Careers Education

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OVERVIEW 

The Careers programme at Nonsuch High School for Girls is built on the belief that high-quality career guidance can have a profound impact on social mobility, as it ensures that each and every young person, whatever their needs, background or ambitions, knows the options open to them to fulfil their potential. Excellent careers guidance promotes equality of opportunity, unlocks potential and transforms outcomes, and we believe that providing our students with outstanding career education and guidance is key to motivating them and supporting their academic and personal success.

Research shows that engaging with volunteers from the world of work can positively influence students’ attitudes toward education, impact their future plans and subject choices, and increase motivation and academic attainment. To support this, we have established strong links with employers, colleges, universities, and our alumni. Together, they contribute to a programme that enables students—and their parents—to make informed decisions about subject choices and career pathways, gain meaningful encounters with the world of work, and develop the skills needed to thrive in the workplace.

A full overview of our Curriculum Schemes of Learning for Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5, can be found by clicking on the links.

Aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks outlined below, the Careers Policy at Nonsuch High School for Girls is designed to support students to:

• Understand their options and pathways to work, plan the steps needed to achieve their goals, and appreciate that career development is a lifelong journey.
   
• Be inspired by new opportunities, including those they might not have considered, or that may not yet exist, and recognise that ambitious goals are achievable.
   
• Explore the labour market and future careers, understanding what 'jobs of the future' may look like and the skills required to succeed in them.
   
• Make well-informed decisions, through access to differentiated, impartial, and independent advice on academic, vocational, and apprenticeship options that align with their ambitions.
   
• Develop self-awareness, including their strengths, weaknesses, skills, aptitudes, and personality traits, and understand how building an accurate self-image can guide career choices that enhance both success and well-being.
   
• Identify, build, and demonstrate employability skills, including listening, presenting, problem-solving, creativity, positivity, ambition, leadership, and teamwork, which are essential for success in the workplace.
   

           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 
 

CEIAG - Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance

At Nonsuch, our CEIAG Careers programme empowers every student to discover their strengths, explore opportunities, make informed choices, and build the skills to succeed in work and life.

• Careers Education – equips students with the knowledge and skills to plan and manage their own careers.

• Careers Information – provides access to learning options, occupations, skills, labour market information (LMI), and progression routes.
   
• Careers Advice and Guidance – offers personalised support from advisers to help students set long-term goals and plan the steps to achieve them.
   
• Work-related Learning – delivers curriculum and extracurricular experiences that develop understanding of economic well-being, careers, and enterprise.
   
• Employability Skills Development – gives students meaningful opportunities to build and demonstrate the core skills needed to succeed in the workplace.
   

Monitoring and Evaluation

• Evaluation Forms – We gather feedback from students, teaching staff, visiting employers, and training providers to identify ways to improve our Careers provision. This helps us refine activities and ensure our programme continues to provide meaningful, high-quality experiences for all participants, including students, parents, employers, and training providers.
   
• Careers and Enterprise Compass+ Reporting – We use this toolkit to evaluate our careers activities against the eight Gatsby Benchmarks and ensure alignment with best practice.  Termly reports allow us to track our progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks and identify areas for further development.
   
• Annual Curriculum Audit – Each year, Heads of Department review how curriculum learning links with careers, helping us maintain strong connections between classroom learning and the world of work.
   

Extra Support Available

• Pupil Premium students and those identified as needing extra support are prioritised for advice and guidance and any careers-related opportunities run by the school.
   

Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers

• Many of our departments actively run or encourage students to take part in extracurricular industry- and career-related activities.  These activities, which extend beyond the regular curriculum, help students explore their interests, gain new perspectives, develop essential life skills, boost self-confidence, and even enhance academic performance.
  
  To see the list of extracurricular activities at Nonsuch, please click here.  
  
  More information about the importance of extracurricular activities is available online, including via the Prospects website. 
   

Support for Parents/Carers

• Supporting your children to achieve a successful career, financial security, and a high quality of life is a key responsibility for parents and carers.  Students often look to you for advice and guidance, even if they do not always admit it.  We recognise the important role you play in shaping their decisions and career pathways, and we encourage you to engage actively in this process.
  

  Further information and guidance is available on a range of websites, including:

    -  MidKent College 
    -  NI Direct
    -  Careers Advice for Parents
    -  National Careers Service
    -  LMI for All
    -  Career Pilot 
    -  UCAS 

  For further information on the support available for our students and their parents at Nonsuch, please download our Curriculum Schemes of Learning for Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 by clicking on the links.
  
  Further information is also available by emailing Mrs Ahmad, School Careers Leader. 
  
  You will also find Higher Education guidance on the Sixth Form Area of the website.