Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme

Benchmark 1 provides the foundation for careers provision across Bodmin College and supports us to link careers provision to our vision, priorities and college improvement plans. It ensures that we understand how to support our students to make well informed decisions about education, training, apprenticeship & employment opportunities and to cope with challenging labour market conditions.

We have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of the senior management team and has an identified and appropriately trained person responsible for it.

Our Annual Careers Plan ensures that students, parents, teachers and employers are aware of our strategic approach. Our careers programme is regularly evaluated with feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and employers as part of the evaluation process.

Benchmark 2: Learning from Career & Labour Market Information

LMI stands for Labour Market Information and is used to enable people to make decisions about education, jobs or training. Access to up-to-date career and labour market information is important for social mobility.

We provide information about pathways, opportunities, growth areas and alumni's successful transitions all help to connect our students to their positive future.

We aim to provide detailed information about all pathways, relevant courses, opportunities, labour market understanding and supporting students to make useful networks in order to strengthen the capacity of our students to make informed decision and positive transitions. We provide our students with an overview of what Labour Market Information (LMI) is using local presentations, resources and some additional sources of LMI e.g. provided by the CEC and CIoS Careers Hub. By the age of 14, every Bodmin College student should have accessed and used information about all career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.

Every student, and their parents, should have access to good-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.

• By the age of 14, every student should have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.
• Parents are encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to their children.

Useful LMI Links:

• The government funds a high quality LMI service called LMI for All which is used by a number of providers, including the National Careers Service. LMI for All Tool
• iCould is a careers website which uses LMI to provide context alongside careers videos.
• U-Explore provide careers guidance solutions for schools and colleges.
• SACU is an online source of careers information for young people, parents, teachers and careers advisors.
• RCU Ltd. is a data dashboard which draws on LMI for All data and is designed to help inform curriculum design.
• The National Careers Service offers information and professional advice about education, training and work. Students and their parents/carers can access support via their website, helpline and web chat.

Benchmark 3: Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil

We understand that each student is an individual with different career guidance needs at different stages. We aim to deliver a programme of learning and encounters tailored to the needs of each student, which actively challenge stereotypical thinking, raise aspirations, and support every student to make informed choices about their own future, regardless of their background or additional needs.

Our aim is to provide:

• A scheme of learning and experiences that embed equality and diversity considerations throughout and which meet students' individual needs.
• Aspirational encounters with a range of employers to inspire students about different career pathways.
• Inspirational encounters with successful role models who can connect with students of similar backgrounds to help raise aspirations.
• Accessible information and activities delivered in such a way that it remains interesting and inspirational without being overwhelming to the individual and does not preclude any groups.

We systematically monitor careers activity to ensure that all students are actively included within our Careers Plan. This includes keeping records of the individual advice given to each student. All students should have access to these records to support their career development. We also aim to collect and maintain accurate data for each student on their education, training or employment destinations for at least three years after they leave school.

Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers

All our teachers are encouraged to link curriculum learning with careers. For example, STEM subject teachers will be expected to highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of career pathways. By the age of 14, every student should have had the opportunity to learn how the different STEM subjects help people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers.

Our teaching staff are encouraged to:

Access the 28 subject-specific inspiration guides developed by the My Learning My Future campaign led by the Careers and Enterprise Company.

Develop links with local employers who are keen to further develop careers learning opportunities for students

Become a Career Ambassador for their subject area and lead on developing careers learning in their subject area.

Focus on making learning more applied by using real world examples or challenges, by linking with a local employer or employers.

Benchmark 5: Encounters with Employers & Employees

Meaningful encounters with employers and employees result in students' gaining a better understanding of the workplace and the potential career paths open to them.

Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. Every year, from the age of 11, students will participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer. A 'meaningful' encounter is one in which the student has an opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace. This will be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.

Our Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) and other relevant staff work with student, parents/carers to identify any barriers and support needed.

Pupils with an education, health and care plan should have formal opportunities to discuss education, training and career opportunities as part of their annual review, from year 9 onwards. We encourage schools to ensure pupils with SEND and their parents are aware of the National Careers Service website for education advice for special educational needs or a disability. We would also encourage schools, colleges, and providers to make use of the resources available via the CEC's resource directory for SEND.

Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces

We actively encourage every student to gain first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks. By the age of 16, every student should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

By the age of 18, every student should have had one further such experience, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

We will always consider a flexible approach to work experience, dependent on the needs of each student, which might include a mix of the following activities:

• internships and holiday placements
• Week-long work experience placement in the workplace
• job shadowing
• work experience in school
• volunteering
• virtual work experience

We ensure that all activities are planned, have real purpose and are properly monitored and evaluated. Staff are encouraged to us the CEC's Making it Meaningful checklist to ensure that careers activities, including provider encounters, are meaningful for all participants and ensure quality and consistency of the activity.

Benchmark 7: Encounters with Further & Higher Education

All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both technical and academic routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

Meaningful encounters with providers cover a wide range of ways our students can learn about their compulsory post-school options. A 'meaningful encounter' is one in which the student has an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in that environment. This includes academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and the workplace. We provide off-site visits and direct interactions with key institutions, staff, and alumni.

• By the age of 16, every student should have had a meaningful encounter with providers of the full range of educational opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and students.
• By the age of 18, all students who are considering applying for university should have had at least two visits to universities to meet staff and students.
• By the age of 18, every student should have had a meaningful encounter with a range of providers of learning and training that may form the next stage of their career. This should include further education colleges, higher education and apprenticeship and training providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and students.

Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

Every student should have opportunities for personal guidance interviews with a careers adviser who is trained to a minimum of level 6. Personal guidance describes the one-to-one interactions which take place between a careers adviser and a young person. These interactions should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. Every student should have at least one such interview by the age of 16, and the opportunity for a further interview by the age of 18.

Cornwall Education Learning Trust commissions Careers4U to deliver personal guidance across its secondary schools. Careers4U is a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Cornwall. Information and advice is provided around the opportunities within Cornwall, whilst being mindful of the national picture and the world of work in general. A Careers4U career development professional works with each school to deliver high-quality, impartial Careers Information, Advice and Guidance via face-to-face services, the Careers4u website and social media platforms. Our aim is for effective personal guidance to be:

• Integrated into a whole school careers guidance programme which is supported by our senior leadership and involves all staff.
• In line with Gatsby, it will be delivered by a qualified professional on a 1:1 basis.
• Students are prepped prior to sessions and followed up afterwards.
• Professional careers advisers create strong relationship with their client using a range of core skills to customise the interview to a young person’s needs.
• Available on request and when needed, as well as at the key decision points highlighted by Gatsby.

There is good evidence which demonstrates the impact of personal guidance. It is associated with a range of short and long-term impacts on an individual’s:

• Personal effectiveness e.g. self-awareness and self-esteem.
• Career readiness e.g. career planning and decision making.
• Educational outcomes e.g. improved attendance and attainment.