The CHSC Careers program is primarily delivered through PSHE sessions alongside supplementary sessions bespoke for each year group.
The school has developed links with local further education providers who liaise with and support the school in ensuring a comprehensive array of information on further education and career routes.
This includes assemblies offered to all year groups led by Chester University, inspiring all students of the opportunities to access further education.
As part of the Cheshire Pledge the school also benefits from being part of the Learn Live program which implements a series of virtual events throughout the academic year linking students with prospective employers through careers, volunteering and apprenticeship expos.
Careers Curriculum by Year Group>
Our careers team at Catholic High School consists of our Careers Leader Jon Rhodes, Career Linked Governor Diane Miller, Senior Leader David de Winter, and our Careers Advisor Martin Folan. Contact details are listed further down this page .
At Catholic High, we aim to ensure the best possible outcomes for all of her students. We work proactively with the Careers and Enterprise Company and the Pledge to build a careers program that empowers our young people to develop skills and confidence in their future, and informs them about relevant careers and pathways that work for them.
Our careers program is monitored termly against the 8 Gatsby benchmarks (shown below). It is evaluated annually and updated using feedback from students, parents/carers, staff, and employers and our destinations data. We also gain feedback after specific events to ensure they have met our aims and to monitor impact.
The Gatsby Benchmarks:
We have a specialist Careers Advisor, Martin Folan, who offers one-to-one careers appointments with our students.
My name is Martin Folan and I work as a careers adviser for an organisation called Changing Education and we work in partnership with schools and 6th forms across Cheshire.
I will be visiting school every Thursday delivering careers advice and guidance meetings and producing individualised action plans for the students I meet. These meetings are not to tell students what to do but help them reach an informed choice of their own.
I can also provide information about subject choices in year 9, post 16 and 18 options, A level choices, apprenticeships and University courses.
I have been a qualified Careers Adviser for 17 years and worked with all age groups providing guidance and advice.
I have a vast range of work experience, which includes Youth Worker(working on a Paediatric and A&E departments) aviation.
Catholic High believes in giving Further Education Colleges, Sixth Forms, Higher Education and apprentice training providers the opportunity to talk to pupils at the school. In line with the Baker Clause, we will have two opportunities for students to meet with different providers at each key stage of their education. Please use the following link to see our Provider Access Policy.
Careers Provider Access Policy >
Current Job/ Apprenticeship Opportunities will be posted here
Firefly information for students is here
National Careers Service – a comprehensive careers website with job profiles, outlining: the skills required, main tasks, pay levels and career prospects for hundreds of different jobs. In addition, valuable guidance on the different stages involved in getting a job.
Cheshire and Warrington Job Opportunities Portal – a portal with a range of information on local labour market information, including jobs, apprenticeships, and training providers
My Path Careers Information about a wide variety of interesting careers with job profiles and videos
UCAS – a very helpful website for students thinking of applying to higher education. Also contains valuable information on different options, including apprenticeships
Parents’ Guide to Apprenticeships – A very useful guide.
Ask Apprenticeships Information about different types of apprenticeships in a variety of sectors.
Higher Horizons Part of the Uni Connect program, offers information about higher education and how to access it
Cheshire College South and West Local college with campuses in Crewe, Chester, and Ellesmere Port offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Warrington Royal Vale College Local college in Warrington offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Coleg Cambria Local college in Wrexham offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Reaseheath College Local land-based college in Nantwich offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Cheshire East Volunteering Hub Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area
Cheshire West Volunteering Action Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area
Springpod Free virtual online work experience
Speakers for Schools Free virtual online work experience
School provision:
Regular use of Cheshire Pledge guidance and support to review Careers provision through compass review to ensure Gatsby Bench marks are achieved.
Student/Parent voice:
We will survey a sample of both students and parents on an annual basis to help us evaluate the effectiveness of our careers programme and continually improve what we are delivering. During the academic year 2022-2023 we are seeking to develop our careers programme significantly improving our guidance and advice opportunities. We will be looking to measure the impact of these changes by surveying students and parents Summer 2023.
Quality assurance of Careers Advisor (Level 6 qualified careers advisor external company)
The students council will be used to discuss the careers provision, using the questions from the student questionnaire to structure the sessions. Within this discussion, students’ experience of their careers interview will be discussed. The Careers guidance will be observed by Careers a lead and opportunity will be given to the governor link to observe and comment.
TBC
Jon Rhodes – Careers Lead mailto:rhodesj@christofidelis.org.uk
Martin Folan – Careers Advisor mailto:martin.folan@changingeducation.co.uk
Rory McCarthy – Pledge Facilitator Chester mailto:rory.mccarthy@youthfed.org
Diane Miller – Foundation Governor (Careers)
https://cheshireandwarrington.com/growth-and-skills/the-pledge/
Compass Review twice yearly
December 2022
July 2023 – Program policy review date
Student/Parent voice – July 2023
