Gatsby Benchmarks
Benchmark 1: A stable careers programme
Clare Mount offer Careers lessons delivered through PSHE from Year 7 to 14. We utilise the Kudos platform and by the end of Key Stage 3, all students will have successfully begun to develop their individual aspirations and logged their personal achievements.
All Year 9 students and every year thereafter, will have completed an Individual Careers Interview with Miss Magnall who then attends the student’s Annual Review with parents and carers. This ensures that Preparation for Adulthood targets are Careers focused and progressive.
Each Year group has a ‘focus’ and careers activities will link to these – for example Year 7 fundraise for Orangutans and link with Chester Zoo to understand the role of the Zoo keepers.
Throughout all Key Stages at Clare Mount, employability skills are explicitly taught and developed through the 'My Personal Best' programme. These skills and characteristics are based around the top-15 attributes that employers in the UK look for in potential employees. By making sure we focus on these attributes we are helping our students prepare for their next step after Clare Mount. More details here: https://www.claremountssc.co.uk/character-education-my-personal-best/
Clare Mount has recently engaged with the Talentino programme to further develop our Careers programme.
Benchmark 2: Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
Weekly bulletins sent out to parents and carers (Year 9 and above) from Careers Connect regarding local opportunities and current vacancies or apprenticeship/traineeships.
Termly Destinations and College information including LMI from the Growth Platform sent out to all parents and staff.
We are developing our student Alumni and have featured past pupils in our Newsletter. We have featured past pupils in activities for current students during National Careers Week. We highlight past and present students on our Social Media platforms.
We coordinate an annual Careers fair specifically for SEND students across the Wirral. Which is held at Clare Mount. We invite Mencap, DWP, Social Care, NHS as well as local colleges and training providers. The Next Steps event is open to students and parents of Year 9 and above and they can attend as many times as they wish throughout their school life. At our annual leavers celebration we feature and celebrate the success of former pupils.
Benchmark 3: Addressing the need of each pupil
Year 7 and 8 have an introduction to our Careers Advisor Miss Magnall within their PSHE lessons. Year 9 have their first Careers Interview with Miss Magnall.
Every student completes an Individual Transition Plan (Preparation for Adulthood booklet) which highlights key milestones for each year. These are reviewed by their form tutor every term.
ITP’s and Careers advice documents are shared with parents at Annual Reviews. Miss Magnall will also attend Leavers’ annual review to provide advice and guidance.
In Key Stage 4, students undertake a week of Work Experience which reflects their area of interest.
In Key stage 5, every student undertakes a weekly placement for the whole year which reflects their interests or potential employment pathway. Sixth Form students in Years 13/14 may increase their placements to 2-3 days depending on individual need.
Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers
Curriculum resources are shared with staff and Preparation for Adulthood stampers are used by staff to highlight when subject lesson have linked to careers or personal development. Positive Points are awarded for Preparation for Adulthood and careers engagement
Clare Mount has a broad curriculum which focusses on independent living skills and social skills. The majority of our lessons link to skills our student require to have a fulfilled adult life.
A partnership with Community Capacity Builders ensures that all students in Year 10 receive a 7-week intensive course in financial management. This is further consolidated at Key Stage 5.
Subject areas have specific projects or topics in which they link learning to careers suitable for our students
Employability skills are taught by all pastoral teachers (form teachers) through the My Personal Best programme every week.
Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees
Key stage 3 pupils have different encounters with employers/employees through school trips and projects for example NHS employees, Sports professionals, Zoo Workers and Park rangers.
During Key stage 4 and 5, students have encounters with a range of employers and employees through Work Experience, Next Steps event, Duke of Edinburgh placements, School trips, Sports events, Wellbeing projects.
In Key Stage 5 we welcome local employers into our Sixth Form Centre. This is part of our World of Work Curriculum in which we also visit local businesses such as Vauxhall Motors, Veolia and local golf centres.
Benchmark 6: Experiences of workplaces
Key stage 4 students have a one week work experience placement. Students are either on an unsupported placement or group placement with a member of staff. We have excellent links with employers who are knowledgeable about the needs of our students.
Students have the opportunity to choose their placements in advance and parents are encouraged to support this process with our Careers Advisor. Students are prepared through assemblies, presentations, placement visits and 1:1 discussions.
Key Stage 4 students also have volunteering opportunities through the Duke of Edinburgh programme
Work Experience is integral to the Sixth Form Curriculum with everyone engaging in an individual placement or group placement every Wednesday throughout the academic year.
Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education
Our Preparation for Adulthood and career programme is designed to inform our students of all available options post 16 and beyond.
All students from Year 9 onwards have the opportunity to attend our Next Steps event as well as the ‘Your Future Your choice’ event coordinated by Wirral LEA. Some students have also attended the Wirral Young Chamber Skills Show at the Hive.
Currently Years 9-14 visit local college providers prior to making their choices for post 16. Clare Mount have an Employability programme with Wirral Met College. Staff from Wirral Met are regular visitors to KS5 students and develop key relationships prior to students attending in September.
Students and parents are given information about open events termly and are encouraged to attend.
Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance
Miss Katherine Magnall is our Careers Advisor who delivers annual 1:1 sessions for all students from Year 9 onwards. She is experienced in delivering these sessions to our students and is fully aware of their needs. She works closely with Form Tutors, Heads of Year and parents to ensure advice is tailored to individuals.
By Year 11, students will have received at least 2 Careers Interviews and by Year 14 this increases to 4.
Careers interviews detail the following:
- Pupil aspirations
- Potential next steps post 16 – either to leave or attend Sixth Form provision
- Discuss independence such as travel training
- Predicted grades and options available
- Using prospectuses online and in book form to research possible options
- Likes and dislikes including hobbies and interests outside of school
- Agreed actions for the year ahead
Clare Mount Specialist Sports College: Performance Against National Gatsby Benchmarks: February 2024
