Our careers advice and guidance for students

Our careers programme

Our Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) programme supports our students to identify their future aspirations by exploring potential progression routes and help them to make informed decisions that affect their future education, training, and employment opportunities.

Download our 2025-26 careers plan

Our core offer

High quality careers education helps our students raise their aspirations, confidence, skills, and knowledge. It increases the students’ motivation by linking activities in school with preparation for life post-16 and post-18.

Our comprehensive CEIAG programme is delivered to students in every year group. It is integral to the curriculum and includes aspects of work-related learning, enterprise education and option choices. Students in our Sixth Form are expertly guided whether they are making an application to university, applying for Higher Level Apprenticeships or other non-University post-18 pathways.

Personal guidance has a short-and long-term impact on a students’ personal effectiveness. This includes self-awareness and self-esteem; presenting different opportunities to allow them to understand their own personal development and help to develop their confidence. It also enables students to plan for their future and consider their next steps on how they reach their intended destination.

Our Careers Advisors offer career guidance and support to our Year 11 students. This dedicated support is provided through one-to-one sessions to discuss future aims, career pathways and apply for courses.

At Kingsmeadow we are very proud to share that very many of our Class of 2025 Year 11 students followed their career dreams by:

progressing on to study in further and higher education
successfully gaining an apprenticeship
studying T Levels
moving into employment, and even setting up their own business.

Click the button below to find out more.

Our Class of 2025 and their destinations after school

Broaden students access to differentiated, impartial and independent information and guidance following a personalised pathway for each individual student regardless of their need or ability.
Networking – offer students opportunities to speak/visit a range of further and higher education and training providers.
Allow students to experience a workplace or have an employer encounter at least ten times by the age of 16.
Thrive – Wider world programme – tutor led support for students who access a range of transferable skills through a bespoke programme including bulletins, careers week, Unifrog guest speakers, subject careers lessons, life skills and use of online resources
Motivating students – raising students’ achievement, praise & reward events and focussing on their longer-term career ambitions
Promotion of current and up to date Local Labour Market Information, sharing local, national, and international career pathways
Parental engagement – parent and progression meetings, enhance engagement through social media posts and informing parents/carers of events and external trips.
Access to impartial careers advice from a qualified professional – at least one 1-1 interview
Giving students support in key transition periods ensuring equality of opportunity.
Guiding teachers and staff to give students high quality support in key transition periods, linking curriculum to careers and ensuring equality of opportunity.
Empowering students to plan, revisit and manage their own destination.

Our Careers, Education, Information, Advice and Guidance programme is embedded in the school’s curriculum and is driven by what enhances the life chances of our students. Following the latest government statutory guidance, we follow the Gatsby Benchmarks – the key measures of the effectiveness of career advice.

The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are:

A stable careers programme
Learning from career and labour market information
Addressing the needs of each student
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education
Personal guidance

For more information on the Gatsby Good Career Guidance Report click here.

Self-evaluation results

Schools are required to conduct a self-evaluation of its CEIAG provision. Our school delivers high-quality careers advice and guidance that builds students’ confidence and empowers them to achieve their best – an important platform for life after school. Below is an outline of our self evaluation scores for September 2025.

To ensure the best possible career and progression provision for students is provided the careers leads are in the process of implementing strategies to fully meet all of the Gatsby benchmarks effectively.

We have asked students to give feedback on our career events that have taken place this academic year. Below are the common themes they fed back.

Under current legislation it is compulsory for young people aged 16-18 years old to remain in education, employment, or training. Students have the option to remain in our Sixth Form until the age of 18, choose another school sixth form, attend a college or a training provider or take up an apprenticeship.

Our Sixth Form students have the opportunity to take part in a range of activities and training including:

University summer schools
University and college visits
Personal statement training
Apprenticeship team workshops
National Citizenship Services programme activities
Listening to addresses from motivational speakers
Tutor and assembly sessions

Careers advice is not just for young people, Parents and carers also need support to help young people make tough and challenging decisions about their career pathway. It is natural for families to want to be involved in their child’s future. Our expert team are available to provide advice and support to parents and carers.

Talking to your child about the world of employment

Here are some tips to help open up the conversation about post-16 to 18 options.

Encourage your child to talk to family members and friends about the type of jobs they do, the work and the skills they need to be successful in the role.
Talk to your child about your own career pathway.
Enquire if they have identified a job or a role that they are interested in and use research skills to find out about role models.
Think about the skills and qualities required for the jobs that friends, family, and you have undertaken.
Are there any skills or activities around the home that your child can participate in?
Support your child to keep communicating and provide the tools to help them make their own informed decisions.

Useful links for parents

There are lots of online sources that provide impartial advice and guidance.

We work hard to build links with local businesses and industries and proud to collaborate with the Local Enterprise Partnership. If you are interested in supporting or taking part in our careers programme and the activities listed below, please contact careers@kingsmeadow.org.uk