Work Related Learning & Careers
At St Joseph’s our curriculum is planned to ensure that every student has the opportunity to develop:
- Socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically, spiritually, morally, culturally
- Positive attitudes, healthy relationships and essential life and work skills
- The ability to make informed choices, gaining experiences and developing responsibilities for their future (Curriculum Policy 2010)
Careers education and Guidance is delivered through a combination of Work Prep, Life and Travel Skills alongside Work Experience and Enterprise activities. This programme offers a wide range of experiences which enables the students at St Josephs to understand themselves and opportunities in the world of work. In turn develops their personal skills and independency for a successful adulthood.
Work Related Activities and Careers covers many subject areas:
Managing to use the public transport system either independently or with appropriate staff support can be a huge step for our students. In the past we have practised bus journeys to Guildford and then the safe route to walk to the work place. This enabled a student to independently travel to their work placement.
Daily Living Skills
A huge part of this subject is about learning to keep themselves safe, recognising safety signage and how to respond to them, understanding health and hygiene and independently following spoken, written or pictorial instructions. All these skills are necessary in Work Placements. Keeping your working area clean and tidy and using a supermarket or similar shops are also useful skills taught in this subject.
This subject covers personal health, healthy eating, relationships and staying safe i.e. stranger danger. All of these areas are very important for students on the WRL and Careers programme.
Citizenship / Life Skills
This subject covers using the Green Cross Code, Stranger Danger, how to queue and wait your turn. It exposes the student to different locations and people, it demonstrates who can be safely asked for help or assistance and gives the opportunity for students to evidence how they can cope in various situations.
Work Prep / Careers Sessions
As part of these sessions the students are encouraged to take note of their own skills, talents and challenges. They look at their likes and dislikes, if they like to work as part of a team or alone. They practise interview techniques, look at the different types of relationships, the different types of clothes or uniforms for jobs, responsibilities and the importance of honesty and respect. They learn about safety equipment and safety clothing. student’s learn what is appropriate clothing for different jobs or circumstances. During these sessions students are given the opportunity to take part in short internal work experience and to be part of an Enterprise, these then demonstrate the work ethic and ethos. Each student will also design their own written, pictorial or electronic CV and keep it up dated.
It also involves the therapists in the areas of speech and Occupational Therapy
Therapists can give the student strategies on how to politely ask for help or say that they have not fully understood. They can go through the interview techniques, correct body language and offer the employers advice on how best to support the students from St Josephs.
Work Experience at St Josephs School is an important part of the school curriculum, as it offers our students a variety of benefits and learning opportunities.
Work Experience placements are found according to the ability of the student and appropriate staff support given. Work Experience and careers is timetabled weekly for the students in Key Stage 4 and 5. students are placed both internally within the school grounds and externally within the local community. students who take part are asked where they would like to work; they are shown previous Work Experience placements, student’s diaries and DVDs of them at their placement and given interview techniques by taking part in role play. One to one support is given if it is needed offering optimum opportunities. The School provides a ‘Work Related Learning Careers Library and Resource Centre’ where students can find information on work placement opportunities and past Work Experience. All students have the opportunity to complete a Work Experience placement – with support if needed. During their placements students will be expected to complete a diary and annotate photographic evidence and on their return to school. They are encouraged to share their experience with their peers at the Friday Student Meeting. Work Experience Diaries are used as evidence to gain Foundation learning ASDAN Accreditation and Foundation Learning. At the end of a work placement an assessment is completed, which many of our students use as part of their CV or to present to further colleges as evidence of their achievement.
Block Work Experience
As part of the wider college experience, for 2 weeks in the Spring Term all Key Stage 4 and 5 take part in Block Work Experience. When able some students take part in a supported external work placement, where possible they complete eight consecutive mornings/days at work. Other students take part in an internal Work Experience placement within the school grounds. Occasionally, it is a combination of the two.
Other students take part in a Block Enterprise Groups, either in: Horticulture, Art, Catering or Work Shop. These groups are run on a business model where their product’s target market is researched and profit is sought.
In conclusion, a presentation evening takes place; everyone involved in the Block Work Experience is invited: students, teaching staff, ancillary, maintenance, school governors and community employers. The school invites a local businessman/woman to present each of the students with an internal certificate. The evening provides an opportunity for the students’ achievement to be recognised and celebrated and for staff, parents, employees, and further education to meet. The Enterprise products are sold during this evening and each student’s diary is on display.
Work Related Learning and Careers Library and Resource Centre
St Josephs School provides a Work Related Learning and Careers Library and Resource Centre which gives students an area dedicated to careers, college prospectuses and further college courses. Relevant information and up-to-date prospectus can be found as well as providing an area dedicated for students to meet with staff and discuss work related issues. All the information is at a level the students will understand and made relevant or is accessible with TA support. As well as this area all the schools computers have the relevant software for careers, the students access this through a programme JED (Careers Information Database).
As well as providing an area for the students there is a section for Families and staff. This offers information on colleges and health issues.
This area is covered in PSHE and Citizenship. The ASDAN accreditation also requires evidence of it being covered in the Rights and Responsibility module.
Both written and in symbols lists of the student’s entitlements are displayed in both the Pre 14 and College areas of St Josephs.
Click here to view the Entitlement Statements
What is Investors in Careers (IiC)?
IiC is a set of standards against which the quality of Careers Education and Guidance (CEG) provision can be measured.
It provides a framework for continuous improvement of CEG. The award is valid for 3 years when reassessment takes place.
By achieving the IiC Accreditation ensures we are meeting the following:
- Providing a quality CEG programme in conjunction with the National Framework to maximise the potential of students.
- Integrate career education and guidance with citizenship, personal, social and health education and the main curriculum.
- Promote inclusiveness.
- Highlight the relevance of school activities to the world of work and gain recognition for excellence.
- Support all students in achieving their full potential for economic well being, meeting the Every Child matters and the Extended Schools Agenda.
- Exceed Ofsted inspections for CEG.
- Meet Quality criteria in DCFS National Framework for CEG 11-19.
- Provide transferable evidence for the SEF.
- Provide transferable evidence for Ofsted.
- Ensure public recognition of quality and good practice.
- Demonstrate partnership working with other organisations such as Connexions, parents, local employers and other community links.
St. Joseph’s achieved the full Investors in Careers Award in 2015.