Careers provision at Vandyke Upper School

Our intent is to help students become world ready. All students are empowered to be aspirational in their chosen pathways – to follow their passions and interests, and to work towards a career which will facilitate fulfilment and growth. Regardless of whether students are motivated to study a subject they love at a competitive university, to undertake an apprenticeship route or pursue a technical route at a local college, students will benefit from personalised support and guidance. Our excellent careers provision was recognised in our recent OFSTED inspection report:

‘The school’s entrepreneurial approach to careers education is highly effective. There are regular opportunities for pupils and students in the sixth form to meet a range of employers, colleges and universities. This includes Vandyke careers week. As a result, pupils make well-informed decisions about their futures. The support for those wishing to follow apprenticeships is a particular strength.’ – OFSTED, January 2024

Our whole school approach to careers education explores a variety of links to careers through curriculum areas. We offer meaningful interactions with colleges, apprenticeship providers, universities and employers. Students will investigate a wide range of pathways in Life Skills lessons, develop employability skills, enjoy an array of expert speakers who offer pertinent advice at key milestones in the school journey while accessing independent careers advice through our provider 4YP. Careers events including our annual Careers Week, the Big Picture Careers Fayre and trips to What Career? Live and the National Apprenticeship Show further facilitate knowledge of the local labour market and available pathways which facilitates effective decision-making.

Our Careers Education and Guidance Programme is designed to support students to feel positive about their future, to improve their motivation, raise their aspirations and take responsibility for their career plans.

At Vandyke, the Gatsby Career Benchmarks and The Baker Clause are at the heart of our Careers Education and Guidance Programme. Our latest destinations data can be found here, and our Policy Statement on Provider Access sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to students at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. Our Careers Programme is reviewed in September of each year.

The Careers team at Vandyke Upper are:

Mrs K Quinn – Careers Leader; Assistant Headteacher (01525 636700, [email protected])

Mrs L Davies – Sixth Form Careers Lead (01525 636700, [email protected])

Mrs D Lord – Careers Co-Ordinator (01525 636700, [email protected])

You can read Vandyke’s current Careers Education Guidance Policy here.

If you require any further information about our careers programme, please contact Mrs Quinn or Mrs Lord.

Read our Spring 2025 Careers Newsletter here.

Read our Summer 2024 Careers Newsletter here.

Read our Autumn 2023 Careers Newsletter here.

Read our Spring 2023 Careers Newsletter here.

Careers Programme 2024 – 25

Below you will find an overview of what students can expect to happen as part of their careers education across their time at Vandyke Upper School. You can skip to the full Careers Programme for each year group by clicking on these quick links:

Year 9 Careers Programme

Year 10 Careers Programme

Year 11 Careers Programme

Year 12 Careers Programme

Year 13 Careers Programme

Year 9 – Autumn Term

Key dates:

September-December – Options Lessons in Lifeskills
September-December – Employability Skills
September-December – Tutor Time Taster Sessions
September-December – Personal Development Logs
October – Future Skills

During Year 9, students will begin a programme to support their future intentions and how these choices might impact on the options they choose for GCSE. Students will receive dedicated ‘Options’ lessons in Life Skills lessons where they will be given time and guidance to research career information and explore the local labour market.

Students will also take part in the LORIC initiative to develop a Growth Mindset attitude. Students will have opportunities throughout the year to demonstrate employability skills: Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative and Communication (LORIC).

Year 9 – Spring Term

Key dates:

February – Big Picture Careers Event
February – Options Evening / Choices
February – National Apprenticeship Assemblies
February – Local Market Information Assembly
March – National Careers Assemblies March – Options Interviews
March – Local provider presentations

All Year 9 students are invited to an Options Evening in February which provides opportunities to talk to subject staff about option choices and long-term career plans. Local providers attend the options evening as part of our provider access legislation.

Year 9 / 10 – Summer Term

Key dates:

June – GCSE Options begin
June – Virtual Work Experience Opportunities
June – Employer Engagement Morning

All Year 9/10 students will experience live online work experience opportunities in lesson time which is presented by Speakers for Schools.

Year 10 – Autumn Term

Key dates:

September-December – Employability skills in Lifeskills
October – Future Skills
November – What Career Live (Virtual)
December – Personal branding, CVs & Application Forms

During Year 10, students will develop employability skills whilst raising their achievement in their GCSE subjects. Life Skills lessons will include a focus on developing and evidencing employability skills. During Life Skills lessons, students will learn how to apply these skills to personal statements and CVs.

Year 10 – Spring Term

Key dates:

February – Local Market Information Assembly
February – The Big Picture Careers Fayre
February – National Apprenticeship Assemblies
March – National Apprenticeship Show & The Higher Education Expo
March – National Careers Assemblies and college presentation
March – Local provider presentations

Y10 students will also have access to The Big Picture Careers Fayre in February in order to begin to explore the many possible options available post 16. During this evening students will be given the opportunity to meet colleges and Universities to discuss the post 16 courses they have to offer including T levels, A-levels, BTECs and other level 2 and 3 qualifications. Furthermore, there will be a number of national and local employers at the event to discuss the apprenticeships and employment opportunities they have to offer, ensuring impartial advice is given as stated in the Provider Access Legislation.

All Year 10 students will have the opportunity to participate in a visit to the National Apprenticeship Show and Higher Education Expo in Milton Keynes to give them an insight into the variety of apprenticeships on offer at all levels including degree. This face to face exposure to over 50 employers/companies provides the students with information about the different level apprenticeships on offer.

Year 10/11 – Summer Term

Key dates:

June – Employers Morning
June – What Career? Live
July – One-to-One Personal Reviews

Towards the end of year 10, students will complete their first Initial Intention form which will track their possible future plans into Year 11 to ensure students receive dedicated careers advice and highlight any intervention opportunities.

Year 11 – Autumn Term

Key dates:

September–December – ‘Lunchbox Lectures’ – Level 3 Taster Sessions
September–December – Local Market Information through tutor time (T-levels & Local Providers)
October – Future Skills
November – Sixth Form Open Evening
November – Aim Higher Day
November-December – Personal Reviews to confirm initial intentions
December – Application and Personal Statement Writing

Year 11 students receive dedicated Life Skills lessons focused on post 16 planning. Students have the opportunity to explore the different options and levels available after year 11. Students are also given time to independently research post 16 options and application processes. Life Skills lessons also cover: how to write applications, what to include on a personal statement and information about the local labour market.

All Year 11 students have the opportunity to visit a post 16 provider in November on our Aim Higher Day. Students will be out of school for the day visiting a college or a university; experiencing what college/university life is like and have the opportunity to speak to current university students about their experience of post 16 education.

Throughout Year 11, students will also receive career focused assemblies, tutor time discussion and access to a qualified careers advisor appointments as a priority. It is the intention that all students have a Plan A and Plan B in place by April 2023 regarding their options post 16.

Year 11 – Spring Term

Key dates:

February – The Big Picture Careers Fayre
February – National Apprenticeship Assemblies
March – National Careers Assemblies
March – Local provider presentations
April – College presentations and workshops
Spring Term 2024 – Vandyke Sixth Form / Other Post 16 providers application deadline

Our The Big Picture Careers Fayre in February is where students can meet local colleges, universities, and apprenticeship providers. This event is also well supported by national and local employers, showing our commitment to delivering the Provider Access Legislation (Provider Access) with impartial careers information.

Initial Intentions forms will continue to track students throughout the year to ensure all students have understood the options available to them post 16 and to highlight any intervention opportunities.

Year 12 – Autumn Term

The Year 12 careers programme endeavours to expose students to all options to inform sound decision-making for the future. Regular alumni speakers, engagement with employers, apprenticeship providers and universities are designed to inspire students about their possible future paths while all students are encouraged to engage in enrichment activities to enhance their personal development portfolios.

Key dates:

September-December – Careers, Enrichment & Employability Programme during form time
September-December – University of Bedfordshire Subject Visits
October/November – SMILE Malawi Fundraising Project
October – What Career Live (London Olympia)
October – Future Skills
October – Personal Development Logs
October – Parent Information Event

Year 12 – Spring Term

Key dates:

January – Willen Hospice fundraising training
February – The Big Picture Careers Fayre
February – Apprenticeships Workshop ‘Amazing Apprenticeships’
February – Employability programme during tutor time
February – Destinations Questionnaire
February – National Apprenticeships Week
February – Launch of the Alumni Programme (Instagram)
March – ‘Meet the Apprentice’ Event with corporate speakers (FCDO & Nevilles) & alumni apprentices.

Year 12 – Summer Term

Key dates:

April – Apprenticeships or University?
April – UCAS Applications Guidance
May – UCAS Personal Statement Writing
May – ‘Next Steps’ Parent Information Event
June – Virtual Future Pathways Evening
June – Oxbridge Personal Statement Session
July – Targeted one to one employability sessions held during this week.
July – Year 12 Work Experience
July – CPR Training

Year 13 – Autumn Term

Careers support for Year 13 students is more targeted with students choosing whether to access apprenticeship/employment support or university application support or both! We also guide students to other pathways including local college courses, gap years, self-employment and portfolio careers.

Key dates:

September–December – Careers, Enrichment & Employability Programme during form time
September–December – University Open Day Visits (Organised independently along with the Year Team)
September – ‘Future Pathways’ Event with University of Hertfordshire and ASK Apprenticeships
September – ‘Apply for Apprenticeships’ & ‘Straight to Work’ Programmes begin
October – ‘Future Pathways’ Parent Information Event
October – Higher Education & Apprenticeship Workshops
October – Interview Workshop
November – SMILE Malawi – Project Management of fundraising events
November – Oxbridge Interview support
December – Tutor support with UCAS and apprenticeships applications

Year 13 – Spring Term

Key dates:

January – UCAS Applications Deadline
January – Apprenticeship weekly workshop begins
February – The Big Picture Careers Fayre
February – National Apprenticeships Week
March – ‘Meet the Apprentice’ Event with corporate speakers (FCDO & Nevilles) & alumni apprentices.
April – 4YP Interviews
April – MENCAP Summer Recruitment

Year 13 – Summer Term

Key dates:

May – Finalising apprenticeship & employment opportunities
August – confirm university offers and all other destinations.