Careers Guidance
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:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each student
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experience of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
Each young person will have at least one opportunity to talk with our qualified independent careers advisor where they can explore their ideas for the future and look at what future study options are open to them.
Information on career opportunities, future study and apprenticeships in the local area is shared on the careers notice board. Careers appointments are emailed to students.
You can find more information in our careers policy, which is available to download at Trust Policies.
Our Careers Lead at Hope Valley College is Anna Starbuck-Ahmed.
You can contact Mrs Starbuck-Ahmed at AStarbuck@chorustrust.org
Our qualified careers, education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) advisor is Geraldine Brannelly.
Students can request appointments by emailing directly at gbrannelly@chorustrust.org, through their form tutor, or by phoning school on 01433 620 555.
All students are offered a personal careers interview from Year 9.
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 headteacher, PSHE co-ordinator, Local Enterprise Partnership for Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire (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 January 2027.
Careers support for students
Student access to careers education, information and guidance
As part of their careers entitlement at Hope Valley College, all students can expect:
- Support, advice and impartial guidance about all the options available to you, so that you fully understand what these involve.
- An excellent programme of PSHE at Hope Valley College which helps to build skills and knowledge so that they transition successfully into adult life.
- Opportunities for personal support, advice and guidance at key points when they need it most to help them make plans for their future.
- The opportunity to learn about the world of work first-hand and have engagement opportunities with careers professionals and workplaces.
One-to-one careers advice
All students at Hope Valley College are entitled to one-to-one advice and support from our specialist Careers Advisor. To arrange a careers interview, students can:
- Ask their form tutor.
- Ask their leader of student development.
- Ask at the Careers Office.
- Get in touch with our school Careers Leader, Mrs Starbuck-Ahmed.
Researching jobs and careers
Students who have a vision of where they want to be in the future may find it easier to plan their next steps more easily. To help students and parents to get an idea of what types of jobs are out there, we would suggest looking at the following websites:
- Skills for Careers: a DfE service which provides career ideas and training options to help you find your career path.
- National Careers Service: careers information, advice and guidance for all career stages. This government resource includes:
- Skills Assessment: take the questionnaire to discover your skills and potential careers.
- Explore careers: information about different jobs and what they involve.
- Find a course: search for online and classroom courses to help you get a job or develop your skills.
- icould: videos, guides and advice to provide careers ideas and information.
- National Careers Week Virtual Careers Fair
- Start: explore study and career choices with the Start website.
- Success at School: website bringing together information on careers and study options.
- Future Learn: information on training, qualifications and experience needed for various careers.
- Barclays LifeSkills: tools and resources to give the skills, knowledge and confidence for work.
- CareersBox: national careers film library, a free careers resource showing hundreds of real people doing real jobs.
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 workplace.
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 in making decisions about their futures. This includes presentations and workshops from a range of education providers and employers. Our annual careers fair enables students to meet with a wide range of visitors who could be future employers, educational institutions or training providers.
Available Options
- Qualifications explained: information about all qualifications
- Eckington Sixth Form: find out more about life at Eckington Sixth Form.
- Silverdale Sixth Form: find out more about life at Silverdale Sixth Form.
- T-levels: Government webpage all about T-levels.
Apprenticeships
- Apprenticeships general information: government website about apprenticeships and more, including a database of apprenticeships, traineeships and internships.
- The apprenticeship guide: concise summaries of every apprenticeship offered in England.
- Apprenticeships parent packs
- Apprentice ambassador stories: hear apprenticeship experiences from apprentice ambassadors.
- Beetroot: search for apprenticeships.
- Become an Apprentice: find out how to become an apprentice
- Amazing Apprenticeships: vacancies as well monthly packs for parents to help them support the search for an apprenticeship.
- AMRC Training Centre: the University of Sheffield AMRC Training Centre offers a range of engineering apprenticeships.
- NHS apprenticeships
- Law apprenticeships guide
- National Apprenticeship Week: annual event held in February with virtual and in-person events across the country.
Labour market information
- Derbyshire Observatory: data and statistics for Derbyshire including labour market information.
- Local Skills Dashboard: a dashboard highlighting the key employment and skills data in local areas including employment rates, demand, skills supply and growing occupation and business areas.
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 Hope Valley Pathways (post-16 provision) 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
Could you:
- Or your company be a part of Hope Valley College careers fairs?
- Be part of our mock interviews with Year 10 or 11 students and help them structure their CVs?
- Get involved in extracurricular clubs and activities such as Young Enterprise?
- Give an inspiring talk based on your industry or job role?
- Provide coaching/mentoring for our students?
- Run a hands-on workshop with activities relating to your area of expertise?
- Be part of our discussions about pathways after school, e.g. apprenticeships?
- Help champion specific issues and challenge barriers in the workplace around gender stereotyping, disability, etc.
- Help bring a subject lesson or school subject to life by linking it to your industry?
- Offer a work experience placement for students at your business premises?
- Provided a supported internship placement for our Hope Valley Pathways students?
- Become an ambassador supporting employment routes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and offer a work experience placement that is co-supported by the school?
Partnering with Hope Valley College is a simple way to support local young people, raise the profile of your organisation and help develop the future workforce in our community.
Why get involved?
- Build your future workforce: Introduce young people to careers in your sector and inspire future apprentices, trainees and employees.
- Promote your business: Showcase your organisation, values and career opportunities to students and their families.
- Develop essential skills: Help shape the employability skills young people need to succeed in today's workplace.
- Strengthen local partnerships: Build relationships with the school and contribute to preparing young people for the world of work.
If you think your business can help, please contact Mr Richard Beeden at rbeeden@chorustrust.org.
Access Provider Statement
Our provider access policy statement (available on our policies and documents 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 enquiries@hopevalley.chorustrust.org.
An overview for parents
Careers learning, called Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is taught to all years within the school.
At Hope Valley College, all students are entitled to:
| Year Group | Entitlement |
|---|---|
| 7 |
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| 8 |
|
| 9 |
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| 10 |
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| 11 |
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Useful information
Below are some links which young people, parents/carers may find useful:
- National Careers Service
- UCAS: information on post 16 choices and applications
- Russell Group Universities
- Careers4U: information about different careers
- Apprenticeships
- AMRC: degree apprenticeships
- Getting into Oxbridge
