Careers Guidance
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance – CEIAG
We believe that the education we provide our students should enable them to develop independence, resilience and give them the skills they need to continue to succeed once they leave BVC. Good career guidance is an essential part of this and we aim to ensure that students have considered all the opportunities they have available, raising their aspirations and have the advice and guidance that will allow them to make appropriate decisions. Preparation for future transitions should be smooth and well informed to facilitate effective career management.
Careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) enables our students to gain an understanding of themselves that will assist with their future. They gather information about the options that are available to them to help make realistic career decisions. This includes researching about the wide range of options and different pathways that can be taken to reach their career goals.
We have a stable but progressive CEIAG programme, which considers the students as individuals and allows them to develop their skills and attributes. We promote an ethos that encourages sustainable employability throughout future working lives and strongly believe that our knowledge of our students helps to give them the support they need to make the right choices to allow them to succeed. Effective careers education and guidance has the capacity to make a positive contribution to the well-being of individuals, their families and their communities; aiding social and economic growth.
Our CEIAG programme has been developed in consideration of the Gatsby Report’s benchmarks, and the CDI (Career Development Institute) Framework for careers, employability and enterprise education 7-19.
Independent, Impartial Careers Advice
As well as individual guidance meetings that form part of the Options process and the regular discussions between our students and their tutors, Bassingbourn students have access to independent, impartial careers advice, both through online resources and access to an independent guidance adviser through Form the Future and the Anglian Learning Trust.
Our CEIAG programme
Our CEIAG programme builds on experiences and opportunities as students progress through Bassingbourn Village College. The programme is made up of regular modules taught through PSHE, whole year group events which enable our students to meet employers, workshops and visits by employers and education providers, and workplace visits.
In Year 7 students begin to look at their skills and qualities and interact with employers through a “What’s My Line?” event, where they have to ask probing questions to guess the job. In Year 8, entrepreneurial skills are brought to the fore with the “Enterprise Day” with the students creating and pitching their own businesses. There is also a focus on their Options process with all students having an individual meeting to discuss future plans. Year 9 continues the focus on the skills needed for the future and research starts on life after Bassingbourn. They take part in a “Scavenger Hunt” careers event to find out more information about the different opportunities available to them. Year 10 start their visits to sixth form colleges, learn about CV writing and enhance their understanding of apprenticeships through a careers carousel. Year 11 focus on their post 16 applications and interview skills, including a mock interview with a local employer.
We review the Careers events and curriculum on an annual basis, assessing our progress against the Gatsby benchmarks. We update our careers curriculum on a regular basis to ensure that the students have the opportunity to have the appropriate advice, guidance and experiences to allow them to be independent managers of their own careers, both whilst at school and in the years following.
Who we are working with
We work closely with Form the Future, a social enterprise linking businesses to schools, who help organise our larger careers events. As our workshop programme develops, we continue to enhance our local business and parent network. We are also working within the Anglian Learning Trust with Sawston Village College, Netherhall School and Bottisham Village College, and will be linking with them to use their expertise in CEIAG to inform and develop our provision. These partners will enable students to benefit from their knowledge and expertise, enhancing and complementing our college curriculum. A range of activities are taking place annually to facilitate student economic well-being and understanding of employability skills. The activities will adhere to our Health and Safety Policy to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all staff, students and parents taking part.
The Careers Lead at BVC is Rebecca Hields, Assistant Principal (Transition & Curriculum). She can be contacted on 01763 242344 or rhields@bassingbournvc.org.
Links to other pages on this website that may be interest:
Year 11 Information
Apprenticeships
External links:
Cambridgeshire transport
Raising the Participation Age
Train tickets
Youthoria
