Careers Education
Aims & Objectives of the Borlase Careers Programme
At Sir William Borlase's Grammar School, our aim is to ensure that every student receives a comprehensive careers education to assist them to develop employability skills and knowledge of available pathways to enable them to make informed decisions. We provide careers development for the whole school from Year 7 through to Year 13. We aim to provide an inclusive, effective and stable careers strategy which raises our students’ aspirations throughout the entirety of their school journey.
In January 2018 the DofE issued a new Statutory Careers Guidance which outlined a framework for all schools to assess and improve their careers guidance programs. The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks are as follows:-
Benchmark 1 - A stable career programme
Benchmark 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
Benchmark 3 - Addressing the needs of each student
Benchmark 4 - Linking curriculum learning to careers
Benchmark 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
Benchmark 6 - Experience of workplaces
Benchmark 7 - Encounters with further and higher education
Benchmark 8 - Personal Guidance
Currently, we have achieved 100% in all benchmarks.
Overview of Career Provision
Students follow a structured programme of Careers lessons which are delivered during PSHE lessons and in tutor time. Students have access to career software available via the school's Careers Website and student access to the Unifrog tool - a universal careers and destinations platform.
Advice and guidance in respect of career pathways include: University, Higher Education, Further Education, 6th Form colleges and apprenticeship providers and employer opportunities. Careers opportunities received from local companies are publicised to students via our weekly newsletters.
Local labour market information is available via the student and teacher login https://www.unifrog.org/ and at https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/widget/
Sir William Borlase's Grammar School Career Contacts
Borlase staff who are involved in the delivery of the Career programme are as follows:-
- Mrs Caroline Wingrove (Careers lead) - cwingrove@swbgs.com
- Mrs Harriet Smith (Assistant Headteacher, Senior Leadership Team) - via parents@swbgs.com
- Mr Naveed Hussain (Head of 6th Form) - via parents@swbgs.com
Enterprise Advisors
Our wider Careers team includes our CEC Enterprise Advisors Stuart Foster and Kally Kang Kersey. They support the careers programme providing links to local business networks, in addition to assisting the school in a variety of activities that are effective in motivating students in encouraging them to make independent choices to achieve positive outcomes.
Provider Access
Borlase is open for other providers to attend the school to speak to students; this might include other educational establishments, apprenticeship/training providers and employers. Any organisation that would like to visit Borlase should put their request in writing to Mrs Wingrove, Careers Lead.
Assessment of the impact of the careers programme on students
We are revising our regular questionnaire to evaluate the impact of the careers programme on students.
Parents and students will be sent an annual survey for feedback in respect of the career provision delivered at Borlase. Survey information received will be published on the Borlase Careers website.