Careers
At Penn Hall a career is defined as a pathway through life. This includes pupils developing skills for independence, learning about the world around them, community access, and understanding the options available to them when they leave school. Information, advice and guidance is delivered through a creative careers education programme (Talentino!) and work-related learning opportunities.
Vision and Values
Penn Hall School Motto – ‘Working together to be the best that we can be.’
Our curriculum aims to help our pupils become:
- Successful learners who enjoy learning and make outstanding progress
- Effective communicators who can express themselves, make choices and build positive relationships with other people
- Confident individuals who take a full part in activities within school and the community
- Responsible citizens who behave well and make a positive contribution to the school and the wider world
- Lifelong learners who leave school equipped for the adult world whether in paid employment, education or supported living
Learner Entitlement
All young people in Years 7-14 are entitled’
- To find out about Further and Higher Education qualifications, supported internships, apprenticeship opportunities, paid employment and volunteering as part of their careers programme
- To hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer through events, Jobs Fairs, College Links, EHCP reviews and transition planning meetings
- To understand how to make applications for Further and Higher Education courses, supported internships, apprenticeships, paid employment and volunteering opportunities
- To know about alternative provision in the community for those where further education or employment is not suitable
Post-16
All learners from Year 8 – 19 will have encounters with FE colleges, specialist colleges and apprenticeship providers to support the new Provider Access legislation.’
- All learners will have an internal job for them to gain work experience and apply their Employability skills
- Our Sedgwick Provision allows ongoing application of employability skills in a vocational setting
- Exposure to varied providers
- CV building
- Interview preparation
- Travel training
Management and Delivery
Penn Hall’s careers strategy aims to ensure continued improvements and quality assurance. To do this we carry out self-review and evaluation of the school’s programme to gain national validation known as the Quality in Careers Standard, as recommended by the Government. We measure our programme against the ‘Gatsby Benchmarks’ using the Compass online self-assessment tool.
The Government expects all schools to use the eight Gatsby Benchmarks to improve their careers provision:
- A stable careers programme.
- Learn from career and labour market information.
- Address the needs of each student.
- Link curriculum learning to careers.
- Encounters with employers and employees.
- Experiences of workplaces.
- Encounters with further and higher education.
- Personal guidance
Assessing the Impact of our Careers Programme
Careers Education and Guidance at Penn Hall includes stand alone, cross curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular activities, as well as individual and small group help and support. All young people at Penn Hall receive careers education which is curriculum pathway specific and personalised to meet their needs. This also applies to the way that their careers progress and understanding is assessed.
- Formalised assessment and external verification from accreditation providers, ASDAN, Ascentis & OCR
- Teacher feedback and annotation in learning journeys, coursework and student folders
- Pupil voice, through feedback sessions with Student Council
- Pupil progress and Pastoral meetings, as well as Adult Transition meetings with school staff, local college staff, our Connexions Advisor and Social Services
- Planning and recording of achievement for work related learning activities
- Reports from one-to-one meetings with Connexions personal advisor
- Through reviews of internal jobs
- Parent feedback at Parents Evenings, transition events and through parental feedback which is requested for Annual Reviews and Parent Surveys
Engagement of Stakeholders and Partners
Penn Hall has a Service Level Agreement with Connexions. Our Connexions advisor, Valerie Richards, provides independent support, advice and guidance to help our young people and their families to consider the options surrounding their future career pathway. She works alongside other professionals to help pupils achieve positive outcomes relating to the choices they make post Penn Hall. She attends the Year 9 Annual Review of the Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) where the initial transition planning for a Careers Pathway Plan begins. Valerie also attends the review which takes place in the penultimate year, and the final year, when the young person is transitioning from Penn Hall to their next destination.
Parents and carers are co-partners in the care and development of their child and are key in supporting their child’s planning and decision making.
Careers Lead, Penn Hall School – Lindsay Bruce
Enterprise Coordinator – Bethan Wynn-Williams
Enterprise Adviser – Richard Powell