Careers Education
A mind that is stretched by new experiences can never go back to its old dimensions.
- Oliver Wendell Holmes, JR
This section of the website is intended for students, parents / carers, teachers and employers wanting to find out more about our Careers Education programme.
At Westfield Academy, we believe in giving young people from all backgrounds the information and resources needed to make the most important decisions of their lives. Our motto of "Believe - Strive - Achieve" is designed to ensure that students don't give up on their dreams. We know that young people's futures will be based on having self-belief, working hard and persevering.
For this reason, we are committed to ensuring that all students are fully supported and guided through the process of planning their futures. With a programme of education, information, advice and guidance for all students from Years 7 to 13, we believe our students are well-prepared for their futures. All staff at Westfield Academy play an active role in preparing them.
We have a varied programme of careers education that is delivered through PSHE, special events, enrichment programmes, visits, trips and assemblies and also within individual departments and during form time. We are committed to following the Gatsby Benchmarks which underpin the Department for Education’s Careers Strategy. We review our provision on a regular basis through analysis of retention and destination data as well as through external reviews (Deep Dives) and by using specialist benchmarking tools such as Compass, provided by the Careers & Enterprise Company. In addition, the school ensures that all careers education activities are underpinned by a robust feedback and evaluation cycle, to capture and act on agreed improvements.
Provider Access Legislation
The provider access legislation (occasionally referred to as the ‘Baker Clause’) requires all schools provide opportunities for a range of education and training providers to access all Year 8-13 students to inform them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.
Careers Education Programme
All students will:
- Learn about careers and have access to labour market information.
- Receive career guidance that addresses the individual needs of each student.
- Learn about careers through the curriculum.
- Experience encounters with employers and employees.
- Have first-hand experience of workplaces.
- Have encounters with further and higher education.
- Receive personal guidance
For further information please see below. If you have any feedback about any programmes held at Westfield Academy, please contact our Careers Lead, Mrs B Watt, at bw@westfield.academy.
LMI widget (free): https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/.
Careers Activity Plan
We deliver a structured Careers and IAG Activity Plan which is reviewed on an annual basis. The key activities scheduled currently are:
Year 7 (All Terms)
- Work aspiration including within PHSE
- Inspirational speakers
- Careers assemblies
Year 8 (February 2024)
- Work shadowing
- Inspirational speakers
- Careers assemblies
Year 9 (Summer Term)
- Enterprise Day
- Inspirational speakers
- Careers assemblies
Year 10 (July 2024)
- 1-week work experience
- Inspirational speakers
- Careers assemblies
Year 11 (Autumn & Spring Terms)
- Personal guidance interviews
- Inspirational speakers
- Careers assemblies
Year 12 (All Terms)
- Workplace visits
- Inspirational speakers
Year 13 (All Terms)
- University visits
- Inspirational speakers
Careers Hub Newsletter
Please see attached below, the March edition of the Careers Hub Newsletter, which features:
- Next Generation Hertfordshire Careers Conference resources and slides including Anna Morrison’s PAL presentation
- Key up-and-coming dates and events
- The annual EA Survey
- NHS work experience
- Making the most of HOP webinar
- Parents & Carers Apprenticeship Survey
- Live Apprenticeships
- Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) Virtual WEX week
- NHS Future Heroes event
- Sky opportunities
- Neon Futures STEM resources
- SEND resources
Local Market Information
The following organisations support our Careers and IAG provision:
HCC Services for Young People
- Source our Year 10 Work experience placements, including site risk assessments.
- Provide qualified personnel advisers to deliver careers interviews with all students in Years 11, 12 &13.
Young Enterprise
- Deliver a range of enterprise activities for Key Stage 3 and 4 students.
University of Hertfordshire
- Provide direct interventions for targeted students in Year 10 to promote university / higher education as a post-school option.
Inspiring the Future
- Deliver a range of workshops around apprenticeships as a post-school option.
Hertfordshire Police
National Carers Education Organisations (optional)
Support from CEC / Hertfordshire LEP & HOP
We are signed up to The Careers and Enterprise Company – The Enterprise Adviser Network – programme. This is a free provision managed locally by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership to support us to achieve all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks – a target set by the Department for Education in their Careers Strategy (Dec 2017). We have been matched with The Careers Enterprise Company, to help us to work towards the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks. Meetings take place on a regular basis to discuss progress.
We are using the Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (www.hopinto.co.uk) and would encourage all students, parents and carers and teachers to use this portal to seek current live job or apprenticeship vacancies within Hertfordshire as well as being a one-stop shop for a variety of information about the Hertfordshire Jobs Market providing information and inspiration about a variety of careers.
You can also follow HOP via their social media platforms as detailed below:
Up & Coming Career Events
Work Experience
Work experience placements assist our students in their transition from school to work. This provides our students with the opportunity and aim to:
- Relate school studies with a workplace.
- Give students an insight into the diversity of employees in the workplace.
- Prepare students for the demands and expectations of the working world.
- We currently engage with over 50 different employers through work shadowing placements in Years 10, 12 & 13.
We welcome further support from employers within a range of industries. If you would like to support any of the above events, or feel you may wish to offer other types of support, then please contact our Careers Lead, Mrs B Watt via email: bw@westfield.academy or tel: 01923 231560, ext 1908.
The SLT member responsible for Careers is: Mr C Chalk
Attached below are flyers from various businesses - please email Mrs B Watt (bw@westfield.academy), if you are interested in applying for any of these.