Careers Advice

Child Employment

The law relating to child employment allows for young people aged 13 and above to take on part time employment. Any young person who assists in a trade or occupation for profit is considered as employed, even if they receive no payment.  For example, children who help their parents in a shop without receiving payment are still considered to be employed.

Application has to be made for such employment to Essex County Council and a permit granted. Applications contain a declaration by the Head teacher which needs to be signed before the application is submitted to the Missing Education and Child Employment Service.

Post 16 Options

Information for Students and Parents

Now is an important time for Year 11 students. Students will soon be in the process of applying to Colleges and Sixth Forms. As well as the guidance offered through assemblies, visits and teaching, The Ramsey Academy has a Careers Advisor, Laura Eaves, who attends 1 day per week to offer impartial information, advice and guidance to students on the range of options available. Students can drop in at lunchtime or request an appointment via their tutor.  

Students have the choice between A ‘levels, The International Baccalaureate (IB), Diplomas and Apprenticeships. There are options available for all levels of ability.

COLLEGES/SIXTH FORMS

• Chelmsford College - Tel No: 01245 265611 www.chelmsford-college.ac.uk
• Writtle College - Tel No: 01245 424200 www.writtle.ac.uk
• Colchester Institute - Tel No: 01206 712777 www.colchester.ac.uk
• The College at Braintree Tel: 01376 321711 www.colchester.ac.uk
• Colchester Sixth Form Tel: 01206 500700 www.colchsfc.ac.uk
• Braintree Sixth Form Tel: 01376 556353 www.braintreesixthform.com
• Otley College Tel: 01473 785543 www.otleycollege.ac.uk
• Sudbury Ormiston Academy: 01787 375131 www.ormistonsudburyacademy.co.uk
• Hedingham Sixth Form: 01787 460470 www.hedingham.essex.sch.uk

Braintree Sixth Form  www.braintreesixthform.com

Chelmsford College www.chelmsford-college.ac.uk

Colchester Institute www.colchester.ac.uk

Colchester Sixth Form College www.colchsfc.ac.uk

EASI Hairdressing Academy www.easihair.co.uk

Hedingham Sixth Form www.hedingham.essex.sch.uk

Sudbury Ormiston Academy www.ormistonsudburyacademy.co.uk

Stansted Airport College http://www.stanstedairportcollege.ac.uk

The College at Braintree www.colchester.ac.uk

Writtle University College www.writtle.ac.uk

CEIAG

Careers Education, Information and Advice in the Ramsey Academy

Careers Education, Information and Guidance (CEIAG) is an important part of the curriculum for our students. Our students are encouraged and supported to make positive life choices and develop their aspirations.

Throughout their time at The Ramsey Academy students will be able to access CEIAG through a variety of methods. They begin to plan for their goals and aspirations whilst developing an understanding of the world of work, the local labour market and its changing career opportunities.

View here the guidance document below for more information on the statutory guidance including the Gatsby benchmarks by which we monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of our CEIAG programme in school:

Good Career Guidance | Education | Gatsby

Careers guidance and access for education and training providers - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

View here the Careers Policy for The Ramsey Academy: 

https://www.ramseyacademy.com/careers?task=callelement&format=raw&item_id=921&element=ad804175-79b1-43fb-b781-136b71c9883a&method=download&args[0]=1

Ramsey Academy Careers Team:

Alison Barnes                Curriculum Leader for Drama/Careers Advice and Guidance Leader

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Maggie Gibbs               Assistant Headteacher/Curriculum Lead for English

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Laura Eaves                 Independent Careers Advisor Directions Ltd

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Measuring and evaluating the impact of the Careers programme

A member of the Senior Leadership Team has strategic responsibility for CEIAG working in partnership with the Careers Leader. The Careers Leader oversees the structure and delivery of CEIAG ensuring members of staff have access to relevant training where needed.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks are used to ensure that best practice is adhered to in order to provide students with a high quality experience throughout each stage of their careers education.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance:

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

Summary of CEIAG in The Ramsey Academy

Students will experience an exciting programme of events throughout their time at The Ramsey Academy. As well as careers education being imbedded into daily subject teaching and learning, there are various events which further enhance this.

Highlights on the careers calendar include the careers convention held at Chelmsford City racecourse. Students are able to interact with a range of employers, apprenticeship providers, colleges, sixth forms and universities all under one roof. This event creates a real buzz amongst students who are often excited to learn of the many opportunities they have.

Mock interviews also play a part in the CEIAG enabling students to experience a mock job interview with local employers. Students plan and prepare for this by completing personal statements and CVs.

The Ramsey Academy are fortunate to be well supported my many excellent local employers who continue to motivate and encourage our students by offering site visits, talks, mentoring and presentations.

Work experience continues to play a role in building students’ experience of the world of work, many students actively playing a role in sourcing and securing their own placements.

Weekly employer drop-in sessions further enhance our links with local employers and provide students from all year groups with an opportunity to ask questions and discuss career paths and progression routes with a range of professionals.

Independent Careers Advice:

https://directions-careers.co.uk/

All students have access to an independent Careers Advisor from Directions Careers Ltd. Students are able to discuss on a one to one basis their post 16 options with an impartial advisor to explore which route will best suit their learning style and their career goals. All careers appointments are followed up with a comprehensive careers action plan empowering the student to take steps to achieve their next step.

Year 7 and 8

Year 7 and 8 students begin by exploring their hopes and dreams for the future and any possible goals they may already be working towards. Students are encouraged to consider their likes and dislikes. Students begin the focus on skills and qualities that might be required within a work place.

Students will also be taught how to access labour market information (LMI) and why this is relevant.

Students look at employability skills, qualities and values; they identify the key skills needed in different career paths, while also focusing on their own personal skills and attributes.

Year 9

Year 9 students will start to make important decisions about their future by choosing GCSE options that they will study in year 10 and 11. Students are encouraged to consider subjects that they enjoy and also feel they can do well in. As part of this process, students begin to investigate and research any future career ideas they have. As part of this process students are introduced to some of the post 16 options available to them in the future and can familiarise themselves with local further education providers.

Students are well supported by a year 9 options evening where subject choices are showcased. This evening is often supported by further education colleges, sixth forms and apprenticeship providers. 

Year 9 are also supported by our independent Careers Advisor. Students are able to book individual appointments if needed to discuss their ideas and plans. All year 9 students attend group work sessions with the Careers Advisor to start exploring ideas and learning how to effectively research their career ideas.

Some useful resources that students in year 9 are encouraged to access include:

https://icould.com   

This offers a fun and simple to use personality quiz which then links to career suggestion and ideas

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers

A directory of accurate careers information to give an overview of job groups and specific careers

https://successatschool.org/careerzones

An excellent recourse for year 9 research. Students can explore career zones or specific job ideas. This also provides general guides to post 16 options and employment.

Year 10 students start working towards employability skills such as CV writing, preparing for mock interviews and work experience. In year 10 an emphasis is put on ensuring that students are developing their talents by taking part in the Ramsey Achievement Awards and preparing for extra responsibilities in school such as Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

Towards the summer term, year 10 students are invited to attend a one-one careers interview with our impartial Careers Advisor. This is an opportunity to start planning and preparing for courses and post 16 options.

Resources to support work experience opportunities and volunteering:

www.vinspired.com

https://www.ncsyes.co.uk/what-is-ncs

National Citizen Service 

https://www.essex.gov.uk/jobs-volunteering-apprenticeships/volunteering

www.tcv.org.uk  

Conservation Volunteers

http://www.meht.nhs.uk/working-for-us/work-experience-how-to-apply   https://www.meht.nhs.uk/working-for-us/volunteers

Work experience and volunteering with Mid Essex Hospital Trust. 

https://findajob.dwp.gov.uk

Government vacancy website and summer jobs 

Useful CV websites and advice for developing Employability skills:

https://www.barclayslifeskills.com/i-want-help-applying-for-jobs/school/cv-builder/

Moving towards year 11

As students progress into year 11 they begin the Autumn term with assembly style presentations from a wide variety of colleges, sixth forms and apprenticeship providers. Parents and Carers are also supported with a presentation evening explaining what each post 16 option involves, enabling parents and carers to be involved in supporting students to make the right choice for them.

Year 11 students are again invited to meet with the Independent Careers Advisor to discuss and plan for their chosen pathway. The Ramsey Academy offers a joined-up approach to ensure each student receives the advice and guidance they need. Pastoral Managers, SENCOs, Tutors and Teaching staff communicate effectively and work together to enable each individual to make applications and choices that are best suited to their learning style, goals and ambitions.

This timeline explains the process that students follow as they progress through year 11 to their chosen post 16 option.

Post 16 Options:

Students are required to stay in education or training until their eighteenth birthday See this link on raising the participation age: Raising the participation age - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Year 11 students are given information, advice and guidance on all of their post 16 options. They can choose from studying A levels at a Sixth Form college, BTEC and Diplomas at a Vocational College or an apprenticeship or traineeship.

The role of the CEIAG in school is to prepare students to make meaningful decisions about which route will best suit their skills and learning style and which route provides entry to their chosen career paths. Some students may not have a career interest and are given guidance on which routes will leave their options open.

For some routes, students will require certain GCSE grades. Again, through guidance and support students will be encouraged to be aspirational in their choices but seek out a route which is attainable for each individual student.

Please see links for further information on each option students have: