There is broad agreement between the main organisations which promote professional practice in careers education, information and guidance that young people should be entitled to CEIAG which is:

• universally available
• expert
• independent & impartial
• confidential & respects personal information disclosed by the individual
• free at the point of delivery
• based on the principles of equality of opportunity and respect for diversity
• based on the partnership with young people and their parents/carers

Limavady Grammar School has developed a Careers Development Strategy and is committed to promoting high quality careers information education and guidance as an integral part of its students’ education. The policy was formulated through discussion within the Careers Dept and with other teaching staff. The policy is supported by and is designed to contribute to whole school policies and raise achievement. 

The vision for careers education in Limavady Grammar School reflects the ethos of the School - “caring, sharing and preparing for life.” The promotion of personal autonomy and a positive self image will encourage each student to become proactive and self-reliant in the management of effective personal career planning.  

The programme will equip them with the knowledge and skills to investigate careers opportunities understand themselves and develop their capabilities so that they can participate confidently in a rapidly changing society.

Core Components of Careers Education within the CEIAG and LLW Provision

The Personal Career Plan is the main vehicle through which each of the five strands (Careers Education, Careers Information, Development of Employability Skills, Careers Advice and Guidance and Work Related Learning) come together to give the student ownership of the decision-making process.  The CEIAG programme enables students to address the areas of:

and make informed decisions over a longer period of time.  Parents and Carers are encouraged to be part of the process and are provided with information and guidance to help them support the student.
 
Careers Education - Year 8

2) A nine period block of employability activities involving the use of JED, Odyssey and entrepreneurial activities. 

Subject departments also make a contribution through the cross-curricular element in the employability strand and their requirement to fulfil objective 3 of the subject entitlement.  An audit has been carried out.

YEAR 9

The provision of a 4 period module on Employability within the LLW allocation

A 2 period block within the PD allocation

An employability impact day devised by the school and incorporating the new YE Nine programme from Young Enterprise.

Taste and See Experiences of vocational activities

Subject departments also make a contribution through the cross-curricular element in the employability strand and their requirement to fulfil objective 3 of the subject entitlement. 

YEAR 10

 Year 10 has a 20 period module within the LLW programme. There is a planned programme of learning outcomes based on the D.O.T.S framework to develop skills, knowledge and attitudes

Lifting the Lid Off the World of Work Impact Day organised by Young Enterprise ( 4 periods) and a 4 period block of  activities related to GCSE choices and progression planning.

Subject departments also make a contribution through the cross-curricular element in the employability strand and their requirement to fulfil objective 3 of the subject entitlement. 

Key Stage 4 – An audit was carried out on KS4 provision in 2007/08 and new activities were added to meet the statutory requirements of Education for Employability (LLW)
 

YEAR 11

YEAR 12

The provision of a 10 period module of Careers Management and Life after GCSE incorporating interpretation of interest and personality questionnaires, options at 16+, career research, workplace motivation, changing economic trends and curriculum vitae.

YEAR 13 and 14

Careers Information

Years 8 - 14 are shown how to access information from some or all of the following sources: the Careers Library, Main Library, computer programmes and the internet.  The staff  seek to insure that the information available on training employment, further and higher education etc is up to date, comprehensive and appropriate for the range of pupils in the school.  Visits and Talks are organised. The Careers Library is physically accessible and available at virtually all times to meet pupil needs. 

Careers Advice Guidance

Specialist impartial advice is available from Mrs Pamela Boyle our Careers Officer.  There is impartial systematic and personal help for pupils making choices in Year 10, 12, 13 and 14 in the form of individual interviews. A number of presentations are given to whole Year Groups in the Lecture Theatre as part of the guidance process.  Year 10, 12 and 13 are given career planning sheets to help them put together a personal career plan. All Year 10 and Year 12 pupils are interviewed prior to their GCSE choice and AS choice.  Year 13 are interviewed in June post exams to help them organise the next steps in their career management.  Supplementary information for the UCAS reference is also collected at this time All Year 12, 13 and 14 students are given the opportunity to talk to the careers advisors in August after the publication of results.  Students can request interviews with Mrs Boyle or Mr Robb at any time during the year.

Experience of Work

All pupils in Year 13 are given the opportunity to go out on a one week work shadowing placement after discussion with their tutor, consent of parent and agreement of the careers adviser. The Careers Department supports the view that:

‘appropriate experiences of the world of work can increase the pupils, motivation to learn across the curriculum and give relevance to their work in school. The experiences should encourage pupils to widen the range of jobs they consider and to improve aspects of their self-awareness. They should also inform the pupils’ decision-making in relation to their general vocational and specific occupational interests, and increase their knowledge and understanding of the requirements of various education or training routes or types of occupation’.

(Evaluating a Careers Programme: DENI 1996)

To this end the students are provided with a range of work related learning activities; 

Year 8  “Your School Your Business”  (Young Enterprise)
Year 9  ‘Taste and See” vocational awareness activities
Year 9 YE Nine Activities (Young Enterprise)
Year 10 “Lifting the Lid off the world of Work”  (Young Enterprise)
Year 11 “Learn to Earn” (Young Enterprise) and recruitment and selection activities
Year 12 Curriculum Vitae and Letter of Application
Year 13   Work shadowing week and School Employer Connections Activities
Year 14   Mock Interviews