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Careers Information
Our comprehensive careers programme is available to all students from Year 7 onwards. We believe that it is important for our students to develop transferrable skills and good working practices which will enable them to become more employable in whatever field they choose to pursue in the future throughout their time with us.
Our careers leader:
Our dedicated and experienced careers adviser, Mrs. Richards, is available to help our students to choose the right options for their future. To request a careers appointment students should email hrichards@humphrydavy.cornwall.sch.uk or call 01736 363559 and ask for Mrs. Richards. She can also be found in the library.
Summary of our careers programme:
A large number of events take place alongside work within lessons to enable our students to achieve the following yearly goals:
- Year 7: finding out what is available regarding careers and associated advice and support.
- Year 8: developing the skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding option subjects and beyond.
- Year 9: developing transferable skills and resilience to enhance employability.
- Year 10: making informed decisions about the future (beyond the age of 16).
- Year 11: becoming more employable, resilient and ready for the world of work.
Our students participate in many careers events including:
- Assemblies from employers in many workplace sectors.
- Our on-site careers fair which is supported by a huge number of employers and education providers.
- Careerpilot workshops.
- Employability masterclasses.
- ‘I love my job’ sessions with employees from many workplace sectors.
- Apprenticeships workshops.
- Trips to many colleges and universities including Oxford and Cambridge.
- Writing letters of application and CVs.
- Mock interviews with the Rotary Club.
- Opportunities to interact with alumni in many subject areas.
Every student has multiple opportunities to liaise with employers from a range of workplace sectors every year. Local colleges and apprenticeship providers also work closely with our students on several occasions during the year.
We also know that the support of parents/carers in contextualizing careers within the ‘real world’ is invaluable! If parents would like to get more involved in any of our careers events to share your own experiences as an employee or employer please do let us know!
Should students, parents/carers, teachers and employers wish to access further details about the careers programme please contact our careers advisor, Mrs Helen Richards, via hrichards@humphry-davy.cornwall.sch.uk
Measuring the impact of our careers programme:
To enable us to effectively review our careers provision we use the Gatsby Benchmarks, a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in schools and colleges.
Using the Gatsby Compass tool we conduct a self-review against the benchmarks every term which enables us to evaluate the impact of our provision regularly, making our careers programme dynamic and able to respond to the changing needs of our students and the wider workplace. Interim reviews take place at the end of each term and relevant updates will be published on this webpage during September each year.
We also talk to our students and employers – a lot! This enables us to make sure that what we offer both follows national guidelines and remains relevant to the needs of our community.
We review our careers offer termly to ensure all information we supply to our school community is current.
Diversity and Equality:
At Humphry Davy School we realise that different types of career guidance and opportunities should be offered at different stages in a young person’s life. We ensure that diversity and equality is embedded in the school’s career programme and challenge stereotypical thinking to raise aspirations.
What is the Baker Clause?
The Baker Clause was introduced as an amendment to the Technical and Further Education Act of 2017, stipulating that schools must allow colleges and training providers’ access to every student in Years 8 to 13 to inform them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.
What this means in Humphry Davy School
To ensure that the full range of technical options are promoted to all out students from Year 7 - 11, we at Humphry Davy School work closely with all local HE colleges 6th form providers, training providers and businesses.
Using these organisations, we use various mediums for getting the necessary information out to our students as follows:-
- Face to face interviews with providers
- Face to face appointments with careers adviser
- Assemblies from local colleges, 6th forms, apprenticeship providers, employers
- Displays around school on apprenticeships and technical qualifications
- Teams presentations from local colleges, 6th forms, apprenticeship providers, employers
- Careers Fair
- Apprenticeship updates via Satchel One.
- Guest speakers including Alumni
- Individual support for students wishing to gain an apprenticeship.
At all times we are striving to improve our performance against the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks which are a framework for good career guidance, developed to support schools in providing students with the best possible careers education, information, advice and guidance.
Next Steps: Making the Right Choices!
All school leavers are required to go into either full time education or an apprenticeship.
Qualifications have changed a lot in recent years so it is very important for our students to invest some time in finding out what is available to them on leaving school.
All of our Y11 students will receive individual support and guidance from Mrs Richards and a wide range of colleges and employers will be available for our students to talk to at our careers fair in January.
Work Experience
Why Do Work Experience?
Work experience is a fantastic opportunity for students to show employers what they are capable of doing. It looks good on a students CV and is valued by employers.
Students need to decide what it is they want out of it and we ask our students:
- Do you want to find out more about a particular career area or specific job?
- Do you want a chance to enhance your CV or a College application form when applying for a job or course?
- Do you need to do work experience as part of your course or future career?
Great Reasons to do Work Experience
- It builds self-confidence and allows students to show an employer that they have the right attitude to work and that they are flexible, enthusiastic and willing to learn.
- It helps students decide if the career path they have chosen is right for them and they will have the opportunity to network with employers.
- It can give students experience of using skills which can be mentioned on CV's or College application forms.
Types of Work Experience
Placements
Block placement – Students undertake a block placement in Year 10.
In this school Block work experience is a week out of school working alongside an employer. The employer will put a programme together and students will complete a work experience diary.
Students may do work experience again in College – this will probably be a one day per week placement and will relate to the course they are studying.
