Robert Fairbairn

Careers Leader

Leanne Vo-Brown

Careers Leader

Careers Leader

Oastlers Careers Strategy

September 2022

Our strategy has evolved over the last three years as relationships with employers and providers have been developed. Our careers activities are still aligned to the key principles of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, that provide the foundation for our programme of careers education. The aim remains to allow our learners and their parents and carers the opportunity to make well-informed decisions about education, training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.

Our programme is set out clearly on the school’s website and promoted through newsletters and bespoke engagement with stakeholders. Learners discuss the programme in student council and parents are given an opportunity to understand how the programme works across each year group.

Extensive work has taken place as the COVID19 restrictions have eased, building links with employers who we have only been able to engage with on a virtual basis until recently. We have promoted our model of engagement via our work with the Leeds City Region LEP, building long term partnerships with employers. These partnerships allow for a continuity within our careers programme, as we seek to deliver a consistent and coherent model for our young people.

Our careers programme is designed annually with termly reviews to the Governing Body, it links directly into the school’s development plan and be part of the school’s review process. We seek regular and systematic feedback from learners, parents, teachers and employers to help inform development of the programme and the ongoing experience for all stakeholders.

We continue to work with stakeholders such as the LEP to have access to labour market opportunities. Our aim in 2022/23 is to ensure by the age of 14, all students have accessed and used information about career paths and the local labour market to inform the start of their decision-making process.

Our programme objectives are as follows:

1. To ensure there are opportunities across the curriculum to develop transferable life and social skills to support career development and employability.
2. To focus on learner development of self-advocacy, negotiation, decision-making and transition skills.
3. To design and implement purposeful interactions both within the curriculum and with wider stakeholders including parents, carers and encounters with Further and Higher Education providers.
4. To include and recognise feedback from learners both individually and collectively, considering personalised learning journeys.
5. Work collaboratively with external careers advice in the provision of Information Advice and Guidance. All guidance will be recorded with learners having access to these records to support their career development.
6. To develop our learners understanding of employment pathways ensuring they are well prepared for workplace opportunities, such as apprenticeships and routes through colleges and Post 16 providers.