Introduction to Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance at The Windsor Boys’ School

Aim and Objectives of the Careers Programme at The Windsor Boys’ School

At The Windsor Boys’ School it is our aim is to ensure that every student receives high-quality career guidance education to assist them to develop employability skills and knowledge of the Next Steps after GCSE and A Levels.

In January 2018 the Department for Education issued new Statutory Careers Guidance which outlined the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. The Benchmarks are designed to ensure that a 'gold standard' of Career Education is provided to all students to equip them for their pathways after school.

The Benchmarks are as follows:

1. A stable career programme

2. Learning from career and labour market information

3. Addressing the needs of each student

4. Linking curriculum learning to careers

5. Encounters with employers and employees

6. Experience of workplaces

7. Encounters with further and higher education

8. Personal Guidance

At The Windsor Boys’ School we are working hard to ensure that these standards are met.

We would like to hear from parents and carers, employers, Higher Education or Further Education Colleges or other career relevant groups if would like to support us in any of the above or in other ways.

In order to ensure that our curriculum supports and meets the needs of our students and Parents and Carers, we will request feedback from our key stakeholders throughout the year.

Please email Sally Ingels, Careers & Future Pathways Manager:

Tel: 01753 255385

careers@twbs.co.uk

Overview of our Careers Provision

To support our students, there is a structured programme of Careers which is delivered during form time, Assemblies and PSHE lessons from Years 9 to 13.  Students have access to Unifrog which is used in lessons and outside of the classroom by students at the school; parents/carers are also given a Unifrog login so that they can support our students with their careers choices.

Throughout this year, students will have the opportunity to engage with employers during work-experience week (Year 10 and 12), PSHE lessons and activities, industry competitions, attending careers fairs (Years 11, 12 and 13 attend the Ascot Careers Fair), careers presentations, college visits (Year 10 will visit three local colleges in the Summer Term) and apprenticeship and higher education visits and presentations.

The school provides advice and guidance in respect of future opportunities covering sixth form colleges, university applications, apprenticeships and employment opportunities.

This year to address the needs of each student we are tracking the careers programme via Compass+ and we will once again be taking all students in Years 11, 12 and 13 to the National School and College Leaver Show at Ascot racecourse. There are 64 different companies, FE Colleges, Universities and GAP year providers participating, including The Bank of England, Unilever, British Airways, Red Bull, Royal Holloway University, Reading University, BCA and the BIMM Institute. The event is a lively, interactive and informative ‘one stop shop’ for the students who can use the opportunity to find out about the wide range of options available to them at the end of Key Stage 4 and 5, and beyond.  Forest Group colleges are regular visitors to the school, providing information about the wide range of vocational post-16 options available locally, as well as apprenticeship talks. In addition, the school has strong links with Eton College and our students are invited to attend their extensive programme of careers talks as well as the TVLP careers talks and webinars (see list for 2022-3). Royal Holloway University provide talks, advice and presentations on degree courses and degree apprenticeships, student finance and life skills.

You can view the school’s careers policy on the school policies page.