Careers & Personal Development at Somercotes Academy is not just a single subject. The Curriculum Area covers PSHE (personal, social, health and economic), Careers and many aspects of Work-Related Learning in addition to Careers & Personal Development under this single title. All students in all Years have one lesson a week.
Careers & Personal Development gives students the skills and attitudes to lead successful lives at The Academy and beyond.
Somercotes Academy is proud to be a member of the Greater Lincolnshire Careers Hub, established to help every young person find their best next step and delivered locally by the team at the Greater Lincolnshire LEP. The Greater Lincolnshire Careers Hub is funded by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP, the Careers and Enterprise Company, Lincolnshire County Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, North Lincolnshire Council, and the Humber Outreach Programme
In this Curriculum Area, we aim to help students:
Within Careers & Personal Development students will have the opportunity to study Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education; Careers and Vocational Education. It is a compulsory subject in Key Stages 3 and 4 with opportunities embedded through all other subject areas across the school to assist in meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks What Good Looks Like - Gatsby Benchmarks and CDI framework New Career Development Framework (thecdi.net).
The curriculum has a centralised bank of multimedia resources as well as general teaching resources to allow lessons to be fully interactive for the student.
The curriculum area also has a number of teambuilding resources such as; sexual health resources and drug awareness teaching aids.
Curriculum Map 2024–25
YEAR 7 Themes | Lessons |
---|---|
Diversity and anti-racism | What is diversity? |
Life skills | Recognising and preventing bullying |
Online safety | Media literacy: staying safe online |
Physical health | Smoking and vaping: risks and consequences |
Physical health | Female genital mutilation (FGM): facts and risks |
Physical health | Healthy lifestyles: maintaining a balanced diet |
Relationships, family and friends | What makes a healthy relationship? |
Relationships, family and friends | Coping with change: bereavement, divorce and separation |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Understanding menstruation |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Growing up: physical and mental changes |
Wellbeing and mental health | What is mental health? |
Wellbeing and mental health | Lesson |
YEAR 8 Themes | Lessons |
Diversity and anti-racism | Challenging gender stereotypes |
Life skills | Gambling: the facts |
Life skills | Developing your leadership skills |
Life skills | Managing risk: looking after your personal safety |
Online safety | Media literacy: interpreting information online |
Physical health | Addictive substances: alcohol |
Physical health | Healthy lifestyles: exercising for physical and mental wellbeing |
Physical health | Healthy lifestyles: taking responsibility for your physical health |
Relationships, family and friends | Understanding marriage |
Relationships, family and friends | Overcoming conflict and finding forgiveness |
Relationships, family and friends | Spotting unhealthy and abusive relationships |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Sexuality and gender identity: an introduction |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Consent: what is it and why is it essential? |
YEAR 9 Themes | Lessons |
Diversity and anti-racism | Recognising and preventing discrimination |
Life skills | Financial choices: budgeting, saving, debt |
Life skills | Social influences: young people and gangs |
Online safety | Sex and consent online |
Physical health | Addictive substances: legal and illegal drugs |
Physical health | Healthy lifestyles: achieving balance |
Physical health | Healthy lifestyles: health services, self examination and vaccination |
Relationships, family and friends | Family life: parenthood and caring |
Relationships, family and friends | Social influences: tackling peer pressure |
Relationships, family and friends | Relationships and conflict |
Relationships, family and friends | What is good communication? |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Sex, relationships, and the media |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Practising safe sex |
YEAR 10 Themes | Lessons |
Diversity and anti-racism | Challenging prejudice and discrimination |
Life skills | Managing risk: unsafe and emergency situations |
Life skills | Planning and organising: revising effectively |
Online safety | Staying safe online: protecting your personal data |
Physical health | Alcohol: risks, consequences, and safety |
Physical health | What is a healthy lifestyle? |
Physical health | Health-related choices: blood, organ and stem cell donation |
Physical health | Health-related choices: aesthetic procedures |
Relationships, family and friends | Navigating social influence and pressure |
Relationships, family and friends | Changing relationships: managing your feelings |
Relationships, family and friends | The impact of relationships |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Sexuality and gender identity: coming out |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Understanding pregnancy: your choices |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Sexual health: choosing and accessing contraception |
YEAR 11 Themes | Lessons |
Diversity and anti-racism | Know your rights: the Equality Act 2010 |
Life skills | Gambling: risks, consequences, and safety |
Life skills | Financial choices: managing finances in the world of work |
Online safety | Staying safe online: misinformation and extremism |
Physical health | Illegal drugs: risks, consequences, and support |
Physical health | Substance addiction: how to seek help |
Physical health | Managing our health: services and support |
Relationships, family and friends | Navigating conflict in relationships |
Relationships, family and friends | Rights and responsibilities: marriage and civil partnerships |
Relationships, family and friends | Taking others' perspectives |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Understanding pornography |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Understanding consent and intimacy: offline and online |
Sexuality, gender and sexual health | Sexual health: preventing and treating STIs |
Students at Somercotes Academy study a Careers & Personal Development curriculum that includes key elements of PHSE to teach learners to be an active Modern Citizen for their communities and wider life.
Focus is given to transition from primary school, ways we can keep safe, British puberty & safeguarding, Careers, British Values and other topics.
Students further develop their understanding of puberty and relationships and multiculturalism whilst also exploring the law and democracy of the UK, careers and options alongside topics.
Continuing learners' awareness of healthy relationships and RSE, Body Confidence and Self Esteem, Careers, Drug awareness and further knowledge on their rights as a citizen.
As part of our Year 9 Personal and Social Education program we deliver a series of sessions on Relationships and Sex Education. These lessons follow government guidelines and the topics included in this programme are: -
All students in Year 9 participate in these classes unless a written request from a parent/guardian asking for their child is to be withdrawn from the lessons. Letters will be sent out to parents to let them know when this will be taught.
As part of our Year 11 Personal and Social Education program we deliver a series of sessions on Relationships and Sex Education. These lessons follow government guidelines and the topics included in this programme are: -
These topics above for both year groups will be dealt with in terms of choices, options and responsibilities. The lessons will be delivered in a sensitive manner in the context of the family, and a loving caring relationship.
As well as continuing and developing the areas introduced in KS3 focus on elements from the four interrelated strands of personal development, health and safety, relationships and becoming an active citizen. Timing and content are appropriate for the student's needs and priorities in each year. Sex and Relationship Education, Drugs Education (smoking and alcohol), Healthy Lifestyle and Inter Personal Skills are central to this Key Stage. In addition, students study cultures and religious groups as well as wider moral and ethical concerns.
Year 11 students are guided through the procedure for applications Post 16 and are given information on all options at all institutions to allow them to make informed choices about their future. Student are encouraged to visit all open days and careers events available to them and to use the post 16 application website Lincs2 Home (lincs2.co.uk) that has been designed for use within the local area. We strive to give all students at least one, one to one interview to aid them in these important decisions and a private interview room is available to accommodate this. In addition, students in year 11 study mental health and stress.
In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers guidance and tailored support when choosing their next steps after school / college, we will now be using Unifrog; an award-winning, online destinations platform. All students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 now have access to this website.
Unifrog is the universal destinations platform and is designed to support learners in making the most informed decisions about their futures and has a range of tools that are suitable for all year groups. Each student has their own account where they can explore all the career and next step options available to them and find information on everything from managing their workload to writing a winning CV. Students have access to a wide variety of video and written content, and interactive quizzes and tests, including:
Section of the platform Examples of what students can do Suitable age range
We would encourage you to use the platform with your child so you can support them through the process of deciding their next step. Parents can also have your own Unifrog account. You'll be able to research careers, attend webinars delivered by employers and universities to learn more about their opportunities, and compare pathways so you can support your child in making an informed decision about their next steps.
In addition to the taught programmes the Curriculum Area offers a variety of activities and opportunities for the students. Below is a link to the Gatsby Benchmarks and how we will achieve them through additional activities for the pupils.
Learner will also have the opportunity to experience taster days and Career Fairs - working closely with Grimsby Institute, Franklin College, Riseholme, Bishop Grosseteste among others. These days give our students the opportunity to have a look around the colleges and Universities and being exposed to life beyond secondary education and look at courses they may be interested in for post-16 options. We also work hard to promote careers fairs available locally and to arrange for employers to visit the Academy for our learners to have experiences of the work place.
We work closely with many training providers as well as those offering apprenticeship routes, with support from our local Enterprise Advisors to support the virtual or real-life experiences. We work with:
Please see below our calendar of events which will be updated throughout the year for activities linked to careers for the learners
Gary Forbisher - Talent Acquisition Manager LHP (Lincolnshire Housing Partnership)
We are happy to have Lincolnshire Housing Partnership and Gary Frobisher onboard an Employment Advisor to help support our pupils and careers programme at Somercotes Academy.
"I have worked in Learning & Development for 18 years and have a great track record in training and developing people. I'm passionate about providing opportunities for all Lincolnshire communities to find a career that they are proud of. My organisation, Lincolnshire Housing Partnership (LHP) is a social landlord and has a vision to provide great homes and strong communities". (Gary Forbisher)
We are always looking for businesses and industries to work with. If you feel you could offer your time to help enrich our current careers programme, please get in touch via the details below
Could you offer...
An Assembly: Come in and deliver a 20-minute presentation to our students about your job/business/industry
Working lunch: Join a small group of students who are interested in working in your industry. Have a Q&A session with students, talk about your role and your progression routes.
Careers talk: Join a class of students and talk about your career/industry - your journey into it and the qualifications and the experience you might need in the sphere.
Mock Interviews: Could you give up an hour or so to help us run mock interviews for students so the gain vital interview experience?
Fundraising: We are always looking for ways to raise money for the school if this is something you feel you could get involved, please get in touch.
We look forward to working with you in the future.
Mrs L Brown - Career Leader- brownl@somercotesacademy.co.uk
Tel: 01507 353459
Mrs H Smith- Assistant Principal smithh1@somercotesacademy.co.uk
Vince Agorini - Changing Education Level 6 Careers Advisor
Eloise Vines - Careers Support
Provider Access policy
Our Provider Access Policy document is available here.
The Careers & PSHE provision encompasses a wide range of areas including careers education, financial literacy, mental health, relationships education, online safety, and personal development. This comprehensive approach ensures that students receive a holistic education that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of adult life.
The overarching goals of the Careers & PSHE provision are:
The provision ensures coherence by aligning Careers & Personal Development topics with the overall school curriculum and ethos, creating a seamless learning experience for students. Connections are made between different subjects to reinforce learning and create a unified educational journey for all students. Visits out to external providers and visitors in to the classroom and Academy from Industry form a fundamental part of making the curriculum clear and quality assured. Networking using LMI (Local Market Information) creates a direct link to what is going on in the local area straight to the students in the classroom. The careers tool UNIFROG further enhances the provision given to students and encourages independence and self-motivation for their own career journeys. The PSHE Association informs our curriculum for Personal Development in the Academy making sure it is robust and aligns with statutory guidance whilst giving flexibility for teaching through the lens of current affairs to make sure culturally students are allowed to learn from the world around them.
The impact of the Careers & PSHE provision is evident in the positive outcomes achieved by students, both academically and personally. The provision cultivates a school culture where students are motivated, ambitious, and respectful members of the community. Key indicators of impact include:
The Careers & PSHE provision is sequenced to build on students' prior knowledge and skills systematically. Topics are introduced in a logical progression, allowing students to deepen their understanding and competencies over time. This sequencing ensures that students are adequately prepared for the complexities of the content and challenges they will encounter as they move through their secondary education. Topics are chosen with are relevant to our cohorts and each year the curriculum is reviewed and amended to make sure it is the best fit for the Academy. All topics are linked with real world issues at the time to enhance the students understanding of the wider world and their place in it.
The provision maintains high standards of rigor in its delivery, ensuring that all content is accurate, up-to-date, and intellectually challenging for students of all abilities.
The implementation of the Careers & PSHE provision is founded on the following key principles and strategies:
Ongoing staff training and support is provided by the Careers Leader and Greater Lincolnshire LEP, to ensure that staff have access to relevant information and are able to access careers related training. To prepare learners for their future study, training or work opportunities, we offer a varied curriculum scheme of work to allow learners to develop the skills and knowledge needed to have a successful future career.
The Careers Plan details the activities that will take place throughout the academic year. This document provides an outline overview of the core activities that are scheduled. Additional activities will be made available to learners throughout the year. Support through the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and its Enterprise Advisors will also help support the programme as well as the support of external stakeholders and agencies to compliment the curriculum and enhance the offering for learners.
The Careers Advisor is available for personnel guidance through careers leader and personal need and request.
In addition to the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, our 2024-2025 careers programme is linked to the new CDI (Careers & Development Institute) Framework. The CDI's Career Development Framework describes the six career development skills that people need to have positive careers. Both are cross-referenced below.
Our 2024-2025 careers programme is also delivered through the PSHE framework. Which enables careers to have a dedicated and timetabled provision across Key Stages 3 & 4.
Impact: Somercotes Academy measures and evaluates the impact of its careers programme through student surveys, destination data, and the COMPASS+ tool each term to reflect on progress towards the Gatsby benchmarks.
We provide parents the opportunity to feedback on the programme and obtain employer feedback after all employer engagement activities. We work closely with our LEP Team | Greater Lincolnshire LEP adviser to assess our careers programme against other schools & colleges in the region.
The impact of the successful implementation of the careers programme will be:
This information will be continuously reviewed and any changes, updates or adjustments that are deemed necessary will be made to ensure the successful implementation of the progressive programme.
Accountability
We are keen to showcase the broad and diverse range of career opportunities our students experience across the curriculum via our Facebook Somercotes Academy - Home | Facebook and Somercotes Academy Newsletter.
For any further information or questions regarding the above, see contact details below:
Mrs H Smith
Assistant Principal - Line Manager Careers
Tel: 01507 353459
Email: smithh1@somercotesacademy.co.uk
Mrs L Brown
Careers Leader
Tel: 01507 353459
Email: brownl@somercotesacademy.co.uk
Are you wondering what jobs are available in your area and how the world of work is changing, Local Market Information can help, it can tell you a variety of things including the number of job vacancies in each job area. The type of vacancies - if they are part-time, full-time, temporary, seasonal, or permanent. General trends in the world of work - such as which types of business are doing well or not so well.
Please click on the links below to view Labour Market information for the local area.
Labour market information (LMI) is information about the current economic and employment situation, it is relevant whilst looking at various career and employment options. It includes data on graduate destinations, average-starting salaries, current trends in employment sectors and recruitment patterns, therefore, is a good place to start when looking at future options for college and beyond. The Greater Lincolnshire LEP provides information about this, helping you feel inspired and informed about careers in your local area. They also manage the World of Work website, which contains lots of information about careers, apprenticeships and priority sectors in Lincolnshire.
HOME | MYPATH Careers (mypathcareersuk.com)
Home | Greater Lincolnshire LEP
Local Market Information for All
Number | Percentage | |
---|---|---|
Number of pupils | 72 | |
Pupils staying in education for at least two terms after key stage 4 | 62 | 86% |
Further education college or other further education provider | 46 | 64% |
School sixth form — state funded | 4 | 6% |
Sixth-form college — state funded | 12 | 17% |
Other education destinations | 0 | 0% |
Pupils staying in apprenticeships for at least six months | 4 | 6% |
Pupils in education or apprenticeships which were not sustained for two terms | 5 | 7% |
Pupils not captured in educaton or apprenticeships (destination unknown or in employment) | 1 | 1% |
The following websites are useful;
www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk
www.crisis.org.uk - homelessness.
www.kickitout.org - racism.
www.truetube.co.uk - for clips that support and extend the topics studied.
www.bbc.co.uk/newsround - for up-to-date news.
www.liberty-human-rights.org.uk
www.crisis.org.uk - homelessness.
www.kickitout.org - racism.
www.truetube.co.uk - for clips that support and extend the topics studied.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround - for up to date news.
www.thinkuknow.co.uk - a website dedicated to preventing child exploitation online from the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) centre.
www.talktofrank.com - this supports the topic of Drug Awareness which Year 9 study.
Review date for policy and careers programme July 2024
We evaluate the careers programme and the policy with the following:-
The study of Careers & Personal Development provides students with the knowledge, ability and confidence to leave the establishment as rounded young citizens of the local and wider community.
All topics covered provide a good progression route to more advanced qualifications, and courses at FE colleges and higher education.
Virtual Tour University of Lincoln
York University Website
Hull University Website