• CAREERS PROGRAMME INFORMATION

Harington School is committed to providing its students with high quality careers advice and guidance that best informs their Post-18 options into higher education, degree apprenticeships, or alternative pathways. Our careers programme aims to ensure that the various needs of all are students are met and delivered in a way that raises their ambitions and aspiration.

At a national level the government has provided schools with clear guidance regarding our responsibilities towards careers. This guidance can be read here. A lot of this guidance references the principles of an effective careers programme set out within the Gatsby Benchmarks. which the school uses to help evaluate our provision.

The careers programme at Harington School has been designed to specifically:

  • Ensure that students are fully aware of the opportunities available to them at Post-18 in the fields of further and higher education, degree apprenticeships and direct employment;
  • Ensure that students are well placed and supported to make a strong and successful application to their chosen aspirational Post-18 pathways;
  • To provide students with the necessary work-related skills and attributes required to succeed in the work place and further study;
  • To ensure that parents are well informed of the support provided and the role they can play supporting career preparation.

 

Our careers lead is Mrs Natalie Henry-Oliver and she can be contacted at nhenry-oliver@haringtonschool.com or  01572 772579

The careers information provided on the School website will be reviewed again in July 2024.

Other members of staff responsible for the implementation of the programme include:

  • Our Federation Careers Advisor, Mrs Meynell who will provide independent advice for individual students regarding career options and who will liaise with the Post -18 programme of study senior lead to organise external events that support the careers programme. These include career and apprenticeship fetes.
  • Delegated teaching staff who, lead agreed elements of the careers programme. This will typically be linked to the development of specific career pathways or the tutorial programme which support careers. Currently this is: Mr Gumbeer (Oxbridge Lead, UCAS support and Law Pathway), Mrs Green (UCAS and Oxbridge support), Mrs Jackson (Apprenticeship Lead), Mrs Tipper (EPQ Lead), Mr Foxall and Mr Tervet (Engineering Pathways), Mr Austin (Mathematics Pathway), Miss Benn and Miss Pancholi (Psychology Pathway), Mrs Atkinson (DocSoc Lead and Biological Sciences Pathway), Mr Smith (Business and Finance Pathway), Mr Parker (Teaching Pathway), Miss Dickenson (DocSoc support and Chemical Sciences Pathway). Additional information about our pathways programme can be found in our Academic Enrichment section of the website.
  • Form tutors who will provide individual support to tutees regarding the appropriateness of their chosen pathways, and in ensuring a high standard of application. Form tutors also play an important role in delivering key aspects of the tutorial programme linked to careers guidance along with one to one mentoring support for our students.
  • Subject teachers who will provide specialist advice on related application and make clear how the skills and knowledge developed through their own curriculum design links to future employment opportunities.

The School is committed to working in effective partnership with external agencies to ensure a strong careers programme. The list below is not exhaustive but an indicative list of the expertise the School draws upon;

  • University of Leicester – We are fortunate to welcome a member of the universities outreach and admission team onto the school’s governing body. As a partner university, Leicester provides the school with guidance around personal statements, application processes and student finance. We work in partnership with the university to ensure that additional support is available for our more vulnerable students.
  • University of Lincoln – As a partner university we are pleased to work with the university who provide subject specialist master classes in a number of subject areas.
  • Oakham School – As a partner school under the Free School movement, Oakham provides support and expertise in a number of niche areas. This currently includes a joint Medical Society run between the schools for between 10 and 15 students each year.
  • St Catherine’s College, Cambridge is our Oxbridge outreach provider who visit the school regularly to provide bespoke advice on the application and interview process.
  • UNIFROG – All students have access to this commercial service as they enter the school in Year 12. UNIFROG is the complete destination package that allows students to access impartial advice about future carers in a whole range of areas. Further information about this programme can be found here

Our careers programme runs throughout the time students are studying at the School. Prior to starting at Harington all students receive a one-to-one interview, typically with the Head of School or senior leader, where advice is provided linked specifically to career routes and A level choices. In addition to this students benefit from a comprehensive careers curriculum.

The highlights of this programme include:

  • An academic enrichment programme in Year 12 (Terms 1-4) in which all our students choose a careers pathway that interests them. This programme includes Engineering, Business and Finance, Teaching, Law, Psychology, Science and Medicine / Veterinary Science. Students will also complete two terms of volunteering in order to develop those really important softer skills.
  • Tutorial programme that covers work related skills, business enterprise and links to personal finance.
  • Opportunities for all our students to develop their employment skills further. We run a wide range of schemes that include Duke of Edinburgh Programme (Gold and Silver Award), opportunities to complete the Extended Project Qualification;
  • Access to a careers advisor who can provide impartial advice and guidance;
  • A number of lectures from external partners including university and apprenticeship providers;
  • Access to external events including university and apprenticeship fairs;
  • A mock interview week where all students complete a one to one interview;
  • A pathways programme that supports those particularly competitive Post-18 routes such as Oxbridge or Medicine;
  • High quality Post-18 guidance, explicitly around university application writing and submissions. A Post-18 focus week where students have opportunities to discuss their application with graduates and local employers;
  • Support and guidance for students and parents throughout the process including parents information evenings and support on A level results day.
  • Access and support to access work related learning experiences either in person or virtually.

The impact of the careers programme is measured each year to ensure that it achieves the aims set up in the intent section of this policy. This will be reported upon in the annual Transformation Plan. In particular this evaluation will include:

  • A summary of those students that achieved their preferred university or apprenticeship choice, including an account of those students who achieved a successful application to Russell Group and other prestigious universities;
  • Student survey responses, collected annually which questions the overall quality of provision, alongside specific application process support;
  • Tutorial observations completed during the sessions on employability / careers skills;
  • Focus group with students to discuss their bespoke support.

 

Additional information can be found within our careers policy.

You can download the Post 18 Careers Focus Overview here.

Post-18 careers: useful links for parents