Careers

During year 7 we would encourage parents/carers to talk to students about their areas of interest and the skills they already have. We would encourage students to explore new activities through the OOSHL and enrichment programme so as to broaden their horizons.

Introduce students to the careers programme

Introduction to ‘Start’ https://www.startprofile.com/  – online careers tool (log in details provided on the Frog site and the Careers Google Classroom.)

PSHE lessons focused on skills understanding

Mentor time sessions focusing on personal target setting

Enrichment programme allows for the broadening of curriculum

OOSHL activities to explore new skills and interests

The iCould https://icould.com/ website allows students to think about career choices and your personality.

In year 8 our students will make their options choices for GCSE. It is important that they think about making choices that are broad and balanced. They will need to talk through the options that are available and be confident with what they have selected.

There are some useful sites for you below:

BBC Bitesize- GCSE options https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zrjh92p

Career Pilot – https://careerpilot.org.uk/parent-zone/all-questions/how-can-i-help-my-child-make-their-option-choices-in-year-9-some-schools-make-option-choices-in-y8

Uni guide – https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/gcse-choices-university/how-important-are-gcse-choices-when-it-comes-to-university

There will also be other information to help you with this process including:

Options process

• Parent’s information event
• Parent’s evening (subject focused)
• Options booklet

Year 8 Options guidance

Students will also be able to try out some of the options during the enrichment programme in year 7 and 8 or through taster sessions offered in year 8. All students will have a 1:1 individual options meeting with a member of staff to discuss and confirm their options choices. Pupils, parents and carers can also request an individual meeting with our careers advisor.

Other careers focused activities in year 8 include:

PSHE lessons (careers exploration)

Big Bang Fair at the NEC

University partnership programmes

In year 9 students will start their GCSE options and it is important that they get into good learning habits. At the start of the year there will be an Aiming Higher event which focuses on developing study and revision skills.

Please see our exam and revision support section of the FP2 website for more information.  https://finhampark2.co.uk/exam-and-revision-support/

Other careers activities in year 9 include:

PSHE lessons (entrepreneurship, life skills)

Careers Fair

University partnership programmes

Revisit the ‘Start’ online guidance programme

In year 10 students will complete a week of work experience in the Spring Term. The aim of work experience is to allow students to:

• Develop self confidence
• Experience a place of work first hand
• Gain experiences that can influence their thinking around career choices
• Learn employability skills

Where possible, students should try to secure a private placement in a chosen area of interest. This could be done through family contacts or through students directly contacting places of work for themselves. Many companies now ask for online applications to be filled in by students or require letters of application sent directly to them. All of our Year 10 students will be encouraged through the PSHE programme to have letters and CVs ready for this purpose. They will also have guidance about companies they could approach through the careers programme. 1:1 meetings can be scheduled with the careers advisor if more support is needed.

CV writing link – Live Career https://www.livecareer.co.uk/build-cv

National Careers Service – https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/cv-sections

All placements are checked by Warwickshire Work Experience Services to ensure their suitability and also check that they meet Health and Safety requirements. They will also help provide students with placements if private ones cannot be organised.

During 2020 and 2021 we have not been able to offer work experience due to COVID restrictions. With these in place some students accessed virtual work experience and this is likely to still be available into 2021-22 that could be done additionally to the face to face week.

A useful parent/carer guide to virtual work experience can be found at https://www.theparentsguideto.co.uk/post/virtual-work-experience

Students have secured placements in a variety of locations including:

• Retail
• Education (primary)
• Nurseries
• Service industries (hotels, leisure centres)

Other careers activities in year 10 include:

PSHE/Core lessons (applications and employability)

Careers Fair

University partnership programmes and applications for summer schools

1:1 Careers interviews

The focus for year 11 in the careers programme is transition and post 16 options. We aim to ensure that all students are ready to access the next steps of their journey. It is important that students start to think early about what options are available to them.

https://www.theparentsguideto.co.uk/tips/categories/options-at-16

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

More information will be shared with parents/carers at the Aim Higher event in the winter term.

We will provide them with 1:1 individual interviews to give them personalised guidance. Information and guidance will be shared with parents as long as students are happy for this to happen.

To help them prepare for applications and interviews we would recommend that students have a CV ready and we will support them with this process during mentor time as well as through CV writing workshops. Some examples of CVs for 16 year olds can be found at: https://www.livecareer.co.uk/cv-examples/cv-for-16-year-old

To help students develop a strong CV we would encourage them to continue to attend OOSHLs and participate in activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award https://www.dofe.org/ which includes skill development, volunteering, physical activity and expeditions.

CV writing link – Live Career https://www.livecareer.co.uk/build-cv

National Careers Service – https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/cv-sections

Options at post 16 could include attending a Sixth Form to complete A-levels or vocational courses.

https://sixthform.finhampark2.co.uk/

All parents and students will be able to visit the Sixth Form centre for the Open Evening in the winter term (COVID restrictions permitting) and learn more about what is available at Finham Park 2. Further activities such as taster sessions and meetings with staff and Sixth Form students will also take place during the year.

Students may also wish to apply to other post 16 colleges and they have open evenings and events available throughout the year.

Coventry College https://www.coventrycollege.ac.uk/

Warwickshire College https://wcg.ac.uk/

Solihull College https://www.solihull.ac.uk/

Apprenticeships are also delivered by a number of local providers including:

Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce https://www.cw-chambertraining.co.uk/apprenticeships/

Engineering apprenticeships https://www.mgts.co.uk/

Other careers activities in year 11 include:

Mentor time programme including assemblies about local labour market information

Careers Fair

University partnership programmes and applications for summer schools

NCS (National Citizenship Service)

1:1 Careers interviews

During Sixth Form the careers programme will include supporting students with their post 18 options. We would encourage parents/carers to be aware of what opportunities there are available to student’s post 18. These could include:

• University https://www.ucas.com/undergraduate/applying-university/ucas-undergraduate-advice-parents-and-guardians
• Apprenticeships https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-parents-guide-to-apprenticeships
• Training https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
• Employment https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/

Parents will be able to find out more through the Sixth Form newsletters.

The careers programme in school will include:

1:1 guidance meetings

Careers workshops

CV workshops

Work experience (one week)

British Army teambuilding event

Careers Fair

Mock interviews

We would encourage students to continue to develop interests wider than just their school curriculum for example taking part in OOSHLs or widening their experience through activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award https://www.dofe.org/ which includes skill development, volunteering, physical activity and expeditions. Taking on a part time job or volunteering can also give valuable insight into the work environment as well as developing employability skills as long as this is balanced with school commitments.