intervention. The individual guidance is available to all students as required.

We have a dedicated CEIAG lead who works entirely on developing opportunities for our students for four days per week. This includes mapping careers opportunities across the curriculum, developing opportunities for work experience where needed, facilitating opportunities for larger groups of students, assisting with applications to colleges, universities and apprenticeships and tracking vulnerable groups to ensure all are receiving the provision needed.

More information can be found here

        

 

CEIAG plan for 2021-22

Pupil entitlement

All pupils in years 8-13 are entitled to:

• find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships 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 and group discussions and taster events;
• understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

If you are an employer or college provider who wishes to engage with our students please contact Mrs Kerr (vkerr@stmca.org.uk) or Mrs Todd (etodd@stmca.org.uk). Alumni can also sign up using our Future First alumni portal via (LINK)

The full CEIAG plan can be found here

If you have any enquiries with regards to careers, please call the school office on 01782882900.

Students

All students at St Thomas More will be part of a TEAM where careers information suitable for their year group is posted. These TEAMs are named ‘Class of ****’, the year being the year that you will leave education or training (Year 13).

If you require any support TEAMs is also a good forum to use to contact Mrs Kerr initially. She will then be able to help you directly, refer you to an independent careers advisor or send you links to resources that will support you.

All students also have their own account on unifrog. This website allows you to research all available opportunities, access resources to further your learning and have up to date labour market information for Stoke on Trent as well as nationally. If any student has a problem logging into this site they should follow the ‘forgotten password’ link in the first instance. If this doesn’t work they need to see Mrs Kerr who will reset their profile.

CVs, letter writing and interviews

• My Kinda Future – Build Your CV/Meet Employers/Find a Job
• Youth Employment UK – CV Writing Tips
• Youth Employment UK – How to Write a Great CV
• Youth Employment UK – Top Interview Questions and Answers
• Degree Apprenticeship Information

Parents/Carers

All parents are able to log onto unifrog either with their child or with a parent log in. Please see the unifrog information powerpoint for details.

In addition, the following are useful resources.

• TARGET Careers – Information for Parents and Teachers
• Inspiring Futures – Careers Advice and Guidance for Young People
• Get My First Job – Parent Resources
• DfE – Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents
• DfE – Careers guidance and access for education and training providers
• CDI – Framework for careers, employability and enterprise education
• Further Resources for Parents/Carers (PDF)
• What will the future job market be like?
• Top jobs of the future

 

Employers

If you are interested in supporting our students by visiting the school please email Mrs Kerr (vkerr@stmca.org.uk) in the first instance.

• DfE – Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents
• DfE – Careers guidance and access for education and training providers
• CDI – Framework for careers, employability and enterprise education
• Youth Employment – 10 tips for an employer wanting to work with schools
• Youth Employment – Wagstaff Recruitment Employer Case Study

Teachers

• Useful Careers Websites and Resources
• Useful Staff and Governors CEIAG Links and Resources
• Careers and Enterprise Company – Careers in the Curriculum
• DfE – Careers strategy: making the most of everyone’s skills and talents
• DfE – Careers guidance and access for education and training providers
• CDI – Framework for careers, employability and enterprise education
• Barclays Life Skills – Embedding employability across the curriculum

Skills Gap and Labour Market Information

• Stoke and Staffs Area 2018 Labour Market and Growth
• Youth Employment UK – Labour Market Statistics 2019
• Guy Martin – Building Britain
• National Figures
• Labour Market Information (LMI) for all
• Target Careers – Dos and Don’ts for using labour market information
• IPPR – Future Proof: Britain in the 2020s
• UK Commission for Employment & Skills – Working Futures 2014 – 2024

 

Please note that unifrog also provides up to date labour market information for our local area in addition to national statistics.

Unifrog – Parent Information

Unifrog – Useful Information