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Hope Valley College

Careers advice

There is strong evidence that providing young people with the opportunity to learn about the world of work and their place in it has a real impact on their future and the choices they make. At Hope Valley College we offer a range of ways in which young people can engage in and learn about future careers and the world of work. We aim to ensure that when all of your young people leave us they have all the relevant skills and knowledge required to make informed decisions about their next steps.

From Year 7 Hope Valley College provides all young people with a programme of careers education through the PSHE curriculum and other opportunities to help them make decisions about their next steps. We work with young people to help them understand what is required in the world of work and how to develop their skills and interests. Elements involve learning about different careers and jobs along with more work-related personal skills and ways in which they can begin to plan for their future careers.

We work to ensure that our young people can access high quality careers education and guidance in line with the recommended Gatsby Benchmarks:

  1. A stable careers programme
  2. Learning from career and labour market information
  3. Addressing the needs of each student
  4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
  5. Encounters with employers and employees
  6. Experience of workplaces
  7. Encounters with further and higher education
  8. Personal guidance

Each young person will have at least one opportunity to talk with a qualified independent careers advisor where they can explore their ideas for the future and look at what future study options are open to them. We recognise the important part that parents/carers play in this and encourage parents/carers to be involved in these meetings.

Information on career opportunities, future study and apprenticeships in the local area are shared on the student noticeboard. Careers appointments, assemblies, emails and information is shared through tutors.

You can find more information in our careers policy which is available to download at Trust Policies.

Measuring the impact of our careers programme

We undertake to regularly review the provision created for our young people. The quality of provision is reviewed each term using Compass+, a careers benchmarking tool, to identify key areas of development. This is done in conjunction with the Vice Principal, PSHE Co-ordinator, D2N2 Advisor and our employability advisor. The curriculum is reviewed each year to ensure that it has the most relevant information available. All careers information is reviewed annually, and this information is next due for review in October 2023.

Careers support for students

Work-related learning

As part of our PSHE programme key stage 3 students will complete regular work around careers and employability which may include: economic wellbeing, local labour market information, key work skills and information on possible career pathways.

Work experience

All Year 10 students and all Year 12,13 students in Hope Valley Pathways complete work experience. Year 10 complete a full week of work experience where they are able to gain insight into a particular work place. Students in Year 12 and 13 regularly access work placements as part of their learning as well as supported internships which are supported by local employers.

Information about Post-16 choices

Year 10 and Year 11 students complete a range of activities to help support them to make decisions about their futures. This has included a presentation on behalf of UCAS in support of writing personal statements, workshops run by the National Apprenticeship Service, presentations by a range of post-16 providers and information on how to access the employment market run by external providers.

Individual Careers Advice

Geraldine Brannelly is our qualified Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) Advisor and all students are offered a personal careers interview from Year 9. Students can request appointments as questions emerge either via email, through their form tutor or by phoning school on 01433 620555.

Careers Advice and SEND

Where relevant we will undertake more bespoke appointments with young people to take account of different needs. Young people may require additional support when accessing this information and we will work with the SENDCo Head of Post-16 and pastoral staff to ensure that information is delivered in a way that is appropriate to need and that relevant support is available.

Careers support from employers

Having support from the wider community is an important part of our offer. We work with D2N2 (Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire) to support our work and also have a dedicated employability advisor from the local community who supports school with strategic decision-making around our careers programme. We would welcome support from the local community and below are some of the ways in which employers can get involved:

  • Work experience: providing a work placement for a young person.
  • Mock interviews: providing a morning or afternoon of time to conduct practice interviews for students.
  • Careers talks: this could be an assembly to a year group of about two minutes or something more bespoke to a smaller group of young people.
  • Supported internship placements: this is to support our students in Hope Valley Pathways.

Access Provider Statement

Our provider access policy statement (available on our policies page) sets out our arrangements for managing the access of providers to young people for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. Young people in Years 7 – 13 are entitled to:

  • Find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities, as part of a carers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training opportunities available at each point of transition.
  • Hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships through options events, assemblies, group discussion and taster events.
  • Understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

A provider wishing to request access should contact the CEIAG Advisor or the Vice Principal.

Useful information

Below are some links which young people, parents/carers may find useful:

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