Many of our students have a diagnosis of ASD, ADHD, have suffered trauma, or have been out of school for many years. This does not stop us from doing our best to turn them into useful members of society. We take a rigorous and realistic approach to their development and aim to get 100% of our students into work, an apprenticeship or further education through our Gatsby Benchmark* reinforced strategic, 6-point careers programme.
1.The Golden thread – work related learning…..
All our subject teacher’s weave curriculum learning to careers advice and guidance in their lessons. In future, career links will be on their schemes of work and incorporated into topics in a way that increases pupil’s awareness of the opportunities available.
- A day in the Life of – inspirational talks…..
We invite regular guest speakers to share their own Pathway to Employment. The sessions take place as an interview. Pupils can ask questions. Recent speakers have included the director of Wandsworth foodbank, local police officers, fire fighters, retail managers, the CEO of Lego, an environment champion and the local mayor. These will resume in September 2025
- Travel Hopefully – independence when out and about…..
Some students need to be taught how to find their way around and travel independently, so we have developed a life-skills curriculum for identified students. Weekly outings into the community take place to enhance safety, confidence and well-being and help them learn how to use buses and trains.
- Job Done!
Central to CAL’s Pathway to Employment scheme is our work-experience programme. Rather than send our students out in one block like many schools do, we ‘trickle’ our students out to work throughout the academic year, starting after Easter. This way a member of staff can accompany the pupil to and from their placement thus upholding our high levels of safeguarding, and the disruption to the rest of the students is minimal.
Work experience partners include McDonald’s, Fara, Ark children’s Nursey, Waitrose, Clip and climb, Northcote library, British heart foundation and 12 rounds boxing club.
Each December we hold JOB DONE! and invite parents, students, and our placement hosts to an afternoon of music, drama and celebration.
- It Pays to know.... careers advice and preparation.
All students get 1-1 time with the head of school who talks them through career options available. In depth discussion of character, personality, strengths, weaknesses, skills, likes and dislikes and academic requirements help to decide on the next step a pupil should take. Independent careers advice and support is available from The Spear Foundation and the Shaw Trust, both organisations have a close links with the school. Older students are taken to ‘Employ Wandsworth’, a local careers fair.
In addition, every year we invite representatives of Apprenticeship Skills and Knowledge [ASK] to give a series of workshops where our pupils learn how to write CV’s, interview techniques, awareness training. Every pupil can sign up for life to the National Apprenticeship Database.
- Money Talks –
The school has teamed up with Deloitte who send four representatives to run two weeks of workshops on financial matters. These highly differentiated sessions cover topics such as savvy shopping, household budgeting, leaving home, loans and debt, online finance safety and saving for your future.
For further information please contact the head of school mjeffrey@centreacademy.co.uk or visit our website for the Work experience and careers policy.
www.gatsby.org.uk/education/focus-areas/good-career-guidance
