Parents

There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. The landscape of education, training and employment opportunities that students need to navigate is more complex and more challenging than that faced by previous generations. While the economy is beginning to recover from the recent recession, levels of youth unemployment and under-employment are still high. The raising of the age for participating in learning means that young people face a wider range of choices of courses and places to study.

Qualifications such as GCSE and A level are changing, and opportunities in higher education extend now beyond the UK to other parts of Europe and further afield. Students need help to make choices and manage transitions: they need good quality careers education, information, advice and guidance.

The careers plan sets out how Workington Academy intends to provide a good careers programme with the available resources which will provide our students with the knowledge, inspiration and ability to take ownership of their own career action plans which will enable them to succeed in their chosen career paths.

The plan is based on the DfE document “Careers Guidance and Inspiration in Schools” dated March 2015. The main outcomes of the plan (over the coming years) is to achieve the 8 recommendations of the Gatsby report “Good Career Guidance” dated 2014.

Careers education does not just mean informing students about their options after school but also how their school career will affect their futures. It is our statutory duty to ensure that all pupils receive independent, impartial advice and guidance regarding all options within school and how they will affect their options after school and which careers pathways will become available to them. By helping students with decisions at crucial stages, informing them of all their options and introducing them to the world of work, we aim to prepare them for life after school whichever path they choose.

We believe that at Workington Academy we offer good advice and guidance for our young people. The Careers and Enterprise company provide the ‘Compass’ tool in order to assess and evaluate the schools’ current careers practices and procedures. Our progress towards achieving the eight benchmarks identified as key for outstanding careers provision are outlined below:

We know that you want to support your child to be successful and that everyone involved in a child’s life has responsibilities to fulfil to make this happen. As parents/carers we ask that you:

• Support son/daughter(s) to use online resources including Unifrog.
• Attend relevant information evenings to understand the opportunities available to young people in both the local area and nationally.
• Complete questionnaires and surveys in relation to the effectiveness and usefulness of careers events.

We continue to recommend that all students regularly log-in to Unifrog to conduct searches and log their activities and competencies weekly. Information and self-help material are available on the student careers page on Firefly. Below are additional resources that can be used with young people to support their decision-making processes.

Resource	Description
www.yeuk.org.uk	YEUK is the leading campaigning and membership organisation dedicated to tacking youth unemployment in the UK
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/	Provide information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work
www.icould.com	Features films of real people talking about their careers and the route they took
www.careersbox.co.uk	Free online library of careers related films, news and information
www.ucas.co.uk	Information about university courses and applications
http://ncfe.org.uk	Information about careers and qualifications you need
www.successatschool.org	Lots of information about careers sectors, information and advice
www.plotr.co.uk	For 11-25 year olds with articles and expert advice, plus employer profiles
www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk	Over 7000 reviews by school leavers on apprenticeships and lots of advice and opportunities.
www.getingofar.gov.uk	Information about apprenticeships with video clips and opportunities
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk	Lots of information, advice and guidance on careers in the NHS
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk	Aims to help young people make informed decisions showing opportunities outside of traditional university
www.parentalguidance.org.uk	Careers information and advice for parents and carers
www.goconstruct.org	Information about careers in the construction industry
https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk	For young people aged 13-16. CV Builder, job profiles and lots more.
www.barclayslifeskills.com	To learn about life skills, interview skills, application and CV writing
www.princes–trust.org.uk	Information to help young people make informed decisions about careers
www.volunteering.org.uk	Information about volunteering in different sectors
www.bestcourse4me.com	Independent and free information that shows links between what you study, what you can earn and what jobs are available
www.applytouni.com	Information about applying to university
http://unistats.direct.gov.uk	The official website for comparing universities.
www.how2become.com/resources/ultimate–guide–tobuilding–a–cv	Information about how to write a winning CV
http://www.cumbrialep.co.uk	The Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership providing information about the current labour market.
https://www.inspira.org.uk	Information about the Labour market in Cumbria, what support is available
https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk	The largest student community in the world, discussing universities, health, lifestyle, relationships and has free university application help
https://www.gov.uk	Link to Job Centre Plus and National Careers Website

We regularly add information to this page and share updates via social media. Please follow us on social media so that you can be alerted to any new information that we share.

Workington Academy is working towards The Quality in Careers Standard.  We have completed stage 1 and are now working towards stage 2. The aim of the award is to:

1. Ensure young people get the support they need to make well informed, realistic decisions about their future through careers education, information, advice and guidance.
2. Have appropriate, up to date, accurate and impartial information and resources that all young people can access regardless of race, gender, religion, ability, disability, social background or sexual orientation.
3. Ensure the organisational policies relating to careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) are up to date and regularly reviewed and reflect this code of practice.
4. Empower young people by informing them of how they can access CEIAG to help them plan their future and make well informed, realistic decisions.
5. Provide young people from Year 7 onwards access to impartial professionally qualified careers guidance and ensure formal regular assessment arrangements are carried out of the guidance practitioner, by appropriately qualified senior staff to determine ongoing competency.
6. Offer all young people access to impartial and independent careers guidance, at a time and place that suits their needs.
7. Ensure that all staff working with young people are offered and access ongoing training about qualifications/progression pathways and other relevant subjects and that there is a formal system in place to ensure the competency of all staff in delivering CEIAG.
8. Work in partnership, where appropriate, with opportunity providers including employers, FE and training providers, and youth support services.
9. Working with parents/carers to offer them information, advice and guidance to help them, help their son/daughter.
10. Involve young people in the design, delivery and evaluation of CEIAG programmes.
11. Promote equality of opportunity, celebrating diversity, challenging stereotypes and raising aspirations.