What is the careers programme?

Ipsley C of E Middle School is an active member of the Worcestershire Careers Hub and supports the development of Worcestershire’s Future Workforce through the Worcestershire Enterprise Adviser Network.

To view our latest Careers Strategy and Provider Access document, please click here.

Who are the careers team?

S. Jilks | KS3 Phase Leader & Careers Lead

L. Field | Assistant Principal responsible for Personal Development & Careers

L. Garner | Careers & Enterprise co-ordinator

M. Nash | Enterprise Advisor (Local business owner)

How do we review the careers programme?

We review our programme on a termly basis using the Careers and Enterprise Company’s COMPASS evaluation tool. Please find below our last three evaluations:

• COMPASS Evaluation (Autumn 2021)
• COMPASS Evaluation (Spring 2022)
• COMPASS Evaluation (Summer 2022)

If you would like to give any feedback on our careers programme or be involved with any events, please contact Mrs Jilks, our Careers Lead, on 01527 525725.

What is Labour Market Information?

Labour Market Information (LMI), in short, refers to any relevant information about the current state of the jobs market. Ipsley ensures that its pupils are aware of the key information related to Redditch. We use Careers Pilot to give pupils time to research careers of particular interest to them.

How can you support your child with careers?

Ipsley appreciates the value of parental and carer help for their children along their education journey. Below are two links that will provide key guidance on careers:

• Skills 4 Worcestershire: https://www.skills4worcestershire.co.uk/
• Talking Futures: https://www.talkingfutures.org.uk/

How can you support us with our careers provision?

We would be extremely interested in hearing about any help that you could give to enhance our career provision at Ipsley. Please contact Mrs Jilks on 01527 525725 if you would be willing to contribute to our current provision in any way.

Alternatively, please complete the parent pledge card (which can be found here) and send it into Reception for the attention of Mrs Jilks. Printed copies are also available in Reception.

Useful websites and other resources

Below is a list of useful websites and guides to support with careers education, information, guidance and advice.

• Skills 4 Worcestershire: https://www.skills4worcestershire.co.uk/
• Career Pilot: https://www.careerpilot.org.uk/
• National Careers Service: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
• I Could: https://icould.com/buzz-quiz/

Below are links to the ‘Choices’ magazines which contain a wealth of information on everything related to careers:

• Issue 1
• Issue 2

KS3 Careers Day 2024

Year 8 pupils had their annual Careers Day on Friday 26^th April 2024. The aim of the day was to provide a vital opportunity for pupils to meet, face to face, with employees and learn about five different vocations.

This year, working with Year 8, we had TH Developments – a high-quality home renovation company based in Redditch. In this session, pupils found out all about how the company has grown from strength to strength, the qualities needed for the job, apprenticeships in brick laying and construction, bathroom and kitchen design and fitting and the importance of teamwork. Pupils were challenged to build towers collaboratively using limited resources. This was a super success and sparked lots of interest.

A representative from Bank Solicitors Limited, taught the pupils all about the world of law. Pupils had the chance to think about the laws that they would like to introduce to our country and how they would go about this. Our pupils had so many ideas to give! They used their employability skills whilst discussing in teams and listening to the opinions of others.

Mark Nash from Business Solutions – an IT software designer and ex-pupil, informed pupils about his education pathway, which included university and his first job in a bank designing IT programs specifically for the bank. Following this, he set up his own business designing bespoke programmes for individual companies. This provided Mark with more variation in his job. Mark talked about the benefits of working for a smaller company as compared to a larger one. Pupils were captured by IT.

Year 8 pupils had their first visit from a Scenic Art creator. Dan Roblin informed Ipsley pupils about his day-to-day job and the qualifications needed and pathways followed. Dan quickly got pupils involved, using their painting and creativity skills in the design of set scenery. Pupils were totally hooked.

Will Dougan, finance director of a company called A Perry, a metal goods manufacturing business, inspired our pupils by presenting them challenges to complete. Pupils had to solve financial conundrums for Will, balance the company’s books, create boxes from flat pack card and pack the boxes. Again, our pupils were intrigued and invested in their tasks.

Pupils also had a session where they were able to research careers and college courses of their own choice. This added to the work they have already completed in PSHE this year. Some pupils used the learning from the day to direct their research, which was superb.

The day ended with a visit from Heart of Worcester College. Ipsley students were able to find out about all the Post 16 courses available to them at college. These included apprenticeships, BTecs, and T Levels. Pupils found out about the set-up of the campus, and the additional responsibilities that they will be given as post 16 students.

Pupils said that they really appreciated the chance to meet employers and find out, face to face, about real life jobs.

Thank you to all those who participated in this crucial event for Ipsley pupils.

Mrs Jilks | KS3 Phase Leader & Careers Lead