Careers
At all of our schools, it is our number one priority to prepare our students for life and there is nothing more important than making sure that students have the knowledge and skills they need in order to play their full role in society and contribute to improving it. It is vital that students are fully prepared for the world of work and know what is available to them once they leave education. It is also of paramount importance that students know how to reach their full potential and what to expect along that journey.
At WPT, we are committed to working towards the Gatsby benchmarks, a set of guidelines that ensure that all schools provide the very best careers education for our students. Within those guidelines, we ensure that students have access to high quality, up to date careers information, access to a highly qualified careers adviser and the opportunity to meet and visit employers and further and higher education institutions. Where students need extra support, we guarantee that we will be there to support and guide them so that no young person ever feels that they cannot achieve their ambitions. Students will fully understand how what they learn at school will set them up for life beyond school and ultimately gain an understanding of how to make well-informed choices.
Work Experience
Each student in Year 10 is given the opportunity to carry out a week of work experience. We work closely with local businesses to carefully place each student into a career that they are interested in pursuing.
Careers in the Curriculum
Our careers curriculum is tailored to each subject and one lesson per subject per year is dedicated to careers. Careers lessons run in set months: for example, January is Science Careers in the Curriculum month. The curriculum is devised by our Careers team but delivered by subject specialists.
We have also devised curriculum newsletters to inform parents of the learning in that subject, plus associated careers information and other insights and tips for that specific subject.
Careers Fairs
We operate an annual careers fair at our Cranworth Road site. Students from across WPT are invited to attend the fairs, with local, regional and national businesses including the NHS and armed forces in attendance.
We also invite local educational establishments to attend, so that students can talk about higher education and apprenticeship opportunities and are fully informed on their options post 16.
- Activity is evaluated by students on an individual basis using the Future Skills Questionnaire in the key transition points of Years 7, 9 and 11
- Overall provision and ideas for improvement are tabled and discussed as agenda items at Student Council meetings
- Provision is assessed against the national Gatsby Benchmarks using Compass+ and areas for development are identified
- Careers and employability provision is also informed through one to one careers interviews in Key Stage 4. This information is then used to support individuals and plan provisions such as trips to specific places of learning or employment
- Provision is also informed through the sharing of good practice through local careers network meetings
Each year group is seen as a ‘stage’ in the process of working towards a career goal and becoming ‘able and ready for work’ and being the best that you can be.
Mock Interviews
Employer Visits
All schools within WPT welcomes a range of employers in to talk to students about their chosen career. This also links with our Careers in the Curriculum programme. These visits aim to inform and inspire our students and raise aspirations. If you would like to get involved with our schools and share your story, get in touch.
Alumni
