• At Bartley Green School, we are committed to providing all pupils with high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG). Our careers programme aims to raise aspirations, challenge stereotypes and ensure that every pupil has the knowledge, skills and experiences required to make informed decisions about their future.

    Careers education is embedded throughout school life and supports pupils in understanding the full range of opportunities available to them, including further education, sixth form, apprenticeships, technical education, higher education, training and employment.

    Our careers programme is developed in line with the eight updated Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance and current Department for Education statutory careers guidance.

  • Careers Leader: Terry Fallows

    Email: Terry.Fallows@bartleygreen.org.uk

    Pupils, parents/carers, employers, education providers and training providers are encouraged to contact the Careers Leader for further information about the careers programme.

  • Our careers programme provides a progressive programme of careers education from Year 7 through to Year 11. Activities are designed to develop pupils' knowledge of careers and future pathways as they progress through school.

    Year 7 – Exploring Careers

    Pupils begin to explore the world of work and develop an understanding of how their interests, skills and strengths can relate to future careers. Careers education introduces post-16 pathways, raises aspirations and challenges career stereotypes.

    Year 8 – Developing Awareness

    Pupils develop their understanding of career sectors and the pathways available to them, including encounters with employers and education and training providers.

    Year 9 – Making Informed Choices

    Careers education supports pupils as they make important decisions about GCSE options. Pupils explore how qualifications, skills and subject choices can influence future education, training and employment opportunities.

    Year 10 – Preparing for the Future

    Pupils develop employability and career-management skills and explore post-16 options in greater depth. Provision includes employer engagement, experiences of workplaces, encounters with further education and training providers, and careers guidance.

    Year 11 – Post-16 Transition

    Careers provision focuses on ensuring that every pupil is prepared for a successful transition into further education, training or employment. Pupils receive impartial guidance and support with applications and next-step planning.

  • Pupils have access to impartial personal careers guidance to help them make informed decisions about their future. Guidance considers each pupil's interests, abilities, aspirations and circumstances and covers the full range of education, training and employment pathways.

    Every pupil has an opportunity for a personal guidance interview by age 16, with earlier or additional guidance prioritised according to individual need.

  • Bartley Green School is committed to ensuring that pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) receive high-quality, personalised careers education, information, advice and guidance. We recognise that some pupils may benefit from additional or earlier support when considering their future pathways and preparing for transition beyond Year 11.

    • Early careers advice and guidance ahead of key transition points where appropriate.

    • Targeted careers support and interventions based on individual pupil needs and intended destinations.

    • Careers interventions delivered by appropriately trained staff with an understanding of the additional needs and potential barriers faced by pupils with SEND.

    • Aspire Plus sessions providing additional targeted careers and transition support.

    • Close working between the Careers Team, SEND Team and other relevant staff to support individual pupils.

    • Additional support with post-16 applications, visits, transition and next-step planning where required.

    • Careers information and guidance that promotes aspiration and challenges assumptions about the pathways available to pupils with SEND.

    Our aim is to ensure that every pupil is supported to identify an appropriate and ambitious next step and is well prepared for a successful transition into further education, training, apprenticeships or employment.

    • Careers learning through the curriculum and Personal Development programme.

    • Individual careers guidance and targeted support.

    • Careers events, employer encounters and experiences of workplaces.

    • Encounters with colleges, universities and training providers.

    • Apprenticeship, technical education and labour market information.

    • Careers resources and direct support from the Careers Leader.

  • Parents and carers play an important role in supporting young people's career decisions. The school provides information about post-16 options, sixth forms and colleges, apprenticeships, technical and vocational education, higher education, employment and training opportunities, and relevant labour market information.

    Parents and carers can contact the Careers Leader for further information or support and are encouraged to provide feedback to help us evaluate and improve our provision.

  • Careers education is a whole-school responsibility. Teachers and other school staff support pupils to understand how curriculum learning relates to careers and the wider world of work. Staff have access to careers information and resources, and the Careers Leader works with curriculum and pastoral teams to strengthen careers learning across the school.

  • We welcome involvement from employers who can help our pupils understand the world of work. Opportunities may include careers talks and assemblies, workplace visits, curriculum activities, mock interviews, employability activities, mentoring and experiences of workplaces.

    Employers interested in working with Bartley Green School should contact the Careers Leader.

  • Bartley Green School is committed to ensuring that pupils understand the full range of academic, technical and vocational routes available to them. We welcome appropriate requests from further education colleges, sixth forms, apprenticeship providers, independent training providers and other education and training organisations. 

    Our arrangements for provider access are set out in the school's Provider Access Policy Statement, including how providers can request access and how the school meets its statutory provider encounter duties.

  • As an 11–16 school, Bartley Green School provides the four statutory provider encounters applicable during Years 8 to 11. These form part of the wider statutory framework of six encounters across Years 8 to 13, with the Year 12 and Year 13 encounters applying to institutions educating pupils in those year groups.

    Further information, including how providers can request access to pupils, is available in our Provider Access Policy Statement.

  • Throughout the careers programme, pupils are encouraged to use local, regional and national labour market information to understand employment sectors, skills needs, qualification requirements, salaries, apprenticeship opportunities and future employment trends. Particular attention is given to opportunities within Birmingham and the West Midlands alongside national opportunities.

    • 1. A stable careers programme

    • 2. Learning from career and labour market information

    • 3. Addressing the needs of each young person

    • 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 Careers Leader regularly reviews progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks using Compass+ and uses the findings to inform the careers development plan.

  • We regularly evaluate our careers programme to ensure that it meets the needs of pupils and supports successful transitions.

    • Pupil voice and feedback.

    • Parent/carer, staff, employer and provider feedback.

    • Participation in careers activities and analysis of gaps between pupil groups.

    • Evaluation of careers activities, employer encounters and workplace experiences.

    • Take-up and outcomes of personal guidance.

    • Pupil knowledge, confidence and readiness for next steps.

    • Intended, immediate and sustained destination data.

    • Regular review against the Gatsby Benchmarks using Compass+.

    Evaluation findings are used to identify strengths, address gaps and inform future careers planning.

  • We monitor intended and actual destinations after Year 11 to evaluate the effectiveness and equity of our careers programme and to support successful transitions. This includes progression into sixth form, further education, apprenticeships, technical education, training and employment.

  • Bartley Green School works with Future First to develop and maintain an alumni network. Former pupils can contribute to careers learning across year groups through talks, events, mentoring and other opportunities, helping current pupils to see a wide range of realistic and aspirational pathways.

  • The careers programme is reviewed regularly to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of pupils and reflects current statutory guidance and the updated Gatsby Benchmarks.

    Careers information last reviewed: September 2026

    Next scheduled review: September 2027

    Careers Leader: Terry Fallows