ACE Programme
At Stockport School we have established a new programme focussed on widening the horizons of our cohort. Our ACE or Aspiring Careers Education programme runs regularly throughout the year and provides students with opportunities to hear from and interview real life employers and employees from across Stockport and the North West.
Many local businesses, employers, employees and ex-students support us with workplace visits, talks in assemblies, practice interviews, classroom workshops and attendance at our annual Careers Convention.
If you would be interested in taking part in one of our ACE sessions or you can support us in any way, please contact our School Careers Leader, E Riley Email here for further information.
Our Careers Programme
At Stockport School we believe our Careers Programme provides our students with a well-rounded education in careers, equipping them with the tools necessary to succeed in life beyond School, in further education or the workplace. We aim to provide students with the knowledge and understanding needed to make positive choices about their future and we encourage a climate of aspiration.
At Stockport School we plan activities, experiences and learning opportunities for our students around the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks:
1 : A stable careers programme
2: Learning from career and labour market information
3: Addressing the needs of each pupil
4: Linking curriculum learning to careers
5: Encounters with Employers and employees
6: Experiences of workplaces
7: encounters with further and higher education
8: personal guidance
Year 7
Activity | Description | Gatsby Benchmark |
Manchester Gateway Programme | Organised visits to Manchester University encouraging students from non-university families to have high aspirations. | 7 |
Careers education embedded within the wider curriculum | Teachers encourage students to consider a variety of careers by talking about their own experience, developing subject specific careers boards or inviting guest speakers into the classroom. Teachers seek out opportunities to promote STEM subjects, the Arts and Humanities through trips and activities in school. | 3,4 |
Form time enrichment | 3 week tutor lead programme encouraging students to think about where their different subjects could take them. Use of www.icould.com | 1,2,3,4 |
Year 8
Activity | Description | Gatsby Benchmark |
ACE Programme | Employer and employee encounters in a workshop environment | 1, 2, 5 |
Visits to workplaces including local offices, hospitals and site visits | Most recently these have included visits to offices, hospitals and construction sites. | 6 |
Manchester Gateway Programme | Organised visits to Manchester University encouraging students from non-university families to have high aspirations. | 7 |
Form time enrichment | 4 week tutor lead programme exploring working environments | 1, 6, 8 |
Subject specific activity | Opportunities are provided to support future study or career options through targeted visits or trips including dance, drama, music and arts, STEM subjects and humanities. | 2,3,4,5, |
Careers Lessons | Students will have up to 11 lessosn that look into different types of careers, workplace environments and the different kinds of skills needed in each sector. Each sector is grouped into a ‘cluster’ and each lesson focuses on a different cluster. Some exmaples of the clusters explored are: – Agriculture, Animals & The Natural Environment – Business, Finance & Law – Government & Public Services | 1,2,4,6 |
Year 9
Activity | Description | Gatsby Benchmark |
ACE Programme | Employer and employee encounters in a workshop environment | 1, 2, 5 |
“Why I want to be an engineer” | Science based project in which students investigate different types of engineering, including the chance to interview an engineer and enter a competition. | 4, 5 |
Manchester Gateway Programme | Organised visits to Manchester University encouraging students from non-university families to have high aspirations. | 7 |
Form time enrichment | 4 week tutor lead programme exploring the decision making process involved in choosing a career path. Students use the National Careers Service website in order to explore various jobs. | 2, 3, 4, 8 |
Careers Convention | Year 9 students, parents and carers are invited to attend our annual Careers Convention with a parent or carer. We have a vast range of employers, colleges, apprenticeship providers and university representatives on hand to offer guidance and answer any questions. | 2,3,5,7,8 |
Options Process | A comprehensive package aimed at helping students to make informed and positive decisions about their options choice. This package includes:
| 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 |
Alumni Programme | Meeting ex-students to raise aspirations, promote different study or career pathways or share expertise in specialist subjects. | 3,7 |
Subject specific activity | Opportunities are provided to support future study or career options through targeted visits or trips including dance, drama, music and arts, STEM subjects and humanities. | 2,3,4,5,7 |
Year 10
Activity | Description | Gatsby Benchmark |
Work Experience | Students undertake one week of work experience in the summer term. | 5, 6 |
Form time enrichment | 4 week tutor lead programme advising students on how to be “work ready”. | 1, 3 |
Careers Convention | Year 10 students, parents and carers are invited to attend our annual Careers Convention with a parent or carer. We have a vast range of employers, colleges, apprenticeship providers and university representatives on hand to offer guidance and answer any questions. | 2,3,5,7,8 |
Start of 1:1 Careers Guidance | Individual 30 minute interview with a qualified careers advisor, accompanied by detailed, tailored action plan. Follow up interviews are also available. | 3, 8 |
College Taster Days | Students are given the opportunity to attend an organised taster day at various colleges. | 7 |
Careers Lessons | Each student will have 8 careers lesson throughout Year 10, focussing on:
| 1, 2, 7 |
Alumni Programme | Meeting ex-students to raise aspirations, promote different study or career pathways or share expertise in specialist subjects. | 3,7 |
Financial Literacy | Opportunity for students to work with specialist employers to address financial matters which directly affect their future plans. | 2 |
Subject specific activity | Opportunities are provided to support future study or career options through targeted visits or trips including dance, drama, music and arts and STEM | 2,3,4,5,7 |
Year 11
Activity | Description | Gatsby Benchmark |
Induction Programme | Upon returning to school in September, students take part in a 2 day Induction Programme consisting of assemblies and optional workshops, led by visiting speakers representing colleges, universities and training providers, introducing students to the range of post-16 options available to them | 1, 3, 5, 7 |
Practice Interviews | Each Year 11 student will complete a formal application form including their skills, interests and future plans and then undertake a practice interview with an employer, college or apprenticeship provider matched to their preferences. | 3, 5, 7, 8 |
Completion of 1:1 Careers Guidance | Individual 30 minute interview with a qualified careers advisor, accompanied by detailed, tailored action plan. Follow up interviews are also available. | 3, 8 |
Our Futures Tracking Process | Students complete online surveys so our staff can assess how far down the application process they are in order to offer support and guidance where needed. | 1,3,4 |
Form time enrichment | 4 week tutor lead programme focussing on college applications, application form and CV writing, support with personal statement. | 1, 3, 8 |
Careers Convention | Year 11 students, parents and carers are invited to attend our annual Careers Convention with a parent or carer. We have a vast range of employers, colleges, apprenticeship providers and university representatives on hand to offer guidance and answer any questions. – Year 11s are also invited to attend our presentations from providers on the evening, | 2,3,5,7,8 |
CV and Application Form Workshops and Drop-in sessions | Extra support provided to students struggling with the application process | 8 |
Subject specific activity | Opportunities are provided to support future study or career options through targeted visits or trips including dance, drama, music and arts and STEM | 2,3,4,5,7 |
Careers Lessons | Each student will have 5 lessons focusing on the following topics: – The transition from school to post-16 education – Writing applications – Building on interview skills – Higher education – Preparing for working life | 1,2,4,8 |
Teachers
At Stockport School we believe that all members of staff have an important role to play in being positive role models who can share their knowledge of the world of work and the skills that are valued. Throughout the curriculum, teachers are encouraged to make explicit the relevance of the skills and learning in each subject to potential career paths and this may involve guest speakers, Alumni visits, workshops or trips beyond the classroom to raise students’ aspirations. All form tutors will be supported in the delivery of Careers enrichment activities to their forms. We encourage all our staff to share their own study and career pathways and colleagues may be asked to talk to students about their previous job roles as part of the ACE programme.
Feedback
At Stockport School, our careers programme is constantly evolving to fit in line with the changing needs of our students. We collect feedback regularly from students, staff and parents and use this to appropriately adapt our planning.
If you have any feedback, ideas or concerns you would like to share, please contact our School Careers Leader, E Riley via email here
For further information about our feedback policy, please click here
Use of GMACS & Xello
https://cascaid.co.uk/client-spotlight/how-stockport-school-uses-xello-to-support-1-2-1-guidance/
GREAT NEWS!
Useful Links
More information and useful links can be found on our Careers & Further education page.
For further details please see: Careers Policy
For further details about the careers programme please see: Delivery Plan
Upcoming College Virtual Open Days here