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Careers
CVMS Careers Intent
CVMS Careers Intent
A good quality careers guidance and education programme will raise the aspirations of all young people. It will increase motivation by linking activities in school with preparation for life post 16 and post 18 and the school provides extensive opportunities for external providers to meet with students to provide careers and labour market information. Careers guidance will contribute to raising pupil achievement, help students focus on their longer-term career ambitions and ensure an equality of opportunity for all.
At CVMS we provide a comprehensive programme to students in every year group and of all abilities and this includes aspects of work-related learning, enterprise education and option choices. Students in our Sixth Form are very well supported as they make their applications to university, apply for Higher Level Apprenticeships or other non-university post 18 pathways, as are our SEND students, working closely with our internal additional needs team and external providers.
We believe that every student is entitled to receive high quality careers guidance to develop their career management skills. With this aim, we are committed to ensuring our students have opportunities to acquire the knowledge and confidence to cope with life after school and become good citizens.
Please refer to the careers policy document for details of student entitlement. All information, together with the careers policy, is reviewed and updated annually, however information may be revised throughout the year to reflect new regulations and/or to meet the additional needs of students. The date of the next review is July 2026.
It is important to equip our students with the necessary skills for them to career plan and know how and where to access impartial and unbiased information. Developing key enterprise and employability skills are important and enables students to further develop their skills and provides opportunities for them to work within their community, having a direct positive impact.
Additionally, as part of their entitlement, students have access to a range of external providers to ensure they learn about approved technical qualifications and apprenticeships. Please see our provider access policy document.
Careers guidance is on-going throughout the academic year and is delivered through PSHE lessons, form time sessions, collapsed timetable events, assemblies, external trips and is enhanced by working with local businesses, apprenticeship providers, colleges and universities.
Provider Access Policy
Click here to view and download the Provider Access Policy - Baker Clause
Careers Policy
Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School - Careers Education Policy, 2024-2025
Contact details:
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
Careers plan
Click here to view and download the CVMS Careers Plan 2024-25
Pupils
Information for Pupils
Pupils
A reminder that you have access to a wide range of careers, enterprise and work-related information. You will be regularly informed of opportunities available to your through emails from the careers lead and through the school newsletter. Lots of opportunities are made available to CVMS students through our membership of the West London Partnership (WLP).
All pupils have access to their own UNIFROG profile which brings together information on all the options available to pupils after their time at CVMS. The platform allows pupils to explore a variety of workplaces, as well as cultivate their interests and skills, considering how their personality and interests profile might suit them to a particular career. It provides fantastic guides on writing a CV and cover letter, managing finances, and exploring work experience opportunities. Additionally, we have a fantastic CVMS community of parents, alumni, and supporters who are always willing to help support current pupils.
Post 16 Options IT'S YOUR CHOICE
The choices Post 16 are:
- Continuing to study at CVMS
- Continuing to study at a College of Further Education
- Applying for an Apprenticeship – or a similar work-based learning programme
- Applying for a position within the Forces
- Entering the labour market - although some form of continued training must be attached to the offer of employment to comply with the raising of the participation age
External representatives from FE, HE, apprenticeship organisations, local and national employers and the armed forces, provide information to students regarding the choices available at the end of Year 11.
In 6th form the Future Pathways programme begins, where pupils are encouraged to think more specifically at life beyond the Vaughan. Weekly Future Pathways assemblies and Form Time sessions take place. Various employers, alumni, and universities deliver assemblies to the 6th form, helping them to think about their post-18 options. In Lent Term pupils are parents are invited to attend the Higher Education evening. At the end of Trinity term, pupils participate in Future Pathways week, which is dedicated time to exploring and preparing applications to destinations beyond their time at the school. A specific Oxbridge programme is also available to pupils who choose to apply for the UCAS early application; students are invited to participate in interview preparation workshops and mock interviews.
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
CVMS staff
Information for Staff
All staff have access to a wide range of careers and work-related resources to support delivery in their subject areas and in line with the Careers Strategy and Gatsby benchmark 4 - linking curriculum learning to careers. It is the responsibility of each department to promote careers with specific relations to their own subjects.
Resources for print or download can be found within the staff area/careers folder. Students can also use the Careers Library, either independently or as part of a lesson. Teaching and support staff are regularly involved in supporting careers and enterprise activities during dedicated collapsed timetable events and also provide on-going support to students with regard to progression routes and choices after school.
Tutors in particular have an important role in helping to raise students' aspirations and providing information and advice about possible pathways after school. All staff should be able to signpost students to our careers and work-related resources and the Careers Leader. If you need any information or support with careers learning, linked to your subject or in a pastoral role please contact me.
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
Parents/Carers/Guardians
Information for Parents and carers
Parents and carers have an important role to play in supporting their child with their career planning and post 14, 16 and 18 transitions.
Students have access to a wide range of resources and careers programmes, many of which are accessible from home. Keep an eye out for opportunities advertised through the weekly school Newsletter and those which are emailed to parents and pupils. Please take a look at the resources, together with your child, so you can find out more about the local labour market and the opportunities available from local colleges and apprenticeship providers. This includes an extensive list of websites to help with job research and progression routes.
UNIFROG is an excellent platform for students to learn about careers, compare college and sixth form courses, research and save their University choices, investigate higher level apprenticeship opportunities and work through mini modules to develop interests and explore subjects in more depth. During each school year, your child will be able to record ideas, searches and experiences in their Unifrog profile. Parents can also their own login for access by emailing careers@cvms.co.uk.
Careermag for Parents aims to connect students and their parents with quality advice and guidance. The magazine includes:
- Top tips for parents
- What does diversity mean to you?
- Creative careers, creative thinking
- Helping your child navigate post-16 and post-18 choices
- Gender and social stereotyping
- Myth busting careers
- Apprenticeship opportunities
- Financing university
https://careermap.co.uk/careermag/
Data protection and GDPR with regard to careers education: students and/or their parents/carers should be aware that basic on-roll school data may be provided to some external agencies i.e. the careers guidance specialist and work experience providers, to provide additional support for students. In addition, Post 16 and Post 18 intended destinations data is requested by the local authority towards the end of year 11 and year 13 as part of the school’s statutory duty.
At CVMS, we are keen for our students to engage with the careers curriculum in practical ways; we believe students gain a lot from external speakers who can offer different viewpoints, insight and experiences. Because of this, we are interested in bringing people and organisations into the school to inspire our young learners and bring areas of work and study to life.
It would be fantastic if you would be able to offer us any support in the following:
- Careers talks- sharing your experiences in a particular industry or career
- Work experience placements
- Careers workshop- on various careers related topics
- Mock interviews
Please send the Head of Careers an email and she will get back to you as soon as possible.
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
Directors
Information for Directors
The Directors of any school, college or academy are legally responsible for, amongst many other things, ensuring that the organisation carries out its duties with regard to delivering Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) to all pupils from the age of 11-19. Find out more about your role here.
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
Click here for the NCW Guide to Careers in Schools for Governors
Employers
Employers, Training Providers and Staff- EMPLOYERS
- would you like to work with us?
We are always interested in expanding the network of companies and employers who want to work with us, in support of our careers education, enterprise and work-related learning programme.
If you are interested in supporting a specific curriculum subject area, or would be willing to attend a careers-related event or provide a careers lunchtime drop-in clinic to speak to students in a more informal setting, please contact the Careers Leader.
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
See above for the provider access policy.
Training providers
Training providers
Work with us to provide students with additional information on technical qualifications and apprenticeships. CVMS has always welcomed representatives from training organisations, further and higher education and technical colleges, together with apprenticeship providers.
All requests are subject to availability of rooms and in consideration of our timetabled curriculum. Please be aware that we have 130+ students in each year group and 200+ in our Sixth Form. Providers working with our school must be GDPR compliant. Alternatively, and/or in addition to the above, you are invited to submit information relating to your provision electronically. Wherever possible, we will provide this to students via their on-line careers folder or display on our careers notice boards.
If you are willing to support our students and are not yet working with our school, please contact the Careers Leader.
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
See above for the provider access policy.
Work experience
Work experience
Pupils in the 6th form are regularly sent opportunities for work experience and enrichment of their future pathway options. Pupils are encouraged to explore a variety of work experiences both in person and online. Where appropriate, permission is given for pupils to attend these opportunities. Potential careers and pathways are featured within school publications and at progress and options evenings.
The purpose of work experience is to provide pupils with the opportunity, before leaving school, of having experienced directly the realities of working life. It is an exercise, forming an integral part of the school curriculum, and is not to be regarded as specifically vocational training or recruitment. Pupils are given an insight into the world of work, its disciplines and its organisation. Pupils will be afforded opportunities to:
- compare their career ideas with actual experiences in various skills/work areas;
- be given opportunities to see the potential applications of the knowledge they have been acquiring;
- gain an appreciation of work attitudes and an understanding of the differences between school and work;
- have a chance to meet and establish relationships with people outside their acquaintance;
- develop a range of transferable, key employability skills
Ms Alice Davison - Careers Leader
Telephone: 020-7603-8478
Email: Careers@cvms.co.uk
Gatsby benchmarks
Click here to read and download the Gatsby benchmark guide
Destinations data
