BCHS is committed to providing high quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to all students in order to prepare them for the opportunities and challenges of adult working life.
There is a robust programme of careers education in place, as well as access to providers for all students in years seven to 11, such that all students will leave our school with the skills and knowledge required to support their entry into further and higher education, traineeship or employment.
All students take part in a CEIAG programme that:
- aims to inspire, as well as inform and guide students;
- is developed around the student and their needs;
- is integrated into the students’ experience of the whole curriculum;
- encourages all students to consider possible career choices throughout key stage 3 and 4;
- encourages all students to develop skills that make them ‘work ready’, such as presentation, communication, decision making and entrepreneurial skills;
- provides each student with high quality, impartial advice;
- raises aspirations and promotes equality and diversity.
Our careers leader is Mrs Reeves and she can be contacted via email at: TReeves402@bchs.co.uk. We also have a dedicated careers adviser, Kelley Ansbro, who works every Thursday and is available for 1:1 meetings with students by appointment and drop in sessions at lunch and break. Parents are welcome to join their children for the meeting, just contact Kelley to arrange. Her office is based in the Coms area. One-to-one interviews provide students with opportunities to discuss their potential career pathway with an impartial adviser. You can book an appointment with Kelley via Mrs Reeves on email: TReeves402@bchs.co.uk.
Gatsby benchmarks
In January 2018 the Government introduced ‘The Gatsby Benchmarks’. The eight benchmarks focus on improving careers guidance and education for all young people and we use these to measure and assess the impact our careers programme has on our students.
Year | Autumn Term | Gatsby Benchmark | Spring Term | Gatsby Benchmark | Summer Term | Gatsby Benchmark |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
7 | National Careers Service website | 3, 8 | Careers education in progress time (career pathways, employability skills, personal qualities | 3, 4 | Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 |
Introduction to careers adviser and drop-in sessions | 8 | |||||
BAE / RAF / Royal Navy Roadshow | 5, 6 | |||||
Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 | |||||
8 | National Careers Service website reminder | 3, 8 | Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 | Speed networking event | 2, 5 |
Reminder of careers adviser and drop-in sessions | 8 | Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 | |||
BAE/RAF/Royal Navy roadshow | 5, 6 | Careers education in progress time (career pathways, salaries, budgeting, qualifications) | 3, 4 | PSHE – Personal goals and values (2 lessons) | 3, 4 | |
PHSE – Raising aspirations and planning for the future (2 lessons) | 3, 4 | |||||
9 | National Careers Service website reminder | 3, 8 | Options evening | 4, 7, 8 | Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 |
Reminder of careers adviser and drop-in sessions | 8 | Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 | |||
Careers fair in school | 2, 5, 7 | PSHE – Employability skills and careers (2 lessons) | 3, 4 | Careers education in progress time (career pathway, option choices, applications, further education) | 3,4 | |
Get Ahead mentoring program with UCLan | 7 | Visit Training 2000 | 2, 5, 6, 7 | |||
10 | National Careers Service website reminder | 3, 8 | Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 | Post-16 taster days | 7 |
Reminder of careers adviser and drop-in sessions | 8 | PHSE – The workplace and discrimination at work (2 lessons) | 3, 4 | Individual careers adviser interviews commence | 7 | |
Careers fair in school | 2, 5, 7 | |||||
Blackburn Aspiring Careers fair (LA event) | 2, 5, 7 | Careers education in progress time (career pathways, CV writing, budgeting and payslips) | 3, 4 | Work experience (small cohort) | 6 | |
Visit UCLan as part of the SUN Project | 7 | |||||
11 | National Careers Service website reminder | 3, 8 | Post-16 applications support from careers adviser and careers admin | 2, 3, 7, 8 | Follow up any students at risk of becoming NEET, liaise with colleges and New Directions regarding applications and post-16 offers of education or employment | 3 |
Individual careers adviser interviews continue | 8 | |||||
Post-16 applications support from careers adviser and careers admin | 2, 3, 7, 8 | |||||
Careers fair in school | 2, 5, 7 | |||||
Post-16 choices assemblies | 3, 7 | Individual careers adviser interviews continue | 8 | |||
Mock interviews | 3, 5 | |||||
Careers education in progress time (career pathways, personal statements, applications) | 3, 4 |
Useful links
The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work opportunities. The service offers confidential and impartial advice. This is supported by qualified careers advisers. Their website aims to:
- help you with careers decisions and planning
- support you in reviewing your skills and abilities and develop new goals
- motivate you to implement your plan of action
- enable you to make the best use of high quality career related tools
Careersbox is a free online library of careers related film, news and information. As the preferred digital new media partner to the Institute of Career Guidance, the largest careers body in the UK, Careersbox aim is to deliver a new way for students to explore their skills and career options.
LifeSkills, created with Barclays, is a free, curriculum-linked programme, developed with teachers to help improve the skills and employability of young people in the UK.
icould has a range of video clips showing real people talking about their jobs and careers.
Careerpilot looks at your choices at 14, 16 and 18, explores different job sectors and how you can study and work at the same time – even to university level.
Success at School is the place for young people to explore careers, get the lowdown on top employers and search for the latest jobs, courses and advice.
The study guide section within Youth Space contains a range of information including help on making options choices in year nine, post 16 options and getting into higher education.
The government's dedicated website has a whole range of information to help young people decide if apprenticeships are the right route for them. You can also search for apprenticeship vacancies.
Learn all about T-levels, the alternative to A-levels, apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses.