Careers

The Careers Department at Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College gives impartial information, advice and guidance to students on a wide range of issues that help them build the skills they will need for working life.

Careers Advice & Guidance

Careers Leader: Mr Dan Green

E mail: dgreen@ossett.accordmat.org

Telephone: 01924 232882

Careers Provision

Careers is an integral part of the curriculum offer within the academy and sixth form and aims to ensure students achieve the appropriate guidance to make informed choices and to be able to progress positively when they leave.

The careers provision and activities, set out below are in line with the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks to enable breadth and choice for students in their career decisions for the future. The careers provision is constantly being reviewed to ensure it meets the needs of the students.

Further information about Careers and Provider Access to the academy can be found in the policy section of the Accord Trust Website or alternatively by contacting Mr D Green via the details above.

Careers Education and Guidance –  Monitoring and Evaluation

At Ossett Academy and throughout the trust we consistently monitor and review the impact of all the activities we carry out. This includes the provision of Careers Education and Guidance. We review the delivery of the program constantly to meet the needs of our young people through evaluation and consultation. The Careers Guidance policy outlines in further detail how this is carried out. The policy is formally updated every two years.

Career Action Plans & Support

All students in Year 11 are entitled to a 1:1 careers appointment and will be given a written action plan to help them realise their goal, and to take home and discuss with parents/guardians so that they can assist their son/daughter in carrying out these actions. All action plans will be written by a Careers professional from the Careers Department where progress against actions set will be reviewed by members of the Careers Team. Some students will also be offered individual careers advice by Connexions.

Students can also access careers information, advice and guidance and support in the following ways:

• Register on Plotr to access impartial information on hundreds of different careers and the options available at post 16 and 18. To help register on the program and navigate your way around, see a member of the careers team. Parents also have access to this resource.
• Access support from the National Career’s Services online or by phone on 0800 100 900
• Lunch and break time drop-in sessions available in the careers office to ask for careers advice.
• Using the careers resources and IT facilities in the LRC & ILC
• Support to complete post 16 applications online, through the Wakefield Prospectus, the common application system used to apply for post 16 opportunities. For more information visit: www.wakefieldprospectus.co.uk

Careers Resources

At the academy, we have access to a wide variety of career resources both web and paper-based. In the LRC, ILC and careers office there are prospectuses for all the local further education colleges and universities nationally, as well as access to internet sites for researching career information and opportunities in general.

Student Destinations

The Ossett Academy Destination Data outlines the destination data for Ossett Academy, showing the current breakdown of destinations for the 2021 cohort and the three year Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) and In – Learning trend.

Go Higher West Yorkshire (GHWY)

Go Higher West Yorkshire is working in partnership with Ossett Academy to help students make decisions about thier next steps in education. They support students through providing careers information, advice & guidance through a range of activities to help them understand the wide range of opportunities available including Higher Education (HE).

Go Higher West Yorkshire is a partnership of universities and colleges working together to help everyone who can benefit to access and succeed in higher education. They are part of the Office for Students (OfS) and deliver the Uni Connect Programme – impartial advice and guidance on college and university. Uni Connect is funded by the Office for Students. It is a national network of hubs across England which offer impartial advice, guidance and activities on the benefits and realities of higher education in college and university.

Go Higher West Yorkshire using student level data to support evaluation of their programmes to monitor progression and to constantly review and improve the services offered to students. Please see how they use the data gathered in the HEAT Privacy Notice Ossett Academy. If you require any further information about the activities undertaken with Ossett Academy, please contact Mr D Green – Careers Leader.

Apprenticeships

The academy widely promotes apprenticeship opportunities to all its students through group sessions and apprenticeship workshops. It offers students the chance to complete CVs and to research what qualifications are required for the job, what hours they could expect to work and what salary they can expect. Students are directed to the national apprenticeship service website www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship and parents can also use the site to support their sons/daughters. The academy also works closely with Wakefield Apprenticeship Hub which focuses on supporting residents in the area to find apprenticeships. Vacancies are regularly promoted around the academy and through social media. See the website http://www.wakefieldfirst.com/apprenticeships

Careers Convention

We also host a Careers Convention for students for years 7 to 13 in the autumn term. The convention involves employers and educators from both regional and national organisations offering advice and information on Apprenticeships, Work, Higher Education and Gap Years.

Unique High Education Fair

In the summer term, the Sixth Form College hosts a higher education fair focusing on students’ progression to university. This is focused at Year 12 and Year 13 students but Year 11 students are also encouraged to attend. The fair also hosts guest speakers who present on the UCAS system and student finance. The presentation from our 2019 event can be found below.

Work Experience

Work experience can be available on a bespoke basis for the student. This can be anything from 1 day up to a week in length and can be arranged by the student with the help of the careers team. For further information, please see a member of the Careers Team.

Year 7

In year 7 you will be introduced to the support the Careers Department can offer you and the range of resources you can access throughout your time at Ossett Academy and Sixth Form College.

Year 8

In Year 8 you will start to explore different careers in relation to your subject which you study and the career and occupations they relate to in the world of work. You will also have access to the interactive educational resources called ‘The Real Game’ and ‘Career Detectives’.

Year 9

In Year 9 students will have the opportunity to discuss their options for Key Stage 4 to assist them with their choices and future career aspirations.

Year 10

In Year 10 all students complete a mock job application and interview with an external member of the community or employer to give them a real-life experience of an interview situation. This is vital in preparing students for applying to sixth form, college or apprenticeship after Year 11.

Year 11: Wakefield Prospectus – Applying for Post 16 Options

All year 11s in October are issued with their individual login and password for the Wakefield Prospectus online application system. This is where all applications are made to Post 16 providers e.g. Sixth Form or College. Students will receive support in lessons to complete their application but are encouraged to research the opportunities available to them at home, where possible. The website is www.wakefieldprospectus.co.uk

To support students to complete the Personal Statement Section of applications, the attached step by step guide is strongly recommended to be followed, in order to produce that ‘winning statement’. Students will also receive support from form tutors to complete it.

Student Entitlement

As a student of Ossett Academy you are entitled to:

• Individual and impartial careers guidance from a suitably qualified professional.
• Be treated with respect.
• The opportunity to gain the skills that you need to prosper in your chosen career.
• Access to up to date careers information that is suitable to your needs.
• Information about all the options available to you at 16 and 18 years of age.
• An action plan to help you make the next steps on your journey to your chosen career.
• Be referred for extra support if you need it and to other agencies where appropriate.

Parents/Carers Entitlement

As a parent of a student at Ossett Academy you are entitled to:

• Speak to a trained member of staff about your child’s career and education plans.
• A copy of your child’s career action plan.
• Impartial and up to date information on a range of topics including: Options at 16, Options at 18, Student Finance.
• Attend events and parents’ evenings designed to offer you information and advice on your child’s future.
• Attend your child’s careers interview