Careers
Welcome to the careers page at Harris Garrard Academy.
We hope you find the below information useful. This page was designed by the Careers Ambassadors team (pictured below) and Ms Biosah. We will continue to update the page throughout the year. If you have any queries regarding careers, please contact Ms Biosah at y.biosah@harrisgarrard.org.uk or on 020 8320 4800.
The Harris Garrard Careers Ambassadors
Qesser 
Mustafa 
Toby
“Careers education is about inspiration and aspiration as much as advice.”
The world has changed greatly in the last 20 years with many people working in jobs today that simply didn’t exist when their parents left education.
The idea of a ‘job for life’ has disappeared. What’s important is to recognise these exciting new opportunities that are available and to gain the knowledge, skills and expertise that will enable you to work in those areas. You can download our higher education booklets below.
How do we prepare students for the future?
Harris Garrard Academy understands that all students need to prepare themselves for progression through learning and education into adulthood. We aim to prepare students for life after school by providing information on the ever-changing future occupations and progression routes to sixth form, college, university or work/apprenticeships.
We are committed to providing a varied programme of activities for all students from Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 13 and beyond. Various careers-related opportunities are provided via a number of different methods such as assemblies, tutor time programme, careers fairs, character days, practise careers interviews, career workshops, trips to employers and universities, and visiting speakers. The academy utilises the expertise of the Harris Federation Careers Advisor who supports students on a regular basis either during drop in sessions or also for booked appointments. These sessions can be 1-2-1, or completed in a group.
We offer particular support for SEND students. The aim is to provide activities and events that meet the needs of the individual students. We offer independent and impartial careers guidance to support career and option choices, raising the aspirations of individual students and equipping them with the necessary skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding.
Please see a summary of the HGA Careers Programme for all years below. If you require further information on our programmes, please contact Ms Biosah at y.biosah@harrisgarrard.org.uk or on 020 8320 4800.
|
When |
Activity |
Type of Activity |
Provider Access |
|
All year |
Assembly programme – All Years
|
Assembly |
Internal |
|
February 2019 |
Careers Fair – Years 5,6,9-13 An evening was put on for pupils to speak with external visitors to discuss career options. A range of employers and higher education providers attended. |
Information Evening |
External Providers |
|
All year |
Tutor time programme – All Years As part of the tutor time programme (taught by tutors during the week) students cover a variety of careers related key skills such as:
|
Tutor time programme |
Internal |
|
All year |
Careers Ambassadors Four pupils have been appointed as Careers Ambassadors. They had to apply and interview for the role. So far they have:
|
Extra-curricular |
Internal |
|
November 2018 |
Character Day – Year 7 Workshops were ran on rotation so that pupils covered a variety of topics/skills, such as:
|
Thematic Day |
Internal |
|
November 2018 |
University visits – Year 10 and Sixth form All year 12 students must visit at least one university during the summer term, and a variety of visits are facilitated by the sixth form team. Years 12 and 10 visited Sussex University. |
University Visits |
Internal |
|
March 2019 |
Character Day – Year 9 Workshops were ran on rotation so that pupils covered a variety of topics/skills, such as:
|
Thematic Day |
Internal and External |
|
March 2019 |
Career advisor tutor time session and Looking ahead forms – Year 11 Each year 11 tutor group filled out a looking ahead form which gathers data on intended destinations and interest in potential career pathways, allowing the careers team to target further interventions. The intention was to engage tutors with the career aspirations of their tutees and to determine intended destinations. |
Tutor Time |
Tutors |
|
3rd April 2019 |
Federation Careers Fair Sixth Formers attended a large careers fair at Harris Crystal Palace to meet a wide variety of employers, further and higher education providers. |
Careers Fair |
Harris Crystal Palace |
|
All Year |
Careers Interviews – Years 11, 12, 13 and 10 so far. Students identified as in need and/or students put forward by tutors have ‘early action planning’ careers meetings, setting targets for Key Stage 4 and beginning to think about work experience. |
Careers advisor interviews |
Federation Advisor |
|
All Year |
Personal Careers Guidance – All Years Every Thursday and Friday break and lunch time pupils are able to visit the careers advisor as a drop in session, which has been very popular. |
Personal Guidance |
Federation Advisor |
|
All year |
Sixth Form Assembly Programme
|
Assembly |
Internal |
|
All year |
Tutor time programme – Sixth Form The sixth form delivered tutor time programme (taught by tutors during the week) covers a variety of careers-related themes such as:
|
Tutor time programme |
Assistant Principal for Sixth Form |
|
November 2018 |
University visits – Year 10 and Sixth form All Year 12 students must visit at least one university during the summer term, and a variety of visits are facilitate by the sixth form team. Years 12 and 10 visited Sussex University. |
University visits |
Internal |
|
8th to 12th July 2019 |
Careers enhancement week All year 12 students are required to complete 1 week of work experience at the end of Year 12. They are supported by the Academy in finding and completing this. |
Work Experience |
Assistant Principal for Sixth Form |
|
16th July 2019 |
Employability Workshops Year 12 students are attending a day of workshops called a WOW day. The workshops are:
|
Employability Workshops |
External |
Evaluation of the careers programme, student voice and pupil impact
All of our events are evaluated by pupils in some way, either verbally or through a formal evaluation procedure. For example, after our careers fair in February 2019, pupils were given an evaluation form to complete where they could provide feedback on the evening. This data was then collated and analysed so that we can improve next year’s event. Student voice is extremely important to us in the academy and all suggestions are considered as ways to improve the pupils experience.
85% of pupils that attended our careers fair agreed that the event helped them in choosing their future career, and 97% of pupils would recommend the event to younger pupils for next year. Next year pupils would like to have more of the interactive workshops, as well as more leaflets for them to take away.
Careers booklets will be given to all pupils starting in September 2019 as a method of tracking their career progression throughout their time at the academy. All one-to-one interviews with our Level 7 trained Careers Advisor are logged and tracked, as well as their destinations data being kept up to date.
We also recognise that parents/carers come from many different work backgrounds and can also contribute to helping our students make informed decisions. Therefore, if you are able to offer some time to deliver an occupational talk, host a stand at our annual careers fair, or are able to take a student for a work experience placement we would really welcome you contacting Youlande Biosah on 020 8320 4800 or y.biosah@harrisgarrard.org.uk.
Year 10 higher education booklet
Year 11 higher education booklet
Labour market trends
We believe that young people need access to up-to-date careers and labour market information as it is important for social mobility. Many pupils have high aspirations but are unaware of how to plan for succeeding with them. Therefore, we provide information, guidance and explicit teaching of:
- employability skills, career pathways and progression routes in the local labour market
- job applications and interviews
- educational institutions, courses, qualifications, entry requirements and costs
- employment sectors, employers, jobs, salaries and employment trends
- jobs, training and apprenticeships
- financial planning
Up-to-date labour market information can be found of the government’s website at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uk-labour-market-statistics-sept-2018
Destinations
The information, advice and guidance we give our students helps them with the transition from Year 11 to Post 16. Destinations data for our 2017/18 cohort are given below.
Year 11 cohort - 2018 leavers
- Staying in education or training 93.4%
- Apprenticeship 2.2%
- Left the UK 0.7%
- Activity not captured in the data 2.9%
- NEET 0.7%
Year 13 cohort - 2018 leavers
- Employment 8.7%
- Staying in education or training 73.9%
- Apprenticeship 8.7%
- Activity not captured in the data 4.3%
Employers and visitors from other external organisations
Thank you to all the external organisations we have worked with including: The Department for Working Pensions; Criterion Theatre; PricewaterhouseCoopers; London Ambulance Service; Toolroom Records; Parenta; North Kent College; All Dimension; Pathway CTM; Ernest and Young; Army Cadets; Charlton Athletic; White Hat; London College of Performing Arts; National Apprentice Service; Newcastle University of London; NCS; Cap Gemini; and Pearson.
Access to external providers/speakers
We welcome outside speakers and organisations to contribute to our careers programme. An organisation wishing to request access should contact Youlande Biosah on 020 8320 4800 or y.biosah@harrisgarrard.org.uk. Requests will be considered in line with our visiting speaker procedure within our safeguarding policy.
This page is up to date as of Monday 1st July 2019. The page will next be reviewed in October 2019.
