Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
The School's Careers Leader is Mrs H Elliot, who can be contacted via: [email protected]
Careers education and guidance at Bourne Grammar School is carried out through a combination of the PSHE programme, individual meetings, careers and post-18 preparation days, careers guidance support and a lecture programme. We aim, through this CEIAG programme, to prepare our students for the responsibilities and opportunities that they will encounter in life and to aid them in making the right decisions for their futures.
We also hold a large Higher Education and Careers Fair biennially for Years 10-13 and use a Career of the Week format to share LMI with students, across a range of sectors. We work in partnership with the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC), use the CEC’s Compass Tool to evaluate our Careers Programme and have a member of the local business community allocated as our Enterprise Adviser.
At Bourne Grammar School we subscribe to an independent career, apprenticeship and university advice platform, Unifrog, which students are registered for in Year 8.
If you would like to look at Unifrog with your son/daughter then please visit https://www.unifrog.org/ — they will need their log-in information, or you can log-in as a parent. Guidance on how to do this can be requested from Mrs Elliot by email via [email protected].
Students can use this platform to investigate careers, universities, technical options and courses around the world, undertake online courses and record their own activities. There is also an excellent CV builder tool that will be of use to all students.
Measuring Impact
An annual transition report is prepared and reviewed by the School's Leadership Team each September. This looks at post-16 and post-18 destinations and is used to help tailor the careers strategy for the year ahead. In 2021, 100% of all Year 11 students went into the Sixth Form, further education with another provider, apprenticeships or employment. The majority of our Year 13 students go to university each year. You can read more detail on their destinations on the 'Results' page of our website.
Year 7
Students all work on their own Careers Family Tree, looking at what their parents and grandparents do/did in order to explore careers and job families. Students also attend a team-building residential and learn about problem-solving, income and banking through the PSHE programme. In March they register on Unifrog and have lessons dedicated to finding out about careers and the importance of skills and qualities.
Year 8
Year 8 are all registered onto the Unifrog programme which allows them to start thinking about careers and will attend an employer-led presentation. They also learn about challenging stereotypes, digital safety, types of employment, including volunteering, and raising aspirations through the PSHE programme.
Year 9
Students cover employability through the PSHE programme and will attend an employer-led presentation. Students explore their own skills and interests using Unifrog and are encouraged to find out about what is involved in a range of employment areas. Students are guided through the GCSE options process and are encouraged to explore their own learning styles and how these relate to the options available to them. They also look at the importance of Labour Market Information (LMI).The Year 9 Options Evening is supported by the Careers Leader. In the Summer Term year 9 students have the opportunity to experience the world of work by accompanying a family member or friend on ‘Go to Work Day. Prior to the day they receive guidance on workplace behaviour and afterwards they reflect on their experience and what they have learnt.
Year 10
Students cover budgeting and saving, inclusion, diversity and values and the Equality Act through the PSHE programme, as well as learning about higher education. In the Summer Term year 10 students have the opportunity to experience the world of work by accompanying a family member or friend on ‘Go to Work Day.
Year 11
We start the year with a post 16 pathways assembly and students are encouraged to attend a ‘Subject Matters’ talk given by a leading university, which covers subject choices and combinations at A Level. This is followed by our 6th Form Open Evening and an opportunity for a 1-1 post-16 guidance meeting. They also attend a talk given by Amazing Apprenticeships.
Year 12
Students are supported by an ongoing programme of visiting speakers throughout Year 12. Under the CEIAG heading these include: planning for the future, personal presentation, applying to university and apprenticeships, budgeting and university finance. All students will use Unifrog to record competencies, activities, Post-18 intentions and to research universities, courses and apprenticeships. They will also use the platform to research and carry out online courses, or MOOCs. In the summer term the students attend a Post-18 Day when we begin to look at personal statements, the UCAS process, employability skills and apprenticeships. All year 12 students have the opportunity for a 1:1 guidance meeting. In the summer term they have an opportunity to organise and undertake a week of work experience.
Year 13
Students are well-prepared for the UCAS process and receive individual help with the application form and personal statements. Once offers start to come through we also help students in the final decision-making process. The Sixth Form team is also on-hand on results day and afterwards to assist students with clearing and adjustment.
Help and advice is offered throughout the Sixth Form with alternatives to university and information on apprenticeships, school-leaver programmes and gap year opportunities is always available. Courses and 'taster sessions' are advertised to students to provide an insight into careers, professions and undergraduate courses. Mock interviews are arranged and past students are occasionally invited back to give advice to current Sixth Formers.
As we move forward from Covid restrictions our planned Careers Programme can be seen below. Insert Programme
A copy of our Provider Access Policy can be found here by clicking on the link on the right hand side.
Useful websites:
National Careers Service -a comprehensive careers website with job profiles, outlining: the skills required, main tasks, pay levels and career prospects for hundreds of different jobs. In addition, valuable guidance on the different stages involved in getting a job.
Apprenticeships– the government website for anyone wanting to know more about apprenticeships. The website has a search facility for job specific-apprenticeships in a particular area.
icould - helpful videos about a wide range of job roles
UCAS – a very helpful website for students thinking of applying to higher education. Also contains valuable information on different options, including apprenticeships
FutureFocus is a hub designed to bring together all aspects of careers, education and training for young people, parents/carers, adults and teaching professionals in Lincolnshire.
Last reviewed: October 2022