STUDENT CAREERS

Careers

» Meet The Team
» Our Vision
» Our Approach
» Careers Policy

meet the careers team

Careers Administrator: Mrs K Parsler

Contact details: kparsler@theacademy.me

Telephone on 01296 428551.

Careers Lead: Mrs R Leach

rleach@theacademy.me

Telephone on 01296 428551.

OUR Vision

We are committed to ensuring every student, regardless of background or circumstance, has access to world-class careers guidance that opens doors to opportunity and enables them to achieve their ambition

Our Approach

Intent, Implementation, and Impact

Intent:

What We Aim to Achieve

At The Aylesbury Vale Academy, our careers programme is designed to empower every student to explore and pursue their career aspirations with confidence. We are committed to:

Raising aspirations for all students, particularly those who are disadvantaged, have SEND, or may face barriers to their learning and well-being
Equipping students with the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to make informed decisions about their future pathways
Challenging stereotypes and misconceptions about careers, qualifications and progression routes
Preparing students for successful transitions into further education, higher education, apprenticeships, or skilled employment
Meeting the eight Gatsby Benchmarks for good careers guidance, which provide the framework for our provision

Our careers programme is strategically aligned with our whole-school priorities and is shaped by the unique needs of our students, our local community, and labour market intelligence for Aylesbury and the wider region.

Implementation:

How We Deliver Our Programme

We deliver a stable, structured, and progressive careers programme from Year 7 through to Year 13, tailored to meet individual needs at each stage of students' development.

A Whole-School Approach

Careers education is embedded across the curriculum and is the responsibility of all staff. Every subject teacher links their curriculum to careers, helping students understand how their learning connects to future opportunities and the skills valued by employers. Our programme includes:

Careers Education and Guidance

A comprehensive, age-appropriate careers curriculum delivered through PSHE, assemblies, tutor time and subject lessons
Access to high-quality, up-to-date labour market information to help students understand local, regional, and national employment trends
Personal guidance meetings with our qualified careers adviser, available to all students at key transition points and whenever significant study or career choices are being made
Tailored support for vulnerable students, including those with SEND, those known to social care, and those at risk of becoming NEET (not in education, employment, or training)

Encounters with Employers and Employees

Multiple opportunities each year for students to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills valued in the workplace
Careers fairs, employer-led workshops, guest speakers, mentoring programmes and enterprise activities
Engagement with employers of different sizes and sectors, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and self-employed professionals

Experiences of Workplaces

Meaningful workplace experiences for all students, including workplace visits, work shadowing and work experience placements
Opportunities designed to help students explore career options, develop employability skills, and expand their professional networks
Support to prepare for and reflect on workplace experiences, ensuring maximum impact

Encounters with Further and Higher Education

Meaningful encounters with the full range of post-16 and post-18 providers, including sixth forms, colleges, universities, and independent training providers
Information about all pathways presented equitably, including A-levels, T-levels, BTECs, apprenticeships, and degree apprenticeships
Campus visits, taster sessions, and opportunities to meet current students and staff
Dedicated support for Sixth Form students applying to university, higher-level apprenticeships, or alternative post-18 pathways

Parent and Carer Engagement

We recognise that parents and carers are one of the biggest influences on young people's career decisions. We actively engage families throughout our careers programme by:

Sharing information about pathways, qualifications, and labour market opportunities
Supporting parents and carers to have informed careers conversations with their children
Inviting parents and carers to careers events, information evenings and parents' evenings
Providing resources and guidance tailored to their needs

ImpacT:

How We Know We're Making a Difference

We regularly evaluate our careers provision to ensure it is having a meaningful impact on our students. We measure success through:

Student Outcomes

Career readiness – using tools such as the Future Skills Questionnaire to track students' confidence, knowledge, and preparedness for their next steps
Destinations data – monitoring where students progress to after leaving AVA, including sustained destinations at 16 and 18
Aspirations and intentions – tracking students' career goals and intended pathways to provide timely, personalised support

Stakeholder Voice

Regular feedback from students, parents and carers, staff, employers, and our careers adviser
Student voice activities to understand their experiences and identify areas for improvement
Employer feedback on students' engagement, professionalism, and readiness for the workplace

Progress Against the Gatsby Benchmarks

We use Compass, the national careers benchmarking tool, to track our progress against the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. This enables us to:

Identify strengths and areas for development
Set clear improvement priorities
Demonstrate our commitment to continuous improvement

Our provision is also informed by the Careers Impact System, which supports strategic careers leadership and ensures our programme is embedded, evaluated and aligned with whole-school improvement priorities.

Quality Assurance

We are committed to maintaining the highest standards in careers provision. Our programme is:

Reviewed annually by senior leaders and governors
Informed by best practice and national guidance

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of their starting point, receives high-quality careers guidance that meets their individual needs. This includes:

Disadvantaged students – targeted support to raise aspirations, challenge barriers and ensure equity of access to opportunities
Students with SEND – differentiated provision, close collaboration with our SENDCO, and tailored personal guidance to support successful transitions
Students at risk of becoming NEET – early identification, intensive support and close monitoring to ensure positive destinations
Students who are absent or in alternative provision – flexible delivery methods to ensure they do not miss out on careers education

We actively work to challenge stereotypes and misconceptions, showcase diverse role models, and ensure all students can see themselves in a wide range of careers and pathways.

Meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks

Our careers programme is built around the eight Gatsby Benchmarks, the national framework for good careers guidance:

A stable careers programme – with leadership support, a trained Careers Leader, and a published programme
Learning from career and labour market information – ensuring students, parents, staff and employers have access to up-to-date information
Addressing the needs of each young person – through tailored support, systematic record-keeping and tracking of aspirations and destinations
Linking curriculum learning to careers – with all teachers embedding careers into their subject teaching
Encounters with employers and employees – providing multiple meaningful encounters each year
Experiences of workplaces – ensuring all students have first-hand experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education – helping students understand the full range of learning opportunities available
Personal guidance – providing access to qualified careers advisers at key decision points

Supporting Students Through Key Transitions

We provide targeted support at critical points in students' educational journeys:

Year 7-9: Building awareness, exploring interests, and developing essential skills
Year 9: Guidance on GCSE options and understanding progression pathways
Year 11: Support with post-16 choices, applications, and transition planning
Year 12-13: Intensive support with UCAS applications, apprenticeship applications, and preparation for employment or further study

Careers Policy

Click HERE to access our latest careers policy.

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