Careers at Astley Park School
Careers Lead KS4 contact details: -
Mrs A Powell 01257 262227 powella@astleypark.lancs.sch.uk
Careers Lead KS3 contact details:
Ms M Miller 01257 262227 millerm@astleypark.lancs.sch.uk
Aims : -
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (C.E.I.A.G.) at Astley Park School aims to:
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Prepare pupils for the transition to life after Astley Park School through curriculum and career learning linked to their individual aspirations, which will help learners make positive decisions for their future, whilst developing a culture of lifelong learning.
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Support pupils in making informed decisions that are appropriate for them, learning from information provided, including Labour Market Information.
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Provide pupils with well-rounded experiences through a stable careers programme.
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Develop personal characteristics such as social skills, communication skills, functional life skills, personal skills, independence and resilience.
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Inspire and motivate pupils to develop themselves and their personal qualities as individuals and live as independently as possible.
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To provide pupils with the experiences of the workplace through work-related learning and/or employer encounters.
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To provide pupils with the opportunity to receive C.E.I.A.G and encounter career opportunities appropriate to their needs.
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To set out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer, as per Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
Gatsby Benchmarks: -
The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework for school leaders, headteachers, and careers advisors to assess the development of their pupils in employability skills. They also help students track their own progress and identify areas in which they need to continue developing their skills.
Gatsby Benchmark 1 – A Stable Careers Programme
- SEND-tailored careers education: Astley Park adapts its careers programme to meet the cognitive, emotional, and social needs of our learners. This includes using visual aids, simplified language, and experiential learning.
- Published careers strategy: Astley Park publishes its careers programme to ensure transparency and stakeholder engagement.
- Dedicated Careers Leader: Astley Park has a Careers Leader who oversees the programme, ensuring consistency and accountability.
- Regular reviews and updates: The careers programme is evaluated termly to reflect student progress, changing needs, and evolving career opportunities.
- Partnerships with external agencies: Astley Park prides itself on collaborating with local employers, colleges, and career services to enrich our provision.
Gatsby Benchmark 2 – Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
Astley Park uses a multi-layered approach to ensure students are exposed to Labour Market Information (LMI) and supported in understanding and applying it to their futures:
- KS3 Integration: Labour market topics are embedded in the My Community curriculum, helping students understand local employment opportunities in a familiar and accessible context.
- KS4 Technology Use: Students explore LMI more deeply using platforms such as:
- The Careers Hub: Offers interactive tools and resources to explore job sectors and pathways.
- Careers Pilot: A student-friendly site providing detailed job profiles, qualifications, and local opportunities.
- EHCP Review Meetings: These meetings provide opportunities to discuss career aspirations, interests, post-16 provision, and potential pathways with students and their families. Information about local job sectors, training opportunities, and future employment is shared in an accessible and relevant way.
- Annual LMI Discussions: Career and labour market information is discussed annually with students, parents, and professionals to ensure career planning is personalised and aligned with each student’s aspirations and support needs.
Gatsby Benchmark 3 – Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil
- Year 10 Aspirations Interview: Students meet with a Level 6 qualified Careers Advisor to explore their interests, strengths, and future goals.
- Tailored Work Placements: Based on the interview, students are matched with supported work placements that reflect their aspirations and abilities.
- SEND-sensitive Planning: Placements are designed with appropriate support, accessibility, and relevance to each student’s EHCP outcomes.
Gatsby Benchmark 4 – Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
- Weekly Community Access (KS3 & KS4): Learners regularly engage with the local community, helping them connect classroom learning to the world of work in a familiar and supportive environment.
- Sector-Specific Exploration in KS4: The curriculum explicitly introduces students to a wide range of employment sectors.
- Planned Curriculum Integration: These experiences are part of a structured programme, ensuring every student has meaningful exposure to different career paths.
Gatsby Benchmark 5 – Encounters with Employers and Employees
- Real-World Employer Encounters: Students meet employers in real-world settings, gaining firsthand experience of different job environments and expectations.
- In-School Employer Engagements: Employers visit the school, especially during Careers Week, to:
- Talk about their roles and industries
- Host Q&A sessions tailored to SEND learners
- Offer opportunities to explore career paths in a familiar setting
- SEND-Sensitive Delivery: These encounters are adapted to meet the communication and cognitive needs of students, using visual aids, simplified language, and interactive formats.
This dual approach ensures students receive diverse, meaningful, and accessible career insights, helping them build aspirations and understand the world of work.
Gatsby Benchmark 6 – Experiences of Workplaces
- Mapped and Planned Workplace Encounters: All secondary-phase learners have structured access to workplace experiences, ensuring consistency and relevance across year groups.
- Local Employer Engagement: Students visit and interact with a range of local employers, gaining insight into different industries and roles. These visits are tailored to SEND learners and often include:
- Supported tours
- Hands-on activities
- Staff Q&A sessions
- Job Centre Collaboration: Encounters through the local Job Centre help students:
- Explore employment pathways
- Understand job-seeking processes
- Engage with support services for future transitions
- Personalised Planning: These experiences are aligned with each student’s EHCP and aspirations, often following their Year 10 careers interview (Gatsby 8), ensuring relevance and accessibility.
This approach empowers students with real-world exposure, helping them build confidence, independence, and ambition.
Gatsby Benchmark 7 – Encounters with Further and Higher Education
- Parent Information Evenings: Families of Year 9–11 students are actively involved in discussions about future education pathways, helping them make informed decisions together.
- Post-16 Provider Engagement: Staff from local colleges and training providers attend school events, giving learners and parents direct access to expert guidance and options.
- Taster Sessions at Local Colleges: Students participate in hands-on experiences within college settings, helping them explore different subjects and environments.
- This approach empowers students with real-world exposure, helping them build confidence, independence, and ambition.
Gatsby Benchmark 8 – Personal Guidance
- Level 6 Careers Advisor Access in Year 10: Students receive high-quality, impartial advice at a critical stage in their education.
- Follow-Up Actions: Insights from the interview inform work experience planning, curriculum choices, and transition support.
- Build confidence in new settings
- Understand what post-16 life might look like
- Supported Transitions: Transition plans are personalised and carefully managed, ensuring each student moves on to their chosen provision with the right support in place—often aligned with their EHCP outcomes.
This approach ensures students and families are well-informed, empowered, and supported as they prepare for life beyond school.
For further information on our curriculums and our C.E.I.A.G policy, please see further links below:
C.E.A.I.G Policy: CEAIG Policy
Our Curriculums: Curriculums ppt.pptx
Our Alumni :-
As part of our National Careers Week activities, we invite some of our ex-pupils back to school to talk to our current cohorts about their career journeys. Please look at some of our Alumni career journeys:
Joe – Public Services
Anna – Retail
Arran – Trade
Matthew – Public Services
Zac – Retail / Sports
College links: -
At Astley Park school we have built solid links to both post-16 specialist and mains- stream providers. During KS4 and using the aspirations of our learners, we actively liaise with these post-16 provisions, to ensure that our young people and their families are signposted to the most suitable destination for their ambitions.
For an idea of foundation learning in a mainstream college, please follow this link: -
Next Steps with Karan Bamber PPT
Following confirmation of placements in year 11, students undertake bespoke transition programmes to enable them to familiarise themselves with their chosen course, the new environment and the teaching staff that will be working with them.
Local Labour Market: -
Our learners are given opportunities to find out about local jobs and local employers from work placed visits and employee encounters. Please look at some of our local employer/employee contributions:
Frank – Career history and local employee working in Car Retail
Two of our Alumni, Sam Schofield and Callum Radcliffe chat about a week in the life at Newman College:-
A week in the life of Sam & Callum at Newman College
