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Careers

Careers Leader-
Kay Sarpong
Post 16 Destinations Co-Ordinator
Laura Blacker
Careers Assistant
Katherine Allen

At Snowdon Village Academy, careers education, information, advice and guidance is at our forefront ensuring all our students leave with the right tools and values to help prepare them for adulthood. We support students to consider their future options, realise their potential and decide how their skills and experiences fit with opportunities in the job market. We prepare students for their preferred transitional pathway whether that is to continue with further education, employment, training or living independently and we use a person-centred approach in our delivery method.

We are fully committed to our statutory and moral obligation to provide a holistic careers service to students within our Academy as part of our 3-19 Curriculum Programme, highlighting the vocational and academic routes to their preferred careers path.

It is important that all students are fully supported and guided through the process of planning their futures. With a Team of Career Co-Ordinators led by a Careers Lead leading on a programme of education, information, advice and guidance for all students from Years 3 -19 we believe our students should be well prepared for their futures. All staff at Snowdon Village Academy play an active role in preparing them.

We believe the programme enables all our learners to develop self-agency in their learning journey and becomes confident and autonomous learners who are able to make positive and engaging career choices with the opportunities available to them. We ensure that students are inspired and motivated for the world of world, ensuring high achievable aspirations are considered for a range of careers available. Our Careers Strategy works in line with our PSHE policy.

We work closely with the local authority and multi-agency groups due to the vulnerable nature of our students who all have special education needs and disabilities with Education, Health and Care plans in place, ensuring that we know of all the services available to support students, to access these and share this knowledge amongst our community. We all share the presumption that for many of our young people with special educational needs and disabilities are capable of sustaining paid employment with the right preparation and support. We regularly celebrate and showcase and promote the achievements of our students who are volunteering or in paid employment at every possible opportunity.

We underpin our strategy with the Gatsby Benchmark and our specialism of Applied Learning.

Gatsby Benchmark

We therefore have a full programme of careers education that is delivered through the Life Skills Curriculum, PHSE, Special Events (Showcase), Enrichment Programmes, visits, trips and assemblies and also within subject areas and tutor time across the Academy.

Expectations for Students:

All students will:

  • Develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their abilities and affinities
  • Gain a greater knowledge of the range of opportunities open to them
  • Take part in work related activities in and out of school
  • Understand the labour market and the requirements and expectations of employers
  • Learn to make decisions wisely about their future
  • Be fully prepared to manage change and be fully supported through key transition periods
  • Learn how to improve their own employability: how to find work, how to get work and how to progress their careers

Structure of the Programme

We have a Work Experience Programme that is flexible to our student’s needs and is arranged on an individual basis in line with each student’s aspirations and abilities. We utilise the services of Career Co-Ordinators to help prepare students, locate suitable placements and monitor student’s progress. We have a team of trained Academy Career Co-Ordinators who will meet with students individually to discuss aspirations, opportunities, entry requirements and help students apply for courses, jobs and apprenticeships.

All students can meet with their School Careers Co-Ordinator for individual advice sessions about options, future choices, CV clinic, interview preparation, apprenticeship applications, and any other guidance they need.

There is a clear timetabled session for 1:1 guidance appointment scheduled throughout the Academic Year together with planned Careers Events as part of the school planner. We work together with all our stakeholders including parents, guardians and community governor responsible for careers and advice to support the programme.

At Snowdon Village, we have broken down our Careers Programme into Key Stage Group to ensure all our students receive the appropriate support.

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