Careers

Careers Information at The Oswaldtwistle School 

Careers Lead:  Dylan Fee

Email: dylan.fee@oswaldtwistle.org

Phone: 01254 231553

The careers programme intent

Oswaldtwistle School provides education and support through alternative provision to ensure that every learner reaches their full potential. We work with learners who are particularly vulnerable to becoming NEET. The school works collaboratively with internal and external partners to build a cohesive program for careers education to ensure that every student reaches their full potential. The development of careers within Oswaldtwistle School is a continuous priority within our school improvement plan. We will support students to help achieve their best intended outcome by raising aspirations and providing access to differentiated, impartial and independent careers information and guidance about the range of options. 

Oswaldtwistle School is committed to providing a planned Careers program; this will be differentiated to suit the needs of each individual learner. Students will leave Oswaldtwistle School with the skills and knowledge required to support their entry to further education, training or employment. Oswaldtwistle School work with the Local Authority and a wide range of voluntary and statutory agencies to support our students who circumstances have made them vulnerable or hard to reach, including those with Special educational needs and those who are risk of becoming NEET.

Oswaldtwistle School is committed to achieving in the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks, whilst closely working with the careers and enterprise company (CEC) and utilising the CEC compass benchmarks as an assessment tool.

Oswaldtwistle School will commit to the following Gatsby Benchmarks:

  1. A stable Careers program
  2. Learning from Careers and Labour Market Information
  3. Addressing the Needs of Each Pupils
  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

The aim of our Careers programme is to raise the aspirations of all our students and to support them in making realistic decisions for post 16. Oswaldtwistle School Careers Programme ensures that every student gets important life skills that will better support them post 16:

 

  • Prepare pupils for the transition to life after Oswaldtwistle School.
  • Support pupils in making informed decisions which are appropriate for them.
  • Provide pupils with well-rounded experiences.
  • Develop personal characteristics such as social skills, communication, independence and resilience.
  • Inspire and motivate pupils to develop themselves as individuals and live as independently as is possible.

 

The Careers Programme Implementation:

A detailed outline of our careers programme can be found below.

 

Year 11 Careers advice and guidance

If you are worried about your college or apprenticeship application(s) or would like further advice and guidance please contact either:

Dylan Fee: dylan.fee@oswaldtwistle.org     Careers Lead Oswaldtwistle School

Tracie Evans: Tracie.Evans@blackburn.gov.uk    Registered Careers Adviser New Directions Careers Team

 

 

 

Startprofile.com

Click Here for a Parent's guide to careers guidance

Click Here for 10 ways to achieve careers education at home 

Click Here for Barclays Life Skills - students are able to learn where their skills are needed in the modern workplace and see the inner workings of a company.

Click Here for Go Construct - careers and apprenticeship information in construction.

Click Here to explore the world of STEM - a selection of free online resources available from Learn by Design for all to use, to help explore the world of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).

 

Introduction to careers

Your future career will have a huge impact on your life. It will decide where you live, whether you decide to start your own family, what kind of house you live in, what car you drive (and if you drive), whether you can go on holiday – decisions around your career choice are very important, and the staff at The Oswaldtwistle School are here to help you with these decisions. It’s not easy to decide, especially when you are a young person. Again, we are here to help, through the subject curriculum, enrichment activities and interviews with our careers team.

If you are a parent, guardian or carer and you would like to speak to the careers team to discuss your son or daughter’s career options, please do get in touch, by calling the school or emailing Paul Bridge or Dylan Fee.

At Oswaldtwistle School, we have commissioned New Directions Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance Service to provide impartial careers advice, information and guidance to every pupil at Oswaldtwistle School. Every pupil will have the opportunity explore plans for future career progression or to develop their ideas and identify a career path. Every pupil will be given an individual action plan and the opportunity to re-visit and discuss their plans as necessary throughout their stay at Oswaldtwistle School.

Below are a number of excellent resources that can be used by Pupils, Parents and Teachers to research careers information: 

  •      Explore your Options after Year 11 - What to do when you finish school  
  • Be Ready.  Within this site you will find lots of free training and resources to help you build your skills and succeed in your future career.
  • See how some of the 800 job profiles on the National Careers Service site can help illustrate careers activities and offer online guidance for young people.
  • Obtain the labour market summaries for your LEP area. These will provide useful information on major employers and sectors and developing trends.
  • Nomis is your one-stop shop for labour market information. The summary pages provide key trend data about a local area.
  • I Could provide 1,000 different video clips of LMI and personal career stories to help students explore different career routes and pathways.
  • Get In Go Far is the government portal for information about apprenticeships, with a linked website to find live apprenticeship vacancies.
  • Amazing Apprenticeships provides ideas from Apprenticeship Champions on how to promote apprenticeships. The site also provides free talks and guidance to schools via the Apprenticeship Support Knowledge service (ASK)

Careers documents

Careers Programme Academic Year 2022/2023

Careers Programme at The Oswaldtwistle School

2022-2023

Year group

Autumn Term

Spring Term

Summer Term

KS3 (excluding year 9)
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • RAF careers session with Sergeant Lee Hargreaves (06.12.22)
  • In school careers drop down morning (11.10.22)
  • Lancashire Fire and Rescue careers presentation (13.10.22)
  • Lancashire Police careers presentation (20.10.22)
  • Enterprise Week activities (13.11.22 – 19.11.22)
  • Amazing Accrington careers visit (09.12.22)
  • SunDown Solutions careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Amazing Accrington careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Labour Market Information
  • PGL trip – building teamwork and resilience (November)

 
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • STEM drop down day (08.02.23)
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans with all permanently excluded KS3 pupils – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • Manchester Airport careers education visit (02.03.23)
  • Inter-school careers challenge (March)
  • National Careers Week assembly and activities during form and lessons all week (06.03.23 – 11.03.23)
  • START profile -online careers platform (ongoing)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Labour Market Information
  •  
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans with all permanently excluded KS3 pupils – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • START profile (online careers platform)
  • Chester Zoom STEM careers visit (July)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (11.05.23)
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (04.07.23)
  • Labour Market Information
  • Parent careers programme (April)
  • Virtual careers fair (April and May)
  • Alumni visit (April/May)

Year 9
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • East Lancashire Careers Fair – Amazing Accrington (06.10.22)
  • In school careers drop down morning (11.10.22)
  • Lancashire Fire and Rescue careers presentation (13.10.22)
  • Lancashire Police careers presentation (20.10.22)
  • Enterprise Week activities (13.11.22 – 19.11.22)
  • RAF careers session with Sergeant Lee Hargreaves (06.12.22)
  • Accrington Stanley careers visit (09.12.22)
  • SunDown Solutions careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Amazing Accrington careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Labour Market Information
  • PGL trip – building teamwork and resilience (November)
  •  
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • STEM drop down day (08.02.23)
  • National Careers Week assembly and activities during form and lessons all week (06.03.23 – 11.03.23)
  • Manchester Airport careers education visit (02.03.23)
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans with all permanently excluded KS3 pupils – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • START profile - online careers platform (ongoing)
  • Inter-school careers challenge (March)
  • Manchester University campus visit – tour and taster session (06.02.23)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Labour Market Information
  •  
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans with all permanently excluded KS3 pupils – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • START profile (online careers platform)
  • Chester Zoom STEM careers visit (July)
  • Option support morning for all Year 9 pupils (July)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (11.05.23)
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (04.07.23)
  • Labour Market Information
  • Parent careers programme (April)
  • Virtual careers fair (April and May)
  • Alumni visit (April/May)

Year 10
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • East Lancashire Careers Fair – Amazing Accrington (06.10.22)
  • In school careers drop down morning (11.10.22)
  • Lancashire Fire and Rescue careers presentation (13.10.22)
  • Edgehill University campus visit – tour and taster session (18.10.22)
  • Lancashire Police careers presentation (20.10.22)
  • Enterprise Week activities (13.11.22 – 19.11.22)
  • RAF careers session with Sergeant Lee Hargreaves (06.12.22)
  • Accrington Stanley careers visit (09.12.22)
  • SunDown Solutions careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Amazing Accrington careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans, offering advice and sharing information – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Labour Market Information
  • PGL trip – building teamwork and resilience (November)

 
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • STEM drop down day (08.02.23)
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans, offering advice and sharing information – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • National Careers Week assembly and activities during form and lessons all week (06.03.23 – 11.03.23)
  • START profile - online careers platform (ongoing)
  • Manchester University campus visit – tour and taster session (06.03.23)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Inter-school careers challenge (March)
  • Labour Market Information
  • Virtual careers work experience (February/March)
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans, offering advice and sharing information – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • START profile -online careers platform (ongoing)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Manchester Careers Fair (28.04.23)
  • CV building/interview skills
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (11.05.23)
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (04.07.23)
  • Labour Market Information
  • Parent careers programme (April)
  • Virtual careers fair (April and May)
  • Alumni visit (April/May)

 

Year 11
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • East Lancashire Careers Fair – Amazing Accrington (06.10.22)
  • In school careers drop down morning (11.10.22)
  • Lancashire Fire and Rescue careers presentation (13.10.22)
  • Lancashire Police careers presentation (20.10.22)
  • Enterprise Week activities (13.11.22 – 19.11.22)
  • RAF careers session with Sergeant Lee Hargreaves (06.12.22)
  • Accrington Stanley careers visit (09.12.22)
  • SunDown Solutions careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Amazing Accrington careers visit (09.12.22)
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans, offering advice, sharing information, going through work experience expectations, life skills, interview skills and transitions – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • North Lancashire Training Group – Apprenticeship talk (November)
  • Work placements (ongoing)
  • Further education application support
  • Review careers action plan
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • PGL trip – building teamwork and resilience (November)
  •  
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • STEM drop down day (08.02.23)
  • One week work experience placement (February)
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans, offering advice, sharing information, going through work experience expectations, life skills, interview skills and transitions – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • START profile - online careers platform (ongoing)
  • Further education application support
  • Review careers action plan
  • Manchester University campus visit – tour and taster session (06.03.23)
  • Careers education delivered through Curriculum For Life lessons (see below table)
  • Work placements (ongoing)
  • Inter-school careers challenge (March)
  • Virtual careers work experience (February/March)
  • Career of the week – every Thursday
  • Independent CIAG Advisor conducting careers action plans, offering advice, sharing information, going through work experience expectations, life skills, interview skills and transitions – every Tuesday (rota based)
  • START profile - online careers platform (ongoing)
  • Further education application support
  • Mock interviews (April)
  • Manchester Careers Fair (28.04.23)
  • Review career action plan
  • Work placements (ongoing)
  • Burnley College visit (April/May)
  • Virtual careers fair (April and May)
  • Accrington and Rossendale College visit (April/May)
  • Blackburn College visit (April/May)
  • Transition support/advice
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (11.05.23)
  • Whole school/curriculum careers drop down morning (04.07.23)
  • Parent careers programme (April)
  • Alumni visit (April/May)

 

Curriculum For Life – Careers Education

2022-2023

Year group

Autumn Term

Spring Term

Summer Term

KS3 (excluding year 9)
  • Transition Points in Your life
  • Careers and your Future
  • Financial Education

 
  • What are Enterprise Skills
  • Proud to be me
  • Careers Interests and Jobs
  • Boosting Self Esteem
  • Labour Market Information
  • Exploring Careers

 
  • Exploring Parliament roles
  • Prime Minister

Year 9
  • Failure to Success
  • Employment & Financial Management
  • Importance of saving money
  • How Self Esteem Changes

 

 

Year 10
  • Rights and Responsibilities
  • Employment Rights
  • Understanding a Payslip

 

 
  • Women’s rights
  • Human Rights and their Importance
  • Balancing Human Rights

Year 11
  • Time management
  • Writing a personal statement
  • CV writing
  • Online reputation
  • N/A