Careers Advice and Guidance

The government’s Careers Strategy, published in December 2017, and statutory guidance for schools leaders and school staff, published in January 2018, set out the plan for building a high quality careers system that will help young people to achieve their careers ambitions. Underpinning the plan, were the development of the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, providing a framework describing best practice for careers provision in schools and colleges. SKA is committed to embedding and strengthening these Benchmarks in its careers provision to drive improvement.

1. A stable careers programme

2. Learning from career and labour market information

3. Addressing the needs of each pupil

4. Linking curriculum learning to careers

5. Encounters with employers and employees

6. Experiences of workplaces

7. Encounters with further and higher education

8. Personal guidance

SKA's Whole -Academy Careers Programme

Our whole-Academy careers programme helps young people explore the opportunities available to them. It enables students to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to make well-informed, supported choices; and to develop plans that equip them to progress smoothly into further learning and work after leaving the Academy.

Learning and developing ‘employability skills’, becoming an attractive candidate for colleges and universities, as well as employers and is an important part of the students journey at the Academy. We make CEIAG accessible for every student in Years 7 -11 and we are committed to supporting the aspirations of all our students.

Students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of careers events which develops their thirst for further knowledge. They engage in a range of activities around careers education, enterprise awareness and college introductions which enthuse and motivate them, raising their aspirations and ambitions.

Careers Programme

Careers Education

Delivered through lessons, assemblies, advisory sessions, House Tutor groups, one-to-one sessions and specific events and includes advice and support for option choices and work experience.

Frequent employer talks and visits support the careers education programme. Inspirational speakers include Lord Evans (Security Chief); Nikki King (CEO ITUK); Jenny McLachlan (best-selling author); Lord Dholakia (Peer) and Amanda Nevill (CEO British Film Institute).

We also coordinate work-related learning opportunities with local employer links alongside all subject areas to ensure students receive current information, experiences of work and up-to-date labour market information.

All students have access to independent careers advice and guidance, particularly at key transition stages. Years 11 and 13 students receive progress assessments and 1:1 guidance and advice meetings in order to best plan their applications to sixth forms, colleges, training providers, universities and employers, as appropriate.

Careers Advice and Guidance

One-to-one and group sessions offer the opportunity for students to discuss ideas, understand their strengths and individual skill sets, help them find out more information and to develop an action plan to make their own informed decisions about their next steps. To arrange a careers guidance and support meeting please email: careers@skinnerskent.org.uk

Employer and Community Links

We are always looking to expand our employer and local community links. For further information please contact our Careers Department on: careers@skinnerskent.org.uk.

Assessing the impact of SKA's Careers Programme

Here at The Skinner's Kent Academy we regularly assess the impact our careers programme to make sure that the provision we provide is the best it can be for our students. Regular student voice activities provide feedback that we use to develop and improve our careers curriculum. We also have an Academy Improvement Plan which we are working towards aligning careers with curriculum learning, driving forwards sustained improvements. We also evaluate the destinations data for our former students to make sure they are going onto appropriate Further Education providers.

For further details, please take a look at The Skinners’ Kent Academy Provider Access Policy here.

Next review

We continually review our careers programme to improve it and keep it up to date. At the moment we are striving towards meeting each of the Gatsby benchmark standards. Our careers programme is due to be reviewed in September 2024.