Careers and Employability Overview

• Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at Colston’s School is managed by

our full-time Head of Careers and Employability, Miss McCoy (EMcCoy@colstons.bristol.sch.uk)

• Pupils and parents in any year group are welcome to book an appointment with Miss McCoy at any

time

• Our careers and employability programme is tailored to meet the changing needs of our pupils at the

different stages of their schooling

• The programme is delivered by Miss McCoy, tutors, teachers and a range of industry experts

• Pupils have access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that:

• is presented in an impartial manner

• enables them to make informed choices about a broad range of career options

• helps encourage them to fulfil their potential

Year 7 - 9 Year 7 • Who am I and what am I good

at? • Employability skills • The reality of working life and

different lifestyles • Careers research

Year 8 • Beliefs about work and careers • Stereotypes in the workplace • Self-awareness • How to explore careers

pathways and make decisions Year 9 • Introduction to careers

resources and different careers • Choosing GCSE options • Ongoing individual guidance

Year 10 and 11 Year 10 • Self-awareness and career

pathways • Work experience

Year 11 • Optional aptitude tests • Post-16 options sessions • CV / interview skills • Apprenticeship / college

applications support sessions • Structured and impartial one-

to-one careers interview and detailed action plan

• Ongoing individual guidance, as requested

Sixth Form - Future Leaders

Lower Sixth • Workshops from industry experts • Mock interviews with employers • Professional Projects with world-

class organisations • University and apprenticeship talks • Unifrog: university support tool • Individual careers appointments

Upper Sixth • Optional aptitude tests • Post-16 options sessions • Further CV/interview skills • Apprenticeship/college

applications support sessions • Careers interview and action plans • Individual guidance

Content Skills, qualities, the world of work and self-awareness

• Who am I and what am I good at?

• Introduction to employability skills and qualities

• Introduction to the world of work

• Beliefs about work and careers: challenging stereotypes in

the workplace

• Being assertive

• Budgeting

Delivery • Career guidance forms part of the PSHE

programme in timetabled sessions and tutor

times

• Pupils and parents can request individual career

guidance appointments

Careers and Employability in Years 7 and 8

Resources STEPs Career Booklets

• All Year 7 and 8 pupils receive a STEPs individual careers workbook, tailored

to each year group

• A range of topics helps pupils understand more about themselves and the

world of work. Topics include: what have you achieved?; roles that I think

are successful; what are you like? skills for life; how do you learn? what is

work? are school and work so different? what do you want from work? how

do you make decisions?

Frog – Virtual Learning Environment

• Access to our Careers and Employability platform on our Frog VLE

• Provides links to useful and relevant careers and labour market information

Content Skills, qualities and self-awareness

• The realities of working life and different lifestyles

• Self-awareness

• How to explore careers pathways and make decisions

• Choosing GCSE options

Delivery

• Career guidance forms part of the PSHE

programme in timetabled sessions and tutor

times

• Year 9 Options Evening provides guidance for

pupils and parents

• Pupils and parents can request individual career

guidance appointments

Careers and Employability in Year 9

Resources

KUDOS

• Pupils are introduced to our computer-assisted programme, Kudos, which provides

career ideas based on likes and dislikes, and is an excellent resource for information on:

• What employers are looking for

• Salary information

• Qualifications required for different careers

STEPs Career Booklets

• All Year 9 pupils receive a STEPs individual careers workbook, tailored to their year group,

which covers a range of topics: personal qualities; skills and jobs ; skills for life and work;

tell us why it should be you; learning styles; using reliable information; choosing options

Frog – Virtual Learning Environment

• Access to our Careers and Employability platform on our Frog VLE

• Provides links to useful and relevant careers and labour market information

Careers and Employability in Years 10 and 11

Content Developing knowledge of the world of work and post-16

options

• Self-awareness and careers pathways

• Impartial one-to-one careers interview and detailed

action plan

• Exploring post-16 options

• Work experience and reflection

• Optional aptitude tests (in Year 11)

• CV and interview skills development

• Apprenticeship / college applications support

Resources STEPs Career Booklets

• All Year 10 and 11 pupils receive a STEPs individual careers workbooks, tailored to each year group

• A range of topics are covered, including: work and lifestyle; developing your personal sales pitch; qualifications and their

equivalents; which way to go; the changing job market and making applications

KUDOS

• Pupils maintain access to our computer-assisted careers programme, Kudos

Work Experience

• Year 10 pupils are provided with guidance and support with work experience applications,

including our extensive contacts database

Frog – Virtual Learning Environment

• Access to our Careers and Employability platform on our Frog VLE

• Provides links to useful and relevant careers and labour market information

Delivery • Career guidance forms part of the PSHE programme

in timetabled lessons and tutor times

• Pupils and parents can request individual career

guidance appointments

• All Year 11 pupils receive a structured and impartial

one-to-one careers interview exploring:

• Employability skills and qualities

• Opportunities within the labour market

• Post-16 options

• Individual action plans

Careers and Employability in the Sixth Form

Resources Unifrog

• Online tool that compares university courses and apprenticeship opportunities

• Specialised Oxbridge features for those applying to Oxford or Cambridge

Industry and academia

• Frequent collaboration with professionals from industry and academia, including

Professional Projects, mock interviews, talks / workshops and work experience

• Partnerships with UCAS and universities throughout the UK

• Partnership with School Leaver Programme / Higher Apprenticeship providers and regular

visits from companies to promote a range of opportunities

Frog – Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

• Access to our Careers and Employability platform on our Frog VLE

• Provides links to useful and relevant careers and labour market information

Content Employability, life skills and applications

• Employability skills, CV and interview preparation,

assessment centres and aptitude tests

• Mock interviews with employers

• Professional Projects with world-class employers

• University and apprenticeship talks, applications and

interview support

• Competitive admissions programme (incl. Oxbridge)

• Student finance and independent living talks

• Enrichment and life skills sessions

Delivery • Career guidance is

delivered through the

Future Leaders programme

with 2 ½ hours of

timetabled lessons per

week

• Students and parents can

request individual career

guidance appointments