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Bishop Challoner's vision is that every one of our students leaves with a clear direction and pathway; every student is open minded and ambitious, equipped with tools and confidence to overcome barriers and stand up as an equal in any circle for any opportunity.

Our careers lead is Mr T Gladstone. Please contact him via Reception or via email on: tgladstone@bishop.towerhamlets.sch.uk

For information on provider access protocol and requests please see our Provider Access Statement.

Careers Calendar

  Autumn Term (Begins 3rd September) Spring Term (Begins 5th Jan) Summer Term (19th April) Throughout the Year
Year 7 Road Safety Workshop
Year 7 Retreats
Theatre Trips
International Women in STEM Day
Young City Poets - Poetry Writing Club with National Literacy Trust
MyBnK Financial Literacy Workshops
End of Year trips to Central London
Art trip to Tate Gallery
Ministry of Stories writing workshops
Author visits in the Library
Reading and Number Partners
INSIGHTS Lectures
Reading Group
Uni Frog tasks
Workplace Visits
Latin Club
Film Club
Year 8 Options Support Programme begins International Women in STEM Day End of Year trips to Central London INSIGHTS Lectures
Reading Group
Workplace Visits
Uni Frog tasks
Year 9 STEM Presentations from guest speakers International Women in STEM Day End of Year trips to Central London Duke of Edinburgh Award
INSIGHTS Lectures
Academic Study Skills Sessions
Reading Group
Alumni Careers Chats
Uni Frog tasks
Year 10 New Views Scriptwriting Competition
Visits to Oxford University
Getting Ahead Conference
New Views Scriptwriting Competition
Visits to Oxford University
International Women in STEM Day
Work Experience
End of Year trips to Central London Reading Group
INSIGHTS Lectures
Academic Study Skills Sessions
Mentoring from law firm Vinson and Elkins
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Uni Frog tasks
Year 11 STEM Presentations from guest speakers International Women in STEM Day
Careers Fair
Careers Evening with parents
End of Year trips to Central London INSIGHTS Lectures
Academic Study Skills Sessions
Mentoring from law firm Vinson and Elkins
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Interviews with Careers Advisor
Uni Frog tasks
Year 12 Visits to Oxford University Visits to Oxford University
International Women in STEM Day
Work Experience
Careers Fair
End of Year trips to Central London INSIGHTS Lectures
DebateMate
Academic Study Skills Sessions
Mentoring from law firm Vinson and Elkins
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Uni Frog tasks
Newcastle University Workshops
Year 13 Oxbridge Application Support Programme International Women in STEM Day
Careers Fair
End of Year trips to Central London INSIGHTS Lectures
Academic Study Skills Sessions
Mentoring from law firm Vinson and Elkins
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Newcastle University Workshops
Uni Frog tasks

Our Commitment to You

Our Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance programme will help you to:

  • Understand yourself, your interests, likes and dislikes, what you are good at and how this affects the choices you make
  • Find out about different courses, what qualifications you might need and what opportunities there might be
  • Develop the skills you may need for working life
  • Make realistic, but ambitious, choices about courses and jobs
  • Develop a plan of action for the future
  • Understand the different routes after Year 11 including training, further and higher education and jobs
  • Be able to make effective applications for jobs, training and further and higher education
  • Develop your interview skills
  • Improve your confidence

You will receive:

  • Interviews with the Careers Adviser
  • Careers lessons
  • Registration activities
  • Guided tutor time
  • Access to the careers library – information is available in books, videos, leaflets and online
  • Work experience
  • Careers based Assemblies and projects, meant to guide you and inform you about the range of options you have for further education and future career possibilities
  • Conferences: Getting Ahead and Aim to Attain, where volunteers will help you learn about key skills and employ-ability concepts, interview know-how's etc
  • Guidance on the range of Further Education options, with equal emphasis on University and Apprenticeship choices. This will give you a full perspective of all the paths available to you in the future: www.amazingapprenticeships.com
  • Other subject lessons linked to careers

You can expect to be:

  • Treated equally with others
  • Given careers information and advice that is up to date and impartial
  • Treated with respect by visitors to the school who are part of the careers programme

Work Experience

Every year students in Year 10 at Bishop Challoner Catholic Federation of School undertake a two weeks of work experience.

In Year 12 students undertake a week of work experience.

Students are encouraged to find their own placements according to their interests and future career aspirations. We work with the Tower Hamlets Enterprise Business Partnership (THEBP) and they will carry out the necessary checks referring to Health & Safety and Employer’s liability insurance.

LMI

Labour Market Information (LMI) describes all kinds of information used to make labour market decisions. LMI can be a compilation of detailed statistical data on jobs and salaries, employers and employees, sectors, current employment conditions and future trends.

London Labour Market Website:https://data.gov.uk/dataset/7cbebf0a-4af6-4a23-81be-f63b04e3d901/london-labour-market-skills-and-employment-indicators

Online Platforms

As a school we purchase a licence for you to use the below platforms. Individual pass codes will be given by your form tutor.

Unifrog:

  • Unifrog is a comprehensive platform that supports students in finding and applying for every course and apprenticeship in the UK – everything from university courses, to School Leaver Programmes, to Massive Open Online Courses. The platform is intuitive, and makes provides updates for both students and teachers.
  • Audience: KS3, KS4 and KS5
  • https://www.unifrog.org/

How We Measure the Impact of our Careers Programme

  • Both Year 10 and Year 12 cohorts are given the opportunity to participate in a reflective Assembly after the completion of their Work Experience Week. They also complete a survey to help them reflect once again on the benefits of their Work Experience. This also allows us to measure the impact of the project on our pupils and address concerns in the future.
  • After the students and parents have been informed, guided and have made their choices for the GCSE subject options, they will be asked to fill in a survey which will inform us on the efficiency of the provided services and the effectiveness of the process.
  • Every one of our Year 10, 11 and 12 pupils that have a Careers interview provides feedback, which informs us on the benefits and value of the received guidance, which helps us improve year by year.
  • Regular staff surveys provide feedback on their level of knowledge and involvement in offering careers advice, which informs us on when career-based CPD sessions are needed.
  • Along with Tower Hamlets Education Busines Partnership we track the Sixth Form placements of the students leaving us at 16.

Provider Access Statement

Under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997, as of 2 January 2018, Bishop Challoner Catholic Federation of Schools has a duty to provide students in years 8-13 with access to providers of post-14, post-16 and post-18 education and training. This policy statement sets out how we manage access requests from these providers.

 

What are students entitled to?

Students must be allowed to:

  • Learn more about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities, as part of a careers programme which informs students of the full range of education and training options available to them at each transition point.
  • Hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities on offer, for example, technical education and apprenticeships – this can be achieved through options evenings, assemblies, group discussions, and taster events.
  • Understand how to apply to the full range of academic and technical courses available to them.

 

What opportunities are provided to allow access to students?

Via our school careers programme, we offer providers numerous opportunities throughout the school year to speak to students and/or their parents. These include Careers Lectures, Assemblies, Mock Interviews/Interview Preparation, Alumni careers visits, University information talks, Life Skills workshops, Apprenticeship signposting and a range of IAG sessions.

We are always keen to work with external providers about new ideas they have for enrichment opportunities, particularly for KS3. External providers interested in adding an event to the schedule above are invited to contact our careers leader well in advance of the date they wish to propose.​

 

Who handles our access requests?

Any provider wishing to request access or discuss events and options should contact our careers leader, Mr Mark Hortop via Reception or via email on: mhortop@bishop.towerhamlets.sch.uk

 

What are the rules for granting and refusing access requests?

We will grant access requests that meet the following criteria:

  • Requests from Ofsted registered 11-19 providers.
  • That are reasonable and do not impact on existing educational provision for our students.
  • That are in keeping with and further the Catholic ethos of the school.

 

What can providers expect once a request has been accepted?

Once a provider has been approved, we will work closely with them to ascertain which students would most benefit from their guidance and support.

The rooms allocated will depend on the specific nature of what has been organised, but we will expect to regularly make the School Theatre, Drama Pod and Classrooms accessible to providers. AV and IT equipment will also be made available to providers.

Providers will usually liaise with the relevant Year Leader in advance of and during the visit. Arrangements will also be discussed in advance and evaluated after the event by Mr Hortop and the providers.

 

Can providers leave materials for students to read?

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other material with reception, or with staff present at the session or event.

The above information will be reviewed in September 2023.