Supporting Careers Education at Thornhill Academy 

Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is everyone's responsibility and forms an important part of school life at Thornhill Academy. Every member of staff plays a role in helping students to: 

• Raise their aspirations and broaden their horizons 
• Understand the opportunities available to them 
• Develop employability and life skills 
• Make informed decisions about their future education, training and careers 
• Become confident, informed and active citizens 

This section provides information and resources to help staff embed careers learning into their practice. 

Careers Across the Curriculum 

All curriculum areas should support careers education by helping students understand how their learning relates to future pathways and employment opportunities. 

Departments should: 

• Highlight links between curriculum content and careers wherever appropriate. 
• Promote the skills students develop through their subject. 
• Share examples of real-world applications of subject knowledge. 
• Engage with employers and industry representatives where possible. 
• Encourage students to explore career pathways linked to their subject area. 
• Work with the Careers Leader to identify meaningful employer and education provider encounters. 

For vocational subjects, employer engagement and links to industry should be an integral part of curriculum planning and delivery. 

Departments should also seek opportunities to engage with: 

• Further Education colleges 
• Sixth forms 
• Universities 
• Apprenticeship providers 
• Training organisations 
• Employers and industry professionals 

Support with planning and organising activities is available through the Careers Leader. 

Pastoral Support 

Tutors and Heads of Year are often the first point of contact for students seeking advice about their future. Pastoral teams can support students by: 

• Signposting careers resources and opportunities 
• Encouraging participation in careers events 
• Supporting reflection following careers activities 
• Promoting the use of Morrisby Careers 
• Helping students identify their strengths, interests and aspirations 

Key Careers Milestones 

Year Group	Careers Focus
Year 7	Transition to secondary school and understanding future opportunities
Year 8	Exploring careers and developing aspirations
Year 9	GCSE options and future pathway planning
Year 10	Work Experience and post-16 research
Year 11	Applications, interviews and post-16 transition planning

Students should be encouraged to record and reflect on their careers experiences throughout their five years at Thornhill using their Morrisby Careers Account. 

Useful Careers Resources for Staff 

General Careers Information 

• Get Career Confident - Short videos showcasing a wide range of careers and industries. 
• BBC Bitesize: Explore Careers - Career profiles, qualification routes and salary information. 
• National Careers Service - Comprehensive careers information, labour market information and job profiles. 
• National Careers Week - Free resources, activities and lesson materials for schools. 

Employability and Skills 

• Barclays LifeSkills  - Resources focused on employability, financial capability and workplace skills. 
• How2Become - Advice on CV writing, applications, interviews and recruitment processes. 

Higher Education 

• FutureMe (Outreach North East) - Information about higher education, university pathways and student life. 
• UCAS - Official information about university, apprenticeships and post-16 pathways. 

Career Exploration 

• Prospects - Career profiles, labour market information and career planning tools. 
• Morrisby Careers - Thornhill's careers platform for research, pathway planning and careers tracking. 

Apprenticeships 

• Amazing Apprenticeships - Resources for students, parents and teachers about apprenticeship pathways. 

• Find an Apprenticeship - Search and apply for current apprenticeship vacancies across England. 

• UCAS Apprenticeships - Information about apprenticeship opportunities, including higher and degree apprenticeships. 

• Careerpilot - Student-friendly guidance on apprenticeships, colleges, sixth forms and university routes. 

Labour Market Information (LMI) 

• LMI for All 
• Up-to-date labour market data, salary information and employment trends. 
• https://www.necareershub.co.uk/ 
• Information about key growth sectors and employment opportunities across the North East. 
• National Careers Service: Job Profiles 
• Labour market information, salary data and future employment prospects. 

Careers Learning in Guidance and AMPD

Careers education is embedded within the Guidance curriculum and builds progressively throughout students' time at Thornhill Academy. 

Year 7 – Who Am I Now? - Students explore their strengths, interests and skills while being introduced to the world of work. 

Year 8 – Who Could I Be? - Students explore different careers, sectors and pathways while considering future aspirations. 

Year 9 – Developing My Skills - Students develop employability, enterprise and decision-making skills while preparing for option choices. 

Year 10 – Becoming Employable - Students develop workplace skills and prepare for Work Experience and post-16 pathways. 

Year 11 – Preparing for My Future - Students receive guidance and support with applications, interviews and progression decisions. 

What Staff Can Do 

A simple way to support careers education is to regularly: 

• Discuss how your subject links to careers. 
• Highlight transferable skills. 
• Share your own career journey and experiences where appropriate. 
• Promote careers events and opportunities. 
• Encourage ambitious but realistic aspirations. 
• Signpost students to support from tutors, Heads of Year and the Careers Leader. 

By working together, we can ensure every student leaves Thornhill Academy with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make successful decisions about their future.