Careers, Information, Advice & Guidance

‘Ambition’ is an attribute we encourage all our pupils to have at Hydesville Tower School.

Hydesville has an ongoing commitment to ensuring that all our pupils have access to good quality impartial careers advice, thereby ensuring that each pupil has the best possible foundation on which to base their future choices and pathways.

Alongside the meetings, careers support is provided through whole school and class curriculum activities at KS3 & 4. Each student has access to information in the Careers Library as well as the Careers Advisor. Miss Fairbrother and Giselle Douglas (Careers Advisor based at Shire Oak Academy) provide impartial careers advice for Years 10-11, helping students make those crucial career decisions from choosing GCSEs, Apprenticeships and A Level Choices. Every Year 11 student is seen by the Careers Advisor to make sure that they have explored all possible options before making their decision about their post-16 Education, since it is a legal requirement for all young people to be in either education, employment or training up to and including the age of 18. Careers, course options and their links are also an integral part of the tutor mentoring process, again ensuring that our Year 9s and Year 11s have adequate support to help them make informed choices regarding their options.

Parents or employers who are interested in getting involved supporting the school in delivering careers services can contact our Careers Advisor, Danni Fairbrother by e-mailing danni.fairbrother@hydesville.com.

To find out more about our safeguarding and child protection policy, please see here:

Careers Guidance Year 7-11

In Year 7 pupils start to explore:

the different career pathways
age restrictions on jobs and maximum working hours for age groups
the personal skills needed for certain jobs
their own Skills, Strengths and interests

In Year 8 pupils start exploring:

The labour market, learning opportunities, skills, occupations and progression routes and self-employment
They consider and set realistic goals and achievable expectations
Recognise the importance of education and future opportunities
Awareness of career pathways – apprenticeships, college, university etc
Consider career options and your own personal qualities
Start researching your own career paths
All students in year 8, will be introduced to the careers guidance software called FastTomato in preparation for making their key stage 4 option choices. FastTomato will allow them to investigate a range of careers related to their personal profile, generated once they have completed a questionnaire.

In year 9 pupils:

Consider various pathways available for pupils
Learn how to create a CV
Consider different jobs depending on pathways e.g university/ non-university
Investigate income in relation to jobs and rights and responsibilities at work
Employability Skills
Consider the importance of a work-life balance
Pupils will continue to use the FastTomato resource for preparation in making their key stage 4 option choices
They visit Walsall College to get a feel of what college life is all about and gain information, advice and guidance on the different career pathways available to them
Pupils access sessions on making GCSE choices in terms of career pathways (matching careers to subjects) using FastTomato software and having option talks and attending an option evening led by Miss Jenkins where they are then provided with an options booklet.
Pupils visit ‘What Career Live’ @ NEC
Pupils have a day on work experience at Walsall College

As part of the Personal Development programme, students attend presentations from Walsall College, The Army, National Network Rail and attend the ‘Skills’ show at the NEC.

They are also given access to the Morrisby Careers Assessment Test to help pupils with their Post 16 choices.

In the Summer Term during their Enrichment slot, pupils begin to make their applications for Work Experience and are taken through a series of lessons on applications, CVs and start to write their personal statements ready for 6^th form or college. Walsall Council deliver two sessions on apprenticeships and how to apply and what pathways pupils can go to fulfil their dream careers.

During year 11, and earlier, students will be invited for a careers face to face interview with visiting career advisor Giselle Douglas and will also be supported in preparing personal statements and applications for post 16. Discussions on different career pathways and destinations will also be discussed in these meetings.

During October half term all pupils are encouraged to spend a week on work experience which are tailored to the pupil’s interests and career that they wish to pursue post 16. Before and after their week on Work Experience, pupils are taken through the process of revisiting and researching the post 16 options available to them. They are also given some training on interview skills, and the writing of personal statements, as a preparation for their interviews.

In the Spring Term during their Enrichment slot, pupils continue to work on their personal statements and are given help with the post 16 application process. Pupils write up-to-date CVs and research into career pathways through the FastTomato software. Talks are given from visiting speakers to include studying in the USA, post 18 options and apprenticeships routes which pupils can take.

Again, as in Year 10, The Morrisby Test careers assessment is offered to any pupils that are struggling with a post 16 pathway.

Advice is also obtained from form tutors and subject teachers through the school mentoring process. Pupils are also made aware of sixth form and College open days and any apprenticeship events happening in the local community.

Post 16 Options

School Sixth Form

Being a Sixth Former is very different from being a student in Year 11. The curriculum is very different, relationships between students and staff will be different and often more relaxed.

Sixth Forms generally tend to provide a more structured and supportive environment than colleges. They enable students to choose up to 3 or 4 subject areas – offering a wide selection of both A Level and BTEC courses to ensure students options remain open.

More information can be found by visiting the school’s website(s) and attending information evenings.

Careers Information Hub

To give you all the additional support in the next stages of your educational career, we have an information hub below which covers colleges of further education, skills to identify, facilitation with interview preparation and useful website guidance which you can download and read at your own leisure.