Careers

Aims & Vision

Bradfields Academy aims to deliver high quality careers education, information, advice and guidance to young people with special educational needs, in a meaningful and appropriate way, according to individual needs and circumstances.

Our vision is to increase the opportunities our students have of finding quality, paid employment in later life.

All students have an Education, Health and Care Plan [EHCP] review meeting each year. As part of this, future plans around education, careers, independence and aspirations for adult life are discussed, identifying an appropriate level for the individual student in question and guiding them towards pathways to achieve their future ambitions.

Bradfields Academy is committed to meeting all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks as a way of ensuring we deliver the best Career Information Advice and Guidance we can to our students.  Bradfields academy is a member of the Kent and Medway careers and Enterprise Hub, who support the academy in achieving the benchmarks. A summary of how we achieve each benchmark is found below.

Name and Contact Details of Careers Lead:

Elizabeth Halton

Benchmark 1: A stable careers programme

A copy of the Career Policy that identifies the Academies Vision Aims and Purpose along with student’s entitlement can be found on our Policies page – https://www.bradfieldsacademy.co.uk/about/policies/

In order to support students to achieve their aspirations, careers education, information, advice and guidance at Bradfields Academy consists of the following elements:

  • Life Skills and Employability lessons to support students to identify their skills, interests and talents, including CV writing, interview techniques and applications.
  • Work Related Learning opportunities offering meaningful vocational experiences on site.
  • Both on and off Site Work Experience at local businesses and charities suitable to an individual student’s needs and capabilities.
  • Support from Bradfields and external agencies, with job coaching and planning the next steps after leaving the academy.
  • Independent and impartial careers interviews.
  • Financial literacy and budgeting, where appropriate for students.

Full details of the careers programme for each individual Key Stage can be found in the Academy Careers Provision Map below:

Information on how external education and training providers can gain access to Bradfields’ students can be found in the Provider Access Policy. Our policies can be found on our Policies page, here: https://www.bradfieldsacademy.co.uk/about/policies/

Benchmark 2: Learning from careers and labour market

Year 9 students decide on their options in the spring term prior to starting Year 10. Students are provided with support and guidance to help ensure choices made support their future career ambitions and aspirations.  This includes an information evening for parents and carers and the dates for these are published in advance.  The range of these 2 year courses can be found in the Key Stage 4 curriculum section of our website, located here.

Year 11 students decide on their options for Post 16 in the spring prior to starting Year 12. The Sixth Form Curriculum is designed to allow further development of students’ interests along with the opportunity to delve into the world of work through work experience, employability skills development and work ready skills development.  The curriculum pathways available in the Sixth Form further develop the students towards Bradfields Academy’s intent of every student being able to progress to employment or further study.

The subjects available to students is under constant review, as is the level of qualifications on offer. Students can study a wide variety depending on their ability and the appropriateness of the course.

The Year 14 Curriculum will be the concluding stage to a student’s journey through Bradfields. The curriculum offer is intent on preparing students for their transition to either further education or into the world of work.

As part of this curriculum, students will be expected to undertake and commit to an extended work placement.

The core curriculum will further develop literacy and numeracy skills and provide opportunities to be physically active. It will also develop work ready skills, employability skills and provide practical work experience.

Labour Market Information

Understanding Labour Market Information (LMI) helps our students be aware of where different job roles are needed in different regions and which types of jobs may need more people in the future.  This can help shape or influence career pathways and choices.

LMI means finding out the following details about different job roles or career pathways:

  • What do people actually do in this job / industry?
  • How many people work in this job / industry?
  • How much do people get paid in this job / industry?
  • Which qualifications do I need to do this job?
  • Which skills or qualities do I need to do this job?
  • What are the typical working hours for this job?
  • What percentage of men / women work in this job / industry?
  • Where can this job / industry take me in the future?
  • Where are these jobs located around the country?
  • How many of these jobs will there be in the future?

Sources:

Explore LMI data

Here you can find out where to get more information and intelligence of the UK labour market. The widget and websites listed here all use data from the LMI for All service. Some of the websites combine LMI for All data with other types of information, such as videos, whilst others present data as charts.

Find out more: https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/explore_lmi/

Office for National Statistics: 

People in and out of work covering employment, unemployment, types of work, earnings, working patterns and workplace disputes.

Find out more: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket

Official census and labour market statistics:

You can search for a profile by postcode or place name:

Find out more: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/reports/lmp/la/1946157282/report.aspx?pc=me3%209ge#tabempocc

Careerometer:

This is a useful tool that lets you compare the average wages and working hours of up to two jobs in England. Type in the first career which is of interest to you and select from the drop down list, then add your second and third choices to see the comparison.

Find out more: https://www.lmiforall.org.uk/explore_lmi/

Kent and Medway Labour Market Information:

The Kent and Medway Labour Market Information Hub is a great go-to resource for insights into local employment trends, career opportunities, and industry demands. Designed specifically for young people and schools, this platform offers valuable information to help guide your career planning and educational choices:

Find out more: https://www.kentprospectus.co.uk/information/young-people-and-parents/kent-labour-market-information

BBC Bitesize:

Whether you’re deciding what to study, planning your future career or just curious about the world of work, we’re here to help with advice from experts and from young people who’ve found a path that suits them.

Find out more: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers

ICloud:

Career ideas and information for your future.

Find out more: https://icould.com/

Benchmark 3: Addressing the need of each pupil

Careers information advise and guidance at Bradfields will look very different depending on which community your child is in.  However, regardless of community we always strive to raise aspirations and challenge stereotypical thinking when we plan and deliver career activities.  Decision on future pathways are discussed and recorded at your personal centred annual review and a full list of activities that your child has taken part is available on request.

Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers and Transitions

All teachers are committed to connecting curriculum learning with careers and transitions throughout students’ educational journey.

Key Stage 3: Skills, Passions and Career Exploration
In Key Stage 3, students are supported in identifying their individual skills and passions, with dedicated curriculum activities designed to help them recognise how these strengths can guide their future career choices. Through exposure to a variety of career pathways, students are inspired and motivated to consider opportunities they might not have previously encountered, laying the groundwork for informed decisions as they progress through their educational journey.

Key Stage 4: Dedicated Careers Curriculum
In Key Stage 4, students benefit from dedicated curriculum time for careers, delivered through our ‘Preparation for the Future’ lessons. These sessions enable students to develop a more comprehensive understanding of a range of career opportunities, equipping them with valuable insights as they make important decisions about their futures.

Key Stage 5: Employability and Work Experience
The focus on careers continues in Key Stage 5, where students in the sixth form often work towards an Employability qualification as an integral part of their Work Experience programme. This structured approach ensures that students are well-prepared for the demands of the workplace and have a clear understanding of various career pathways.

STEAM Week and Industry Links
Each year, we host a dedicated STEAM (Science, Technology, Art, Engineering and Maths) week, which is complemented by partnerships with relevant industries.

Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees

Over recent years Bradfields Academy has worked hard to forge links with local businesses and industries.  This enables us to have a wide and varied number of employers who come into the academy to talk to students about their work and career.  We would also like to encourage local businesses to get involved in supporting students with CV writing and interview.  If you can spare some time and would like to get involved then please contact Elizabeth Halton on 01634 683990 or email at office@fortistrust.co.uk

Benchmark 6: Experiences of workplaces

Work Experience is part of the curriculum in 6th form with most students having an external work placement for the year.  During this time they will study for an employability qualification.  For those students that it is not appropriate to have an external placement, we have a number of enterprise activities onsite to give a similar experience.  Where appropriate students in year 11 will experience a workplace setting.  If you feel that you could support one of our young people in your place of work then please contact Carol Carrier who is our Subject Lead for Work-related learning.

Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education providers

All students from year 8 upwards are entitled to two encounters with education providers each year.  Details of these events will be published in advance so that you can support your child in these important decisions.

Our students successfully transition to a range of different destinations post-Bradfields. Some of our more popular destinations are detailed below:

  • Forward2Employment Supported Internship
  • Directly in to paid employment
  • Traineeship or apprenticeships with another external training provider
  • MidKent College Maidstone or Medway Campus
  • North Kent College Gravesend or Dartford Campus
  • West Kent College Tonbridge Campus
  • Canterbury College
  • Hadlow College
  • Supajam – A specialist music college in Swanley

Supported Internships

Supported Internships via Forward2Employment, Fortis Trust’s own Specialist Post 16 institution, are designed for young people with learning disabilities and/or Autism who want to get a job.

A supported internship is a full-time educational programme that will:

  • Help you get a job
  • Help you get work-based qualifications
  • Help with maths and English, so you can use them in real life

80% of the learning will be on the job with one of our partner businesses fully supported by an individual job coach to do a real job role. The rest of the time is used to improve maths, English, employability skills and improving a student’s independence skills. Supported internships are all about working towards gaining paid employment.

If you are aged 16 to 24 and have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) you are eligible to apply for a supported internship place with Forward2Employment. The course is free and does not affect any benefit entitlements. Additional funding may also be available such as a student bursary. Other supported internship schemes are available for students aged 16 – 24 who have an EHCP.

Should you be interested in applying for a supported internship place with Forward2Employment please visit their website: https://www.forward2employment.co.uk/ or contact Elizabeth Halton at office@fortistrust.co.uk

Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

For those students that are able to access, they have the opportunity to meet with a qualified Career Advisor each year from year 11–14.  They will have the opportunity to speak about what they would like to do after leaving Bradfields and will be given advice on the best next steps.  This is an independent service that Bradfields provide.

In addition, Bradfields Academy has a dedicated Careers Advisor who is available to students to discuss any questions or concerns they may have.

How We Measure and Assess

We use Compass+ to measure the effectiveness of our Careers programme, assessing its impact on students.  Learn more about Compass+, via this link: https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/compass

Tracking Student Destinations
We track the destinations of Year 11 and Year 13/14 leavers, in partnership with Medway Council, who continue monitoring students’ progress until age 18.

Gathering Learner Feedback
Student feedback is collected through verbal comments and questionnaires after careers activities, helping us evaluate and improve the CEIAG programme.

Engaging Parents and Carers
Parent and carer feedback is welcomed through meetings, questionnaires, and our website. Our careers advisor offers guidance during transitions, and updates are shared via newsletters, social media, and the school website, where contact details are available for further support.

This information will be reviewed annually on the 1st October, with any updates being uploaded to the website by 1st December.