Careers Education

Excellent futures – our careers vision

At Harris Garrard Academy, we believe that a well-planned and carefully delivered careers programme is essential in preparing students for successful futures.

Our careers provision raises aspirations, instils ambition and promotes achievement. We engage, support and empower students to build confidence, resilience and motivation, enabling them to aim high, develop their skills and talents, and achieve their goals.

From an early age, students are exposed to careers and work-related learning that develops curiosity and self-awareness – not only about future careers and higher or further education, but also about their individual strengths, interests and aptitudes.

We promote careers across a wide range of sectors and pathways, ensuring students understand multiple routes to success, including further education, apprenticeships, training and higher education, while actively challenging stereotypes and discrimination.

Our careers programme is aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks and Provider Access Legislation (Baker Clause), ensuring that all students receive high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance throughout their time at the academy.

For further information, please contact our Careers Lead, Laury-Ingrid Ntoko, at
careers@harrisgarrard.org.uk

Our Careers Education Policy and Provider Access Policy (Baker Clause) can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Our careers programme

All students receive high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance throughout their time at Harris Garrard Academy.

The programme supports students to explore opportunities, raise aspirations and make informed decisions at key transition points, while developing the skills, confidence and knowledge needed for future success.

As part of our careers programme, all students will:

• experience careers learning embedded across the curriculum, with clear links between subjects, skills, future pathways and careers
• take part in a planned programme of careers education through tutor time and assemblies across all year groups
• engage in meaningful encounters with employers, universities, further education colleges, apprenticeship and training providers
• receive impartial and personalised careers guidance, tailored to individual interests, strengths and aspirations
• complete work experience placements in Year 10 and Year 12, gaining first-hand experience of the workplace
• build and maintain a digital careers portfolio using Unifrog, supporting reflection, exploration and applications
• develop a clear understanding of post-16 and post-18 pathways, including university, apprenticeships, technical education and employment
• receive practical guidance and support with CV writing, applications and interview preparation
• access targeted support at key transition points, including Year 9 options, post-16 choices in Year 11 and post-18 pathways in Year 13

Our careers programme is inclusive and responsive, ensuring that students from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with SEND receive appropriate, tailored support to enable them to access opportunities and achieve positive destinations.

Download our Careers Curriculum and Delivery Programme

Careers guidance and support

Many students have high aspirations but may be unsure how to plan and progress towards them. Our careers guidance is designed to broaden horizons, build cultural capital and support informed decision-making, whatever a student’s background.

Students have access to impartial and personalised careers guidance from trained professionals: Careers Adviser: John Milne, Harris Federation Careers Team
careers@harrisgarrard.org.uk

Students can request appointments at any time or attend weekly drop-in sessions in the Careers Corner.

Guidance and teaching support students to develop understanding of:

• employability skills and career pathways, including progression routes in the local labour market
• job applications, CV writing and interview skills
• education providers, courses, qualifications, entry requirements and costs
• employment sectors, job roles, salaries and labour market trends
• apprenticeships, training routes and employment options
• financial planning and decision-making

Click HERE to visit the Harris Federation Careers Education website.

Labour market information

When considering exciting opportunities for future careers, it’s important to have a good understanding of employment prospects within different industries, ie. is it a growing or declining sector?

Please use our Labour Market Information for All widget below to explore which careers are projected to grow to help guide your decisions.

It provides access to a selection of UK headline data relating to pay, weekly hours of work and future employment prospects for different occupations, as well as description of the occupation.

Simply type in the title of the job in which you are interested and the widget provides a series of options from which you can select the most relevant to you. You can then look up another two occupations and compare. You can also select ‘display the UK average’ and compare the information with the occupation you have selected.

Destinations data and impact

Our careers programme leads to strong and sustained outcomes for students.

The vast majority of students progress into education, training or employment at both post-16 and post-18, with NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) reduced to 0% in the most recent cohorts. Around 20% of students sustain progression to Russell Group universities post-16, reflecting high aspirations, effective guidance and well-matched pathways. Outcomes for Free School Meals and SEND students are equally strong, demonstrating that our careers guidance removes barriers and supports all students to access ambitious next steps.

Leaders review destinations and progression regularly to refine the programme and raise aspiration year on year, ensuring students leave Harris Garrard Academy confident, informed and well prepared for their futures.

Year 11 destinations data