Careers Curriculum at Berwick Academy
Curriculum Plan and Careers Development Institiute Learning Aims
Our careers curriculum is based on the Careers Development Institute Learning Aims. Delivery comes in the form of teaching, delivered during Personal Development lessons and registration times. This is then supplemented by a range of additional activities throughout the year, some examples of which are below:
- Engagement with National Careers Week activities
- Visiting guest speakers from a range of colleges and universities running assemblies and workshops for students throughout the year
- Our monthly careers breakfasts provide local employers the opportunity to deliver to students, explaining the opportunities they have to offer
- Colleges invited to our post 16 options evening and information relating to their open events is shared with parents and students
- Trips and visits to local employers take place as part of a number of our courses
- Virtual work experience allows national employers to present to students, explaining the opportunities they have to offer
- UCAS fairs introduce students to universities, apprenticeship providers and employers
- Individual guidance meetings to discuss careers and next steps
Our Careers Curriculum is designed so that the key Careers Development Learning Aims are revisited and built upon in every year a student is with us here at Berwick Academy, including through the Sixth Form.
Further details of the individual learning aims and when they are covered is below.
|
Learning area |
Careers Education Learning Aims |
Lessons which cover this learning aim |
Year group |
|
Grow throughout life |
being aware that learning, skills and qualifications are important for career |
What are my skills? |
9 |
|
|
recording achievements |
What are my skills? |
9 |
|
|
responding positively to help, support and feedback |
Reflecting on my career journey: past, present and future |
10 |
|
|
positively engaging in learning and taking action to achieve good outcomes |
Reflecting on my career journey: past, present and future |
10 |
|
|
recognising the value of challenging themselves and trying new things |
Reflecting on my career journey: past, present and future |
10 |
|
|
reflecting on and recording achievements, experiences and learning |
Reflecting on my career journey: past, present and future |
10 |
|
|
considering what learning pathway they should pursue next |
Reflecting on my career journey: past, present and future |
10 |
|
|
reflecting on their heritage, identity and values |
Reflecting on my career journey: past, present and future |
10 |
|
|
responding positively to help, support and feedback |
What are my employability skills? |
11 |
|
|
recognising the value of challenging themselves and trying new things |
What are my employability skills? |
11 |
|
|
reflecting on and recording achievements, experiences and learning |
What are my employability skills? |
11 |
|
Explore Possibilities |
identifying common sources of information about the labour market education system |
What comes after school: the main learning pathways |
9 |
|
|
being aware of the main learning pathways (e.g. university, college and apprenticeships) |
What comes after school: the main learning pathways |
9 |
|
|
being aware that many jobs require learning, skills and minimum qualifications |
What comes after school: the main learning pathways |
9 |
|
|
researching the learning and qualification requirements for jobs and careers that they are interested in |
Exploring employer profiles |
10 |
|
|
researching the range of workplaces and what it is like to work there |
Exploring employer profiles |
10 |
|
|
researching how recruitment and selection processes work and what they need to do to succeed in them |
Exploring employer profiles |
10 |
|
|
which one they want to follow and how they will access and succeed in it |
Post 16 – Choices, Choices |
11 |
|
Manage Career |
looking forward to the future |
Decision making: choosing what to study at KS4 |
9 |
|
|
managing the transition into secondary school and preparing for choosing their GCSEs |
Decision making: choosing what to study at KS4 |
9 |
|
|
learning from setbacks and challenges |
Decision making: choosing what to study at KS4 |
9 |
|
|
recognising the different ways in which people talk about career and reflecting on its meaning to them |
What type of career is best for me? |
10 |
|
|
building their confidence and optimism about their future |
What type of career is best for me? |
10 |
|
|
making plans and developing a pathway into their future |
What type of career is best for me? |
10 |
|
|
considering the risks and rewards associated with different pathways and careers |
What type of career is best for me? |
10 |
|
|
building their confidence and optimism about their future |
Decision making: choosing your post-16 pathway |
11 |
|
|
making plans and developing a pathway into their future |
Decision making: choosing your post-16 pathway |
11 |
|
|
taking steps to achieve in their GCSEs and make a decision about their post-16 pathway |
Decision making: choosing your post-16 pathway |
11 |
|
|
thinking about how they deal with and learn from challenges and setbacks |
Decision making: choosing your post-16 pathway |
11 |
|
Create opportunities |
being aware that it is important to take initiative in their learning and life |
Taking control of your career journey |
9 |
|
|
being aware that building a career will require them to be imaginative and fl exible |
Taking control of your career journey |
9 |
|
|
developing the ability to communicate their needs and wants |
Taking control of your career journey |
9 |
|
|
developing friendships and relationships and reflecting on their relationship to their career |
Preparing to go on work experience |
10 |
|
|
starting to take responsibility for making things happen in their career |
Preparing to go on work experience |
10 |
|
|
being willing to speak up for themselves and others |
Preparing to go on work experience |
10 |
|
|
being able to discuss roles models and reflect on leadership |
Preparing to go on work experience |
10 |
|
|
developing friendships and relationships and reflecting on their relationship to their career |
Researching volunteering and paid work |
11 |
|
|
starting to take responsibility for making things happen in their career |
Researching volunteering and paid work |
11 |
|
|
being able to reflect on and change their career ideas and the strategies that they are pursuing to achieve them |
Researching volunteering and paid work |
11 |
|
|
researching entrepreneurialism and self-employment |
Researching volunteering and paid work |
|
|
Balance life and work |
being aware of money and that individuals and families have to actively manage their finances |
Working and earning: managing your money |
9 |
|
|
being aware of the ways that they can be involved in their family and community |
Working and earning: managing your money |
9 |
|
|
being aware of different life stages and life roles |
Working and earning: managing your money |
9 |
|
|
reflecting on the different ways in which people balance their work and life |
Wellbeing in the workplace |
10 |
|
|
reflecting on their physical and mental wellbeing and considering how they can improve these |
Wellbeing in the workplace |
10 |
|
|
developing knowledge of rights and responsibilities in the workplace and in society |
Wellbeing in the workplace |
10 |
|
|
identifying what they can do, individually and with others, to challenge prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination in learning and workplaces |
Wellbeing in the workplace |
10 |
|
|
recognising the role that money and finances will play, in the decisions that they make and, in their life and career |
Money talks: apprenticeships vs. higher education |
11 |
|
|
recognising the role that they play in their family and community and considering how that might shape their career |
Money talks: apprenticeships vs. higher education |
11 |
|
|
considering how they want to move through different life stages and manage different life roles |
Money talks: apprenticeships vs. higher education |
11 |
|
See the big picture |
being aware that there are trends in local and national labour markets |
What is the labour market and why is it important? |
9 |
|
|
being aware of the relationship between career, community and society |
What is the labour market and why is it important? |
9 |
|
|
being aware of the relationship between career, politics and the economy |
What is the labour market and why is it important? |
9 |
|
|
evaluating diff erent media, information sources and viewpoints |
In person, hybrid and remote: what works best? |
10 |
|
|
exploring local and national labour market trends |
In person, hybrid and remote: what works best? |
10 |
|
|
exploring the relationship between career and the environment |
In person, hybrid and remote: what works best? |
10 |
|
|
exploring the relationship between career, community and society |
In person, hybrid and remote: what works best? |
10 |
|
|
exploring the relationship between career, politics and the economy |
In person, hybrid and remote: what works best? |
10 |
|
|
evaluating diff erent media, information sources and viewpoints |
Is AI a threat to our jobs? |
11 |
|
|
exploring local and national labour market trends |
Is AI a threat to our jobs? |
11 |
|
|
exploring trends in technology and science |
Is AI a threat to our jobs? |
11 |
|
|
exploring the relationship between career, politics and the economy |
Is AI a threat to our jobs? |
11 |
CDI learning aims Age 16-18 (KS5)
|
Learning area |
KS5 learning aim (16-18) |
Lessons which cover this learning aim |
Year group |
|
Grow throughout life |
actively seeking out help, support and feedback |
Preparing for a personal guidance one-to-one |
12 |
|
Personal branding: your CV and online profile |
13 |
||
|
taking responsibility for their learning and aiming high |
Preparing for a personal guidance one-to-one |
12 |
|
|
seeking out challenges and opportunities for development |
Preparing for a personal guidance one-to-one |
12 |
|
|
reflecting on and recording achievements, experiences and learning and communicating them to others |
Preparing for a personal guidance one-to-one |
12 |
|
|
Personal branding: your CV and online profile |
13 |
||
|
planning their next steps in learning and work |
Preparing for a personal guidance one-to-one |
12 |
|
|
discussing and reflecting on the impact of heritage, identity and values |
Preparing for a personal guidance one-to-one |
12 |
|
|
Explore Possibilities |
having a clear understanding of the learning pathways and qualifications that they will need to pursue their career |
Post 18 – Choices, Choices |
12 |
|
actively researching and reflecting on workplaces, workplace culture and expectations |
The basics of interviews: in person and online |
13 |
|
|
analysing and preparing for recruitment and selection processes |
The basics of interviews: in person and online |
13 |
|
|
Manage Career |
being able to describe the concept of career and say what it means to them |
Setting career goals |
12 |
|
building their confidence and optimism about their future and acting on it |
Setting career goals |
12 |
|
|
Confidently managing transitions |
13 |
||
|
actively planning, prioritising and setting targets for their future |
Setting career goals |
12 |
|
|
Confidently managing transitions |
13 |
||
|
considering the risks and rewards of different pathways and career and deciding between them |
Setting career goals |
12 |
|
|
managing the transition into the post-16 learning context and preparing for post-18 transitions |
Setting career goals |
12 |
|
|
Confidently managing transitions |
13 |
||
|
being proactive about being resilient and learning from setbacks |
Setting career goals |
12 |
|
|
Confidently managing transitions |
13 |
||
|
Create opportunities |
building and maintaining relationships and networks within and beyond the school |
How to network and be enterprising |
12 |
|
being proactive about their life, learning and career |
Preparing for an employer assessment day |
13 |
|
|
being creative and agile as they develop their career pathway |
How to network and be enterprising |
12 |
|
|
representing themselves and others |
How to network and be enterprising |
12 |
|
|
Preparing for an employer assessment day |
13 |
||
|
acting as a leader, role model or example to others |
Preparing for an employer assessment day |
13 |
|
|
considering entrepreneurialism and self-employment as a career pathway |
How to network and be enterprising |
12 |
|
|
Balance life and work |
planning for the kind of balance of work and life that they want |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
taking action to improve their physical and mental wellbeing |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
|
beginning to manage their own money and plan their finances (e.g. thinking about student loans) |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
|
Being self-employed and working freelance |
13 |
||
|
actively shaping their involvement in their family and community as part of their career planning |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
|
planning for different life stages and considering the different life roles that they want to play |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
|
Being self-employed and working freelance |
13 |
||
|
being aware of their role in ensuring rights and responsibilities in the workplace and in society |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
|
Being self-employed and working freelance |
13 |
||
|
taking action to challenge prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination in learning and workplaces when they encounter them |
Wellbeing: balancing life, learning, and work |
12 |
|
|
See the big picture |
evaluating different media, information sources and viewpoints and reflecting on the best way to get information for their career |
Should all employers adopt a four-day week? |
12 |
|
What makes an employer 'good' to work for? |
13 |
||
|
exploring and responding to local and national labour market trends |
Should all employers adopt a four-day week? |
12 |
|
|
exploring and responding to trends in technology and science |
Should all employers adopt a four-day week? |
12 |
|
|
exploring and responding to the relationship between career and the environment |
Should all employers adopt a four-day week? |
12 |
|
|
What makes an employer 'good' to work for? |
13 |
||
|
exploring and responding to the relationship between career, community and society |
Should all employers adopt a four-day week? |
12 |
|
|
What makes an employer 'good' to work for? |
13 |
||
|
exploring and responding to the relationship between career, politics and the economy |
Should all employers adopt a four-day week? |
12 |
Evaluation of our Careers Curriculum
“Pupils receive the careers information and guidance they need to make well-informed choices about their future.” Ofsted Feb 2024
As well as external validation from Ofsted, we work closely with The North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) (part of the North East Combined Authority) and with our Enterprise Advisor to monitor, review and develop our Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) programme here at Berwick Academy.
We also monitor and report to Government the chosen destinations of our young people as they take their next steps in life beyond school and compare this data to national figures.
