Careers Education and Guidance
Careers Education is an important aspect of Bishop Fox’s School. We run a programme for Year 8 to Year 11 students supporting them to make informed decisions relating to option choices at KS4, Work Experience placements in Year 10 and choice of Post 16 destinations.
The careers department is run by a careers coordinator who provides one to one careers support guidance interviews for all students. The careers department also coordinates work experience for all Year 10 students and liaison with all Post 14, 16 and 18 education and training providers.
To view our Careers Policy, please click here.
To view our Careers Programme, please click here.
To view our Provider Access Policy, please click here. (meets full requirements of Baker Clause)
To view our Careers Plan, please click here.
Our careers information is reviewed annually.
Career Education and Guidance is measured through the Gatsby Benchmark. The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are:
1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each student
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
Each term we are assessed against these 8 Benchmarks. Please click here to read our latest assessment.
Bishop Fox’s Careers Team
Mrs Louise Daniels – Deputy Headteacher and Careers Lead
Mr Summerill (MEd in CareersEducation and Guidance) provides the strategic support for careers education guidance and supports careers guidance interviews through careers sessions for Years 8, 10 and 11. He also provides support for Mr Truby with careers guidance interviews.
(Tel: 01823 289211 Email: ldaniels@bishopfoxs.co.uk)
Mr James Truby – Careers Co-ordinator and Advisor
Mr Truby co-ordinates the careers education programme and meets with students on a one-to-one basis to provide advice, guidance and information regarding their next steps and career aspirations.
All students are seen in Year 10/11 for an individual interview and students are offered guidance if required when selecting their GCSE options.
Parents / Guardians are welcome to attend their child’s careers interview but would need to contact Mr Truby to arrange a convenient time.
There are also drop in sessions available in the careers office (upstairs in the Hub) at break times for students to ask any questions or to book an appointment.
The school has a designated careers library with 3 careers computers.
For students, parents / guardians who are considering pursuing the apprenticeship route, Mr Truby is happy to help with applications or to arrange a mock interview.
Measuring Impact of our Careers Programme
We measure the impact of our careers programme in a number of ways:
- Student and parental questionnaires – please click here.
- Feedback from our Education and Business Partnership meetings
- Feedback from employers through work experience
- Feedback from local colleges and training providers
Student Leavers Destinations 2024
2024 Intended destinations can be viewed here.
We use this feedback to develop and improve our career provision on an ongoing basis.
Bishop Fox’s and our Community
Bishop Fox’s believe it is important to be in the heart of the community and as such is an outward looking School looking for opportunities to work with and for the local community.
We work with a number of local and national organisations to help deliver a varied careers programme. These include practice interviews, careers fairs, talks, workshops, work experience and campus visits.
If you are able to assist us in any way then please contact: Jtruby@bishopfoxs.co.uk
PRIMARY SCHOOLS
Bishop Fox’s has strong links with our local primary schools – we run a range of different curriculum opportunities for our local schools which include:
- Business and Enterprise challenge day for Year 5
- Science day for more able Year 5 students
- Sports festivals throughout the year
- Drama and Dance workshops
- Language days
- STEM days
The aim is to make the transition from primary to secondary as smooth as possible and to offer our specialist curriculum and facilities to our local primary students.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Bishop Fox’s is one of only a few local schools that offer Work Experience to all students in Year 10. Students work in a range of local settings and enjoy the opportunity to experience what the world beyond Year 11 will look like.
To view our Work Experience Policy, please click here.
CAREERS FAIR
Bishop Fox’s holds an annual careers fair, this is attended by students form Year 8, 10 and 11. This is part of a careers curriculum day.
We have 25 stands from a range of organisations including:
- Bridgwater and Taunton College
- Richard Huish College
- Plymouth University
- Exeter University
- Army Careers
- Navy careers
- What University
- Hair Academy
- Toni and Guy
- NCS
- NSW
And a range of local companies
LOCAL COLLEGES
Bishop Fox’s has close links with all the local colleges. We run careers days at both Bridgwater and Taunton College, Richard Huish College, Exeter College, Cannington Campus and local 6th Form Colleges. A wide range of talks, presentations and workshops run throughout the school year. Year 9 students can also spend a week in summer school at Bridgwater and Taunton College. We also run motor vehicle, hair and beauty, construction and catering vocational course’s for Year 10 and 11 students at Level 1.
UNIVERSITIES
We have strong links and arrange visits to a number of local universities such as Exeter and Bristol and also have links with Oxford University. We also run the Brilliant Club where Year 9 students work with PHD students to produce a university standard report and have the opportunity to visit Russell Group universities. In recent years we have worked with Southampton and Cambridge universities.
LOCAL BUSINESS
We have a strong Business and Enterprise focus and work in partnership with the a range of local business to enhance the education of our students. The school is a member of the Chamber of Commerce and run a range of joint events with them. We run practice interviews for all of Year 11. These formal interviews are to help prepare students for post 16 destinations involves 20 adults form a range of business and college environments.
POST 16
We have a proud tradition of ensuring all our students make positive transitions from Bishop Fox’s. Over 90% choose to attend Richard Huish College, or Bridgwater and Taunton College choosing a range of academic and vocational options. The remaining students choose apprenticeships or go direct in to the world of work. We are a Bronze Award holder for National Citizenship Service (NCS) whereby Bishop Fox’s students follow a national transition programme after their exams in Year 11.
EMPLOYERS INFORMATION
We are happy to support employers making contact with the school to support careers education guidance in the form of talks, visits and practice interviews.
We are also very happy to facilitate the application process for appropriate students for work based training, traineeships or apprenticeships. Please contact Mr Summerill for more details (ssummerill@bishopfoxs.co.uk).
CAREERS RESOURCES
www.careerpilot.org.uk/ is a free site that helps young people plan their future study and work. It is a great resource for young people, their parents/carers and also teachers and tutors, who are advising students about the full range of options.
The National Careers Service provides information, advice and guidance across England to help you make decisions on learning, training and work. The service offers confidential and impartial advice and is supported by qualified careers advisers. https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/
For information on Apprenticeships, what they involve and how you can find one, follow this link: www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
Post-16 Pathways
The options open to students are A levels, vocational courses or apprenticeships:
A levels are two year courses that are exam based. Please refer to www.russellgroup.ac.uk ‘Informed Choices booklet’ which gives advice about essential or useful A level subjects required for certain degrees if you are aiming to apply to one of the more prestigious universities. A levels can lead on to a degree or an apprenticeship.
Vocational courses are aimed at a particular area of work. Diplomas, T levels and BTECs are ideal for students with a vocation in mind and who have a practical and hands on learning style. These qualifications can also lead on to a degree or an apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships combine practical training in a job with study.
As an apprentice you will
- Work alongside experienced staff
- Gain job-specific skills
- Earn a wage and get holiday pay
- Study towards a related qualification (usually one day a week)
You will need to find an employer who is willing to offer you an apprenticeship. You will need to register on the National Apprenticeships website, www.apprenticeships.org.uk; ask family, friends etc about who might be able to offer an apprenticeship; contact businesses to enquire if they would be likely to have an apprenticeship vacancy; apply to colleges for apprenticeships.
Traineeships are a pre-apprenticeship programme that support students who would like to be an apprentice but may lack confidence and experience and the required grades. Students attend extra tuition in classrooms, gain work experience and receive support to secure an apprenticeship.
