We want our students to experience a careers curriculum that establishes a growing knowledge and awareness of the world of work and what they as young people can aim for as they prepare for adulthood and post-16 transition. This includes delivering a breadth of opportunities and experiences to facilitate students building their own pathway. The intention of our careers programme is to empower students to develop a clear understanding of their personal strengths, interests, and aspirations, equipping them for successful transitions into further education, training, or employment.

Our students face unique challenges and due to the nature of their needs and diagnoses we are acutely cognisant when applying the appropriate curriculum demands. At Sheridan School, we believe that through the ethos of SCARF (Safety, Caring, Achievement, Resilience and Friendship), students develop positive approaches to their learning and self-management skills whilst understanding the needs of both them and others. The school ethos is woven through the career’s curriculum throughout the school.

Our careers education is designed to:

• Foster self-awareness, resilience, and self-esteem among students, recognising their individual challenges and strengths.

• Provide tailored guidance to help students make informed decisions about their future pathways.

• Encourage students to be ambitious, broaden their horizons and explore their aspirations.

• Enable students to make informed decisions.

• Cultivate positive relationships with local businesses, colleges, and vocational training providers, offering real-world insights and opportunities; to enrich the curriculum and promote high achievement.

• Integrate careers education seamlessly into the wider curriculum, ensuring that students can make effective connections between their learning and future career aspirations.

• Promote lifelong learning and adaptability, encouraging students to understand the evolving nature of the workforce and the importance of continuous personal development.

We do this as we want our pupils to know their skills and strengths; know what they are good at and what they find hard. We want our pupils to work towards Preparing for Adulthood- Independent Living; to have hope and optimism, adaptability and resilience. We want our pupils to learn and make progress so they can thrive and experience success in their future pathways. We want our pupils to pursue and value their own wellbeing and happiness in a rapidly changing world.

·        Help students understand the changing world of work, the impact of technology and realistic expectations in how long the working life extends.

·        Develop research skills to find out about opportunities, develop skills and attitudes and qualities to make a successful transition.

·        Support inclusion, challenge stereotypes and promote equality of opportunity.

·        Contribute to strategies to raise achievement, in particular, motivation.

• Pupils will have access to a career’s curriculum from KS3 onwards and this will be routinely monitored and evaluated to ensure it is fit for purpose.

• Pupils will be presented with opportunities to meet and talk with previous students to find out about their experiences and aspirations.

• Experiences of different workplaces and environments.

• Careers education builds in subject related careers information to link learning to the real world.

• Meaningful encounters with the world of work.

• Careers fairs and skills workshops.

To achieve our intent, we implement a multifaceted careers education strategy in the following ways:

Curriculum Integration:

• Enrichment Opportunities: We provide a range of extracurricular activities and enrichment programmes that expose students to various career paths, including work-related group projects within offsite environments.

• Personalised Learning: The careers education programme is personalised, with career guidance sessions tailored to each student’s individual needs. We utilise one-to-one mentoring and coaching to help students navigate their options effectively.

• Skills Development: Our curriculum incorporates essential skills development, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving, which are vital for success in any career. These skills are woven into lessons and practical activities.

Collaboration with External Providers:

• Partnerships with Local Businesses: We actively engage with local employers to create work experience opportunities, job shadowing initiatives, and industry visits, ensuring that our students gain firsthand experience of the workplace.

• Engagement with Post-16 Providers: Close links with colleges and training providers are established to facilitate smooth transitions for students moving into higher education and/or vocational training when they leave school.

Continuous Professional Development:

• Staff Training: Regular training sessions for staff on the latest careers education practices are conducted to ensure that teachers and support staff are well-equipped to guide students effectively.

Monitoring and Evaluation:

• Feedback Mechanisms: We continuously seek feedback from students, parents, and local employers to refine and improve our careers programme, ensuring it remains relevant and impactful.

• Tracking Progress: We maintain robust tracking systems to monitor student engagement with careers education, their progression towards achieving their career goals, and the overall effectiveness of our programme.

It is presented in an impartial manner and is adapted to suit the individual requirement of students During their time at school, all students can expect:

·        The support they need to make the right choices for Key Stage 4/GCSE, and after Year 11. Access up to date unbiased information on future learning and training, careers and the labour market information.

·        Support to develop the self-awareness and career management skills required.

·        Career lessons from year 9 to Year 11 covering options after school, the wider world of work, the job market, and skills needed.

·        The opportunity to talk through their career and educational choices with staff including the careers lead.

• Meaningful encounters with representatives from the world of work each school year, education and training providers, including colleges, and apprenticeships.

• The opportunity to talk through their career and educational choices with staff including form tutors and the Careers Lead.

• Access to one-to-one guidance with a trained, impartial careers adviser.

• Parents/carers informed of their progress and provide parents/carers with information to support students’ career planning and decision making.

Sheridan School Careers Curriculum statement indicates the ethos and pathway for pupils to succeed. We believe that our students deserve a curriculum that does not narrow their life chances but enables social equity and mobility. We want all our students to achieve their potential, and we truly believe that ‘all our pupils have the ability to excel and find their potential’.

• Make notable progress in their learning, regardless of ability, gender, social background or ethnic origin.

• Be engaged in a curriculum suffused with memorable experiences and rich in opportunities for learning.

• Learn, with teachers, in an environment which is mutually respectful and promotes a shared enjoyment of learning.

• Develop social attitudes and behaviours founded upon the values of respect, responsibility and resilience.

• Develop transferable skills and attitudes necessary to thrive as an active citizen in the 21^st century.

We offer a challenging, well sequenced curriculum which is broad and balanced focusing on breadth before depth, promoting new knowledge and skills, the acquisition of skills being central, both in terms of literacy and numeracy.  Student progress is achieved through high quality teaching and access to a range of engaging learning opportunities enabling students to move successfully to the next stage in their education or career path after Sheridan School.

• make outstanding progress in their learning, regardless of ability, gender, social background or ethnic origin;

• be engaged in a curriculum suffused with memorable experiences and rich in opportunities for learning;

• learn, with teachers, in an environment which is mutually respectful and promotes a shared enjoyment of learning;

• develop social attitudes and behaviours founded upon the values of respect, responsibility and resilience;

• develop transferable skills and attitudes necessary to thrive as an active citizen in the 21^st century.

We offer a challenging, well sequenced curriculum which is broad and balanced focusing on breadth before depth, promoting new knowledge and skills, the acquisition of skills being central, both in terms of literacy and numeracy.  Student progress is achieved through high quality teaching and access to a range of engaging learning opportunities enabling students to move successfully to the next stage in their education or career path.

School Life: being safe and interacting in a social environment

Science: Biology and the human body, reproduction, puberty

Citizenship & History: learning about the world around me, history and politics of RSHE objectives

P.E: Making people feel welcome, inclusion

Maths: managing money, screen time usage

Literacy: Character focus, descriptions and feelings

Computing: Relationships online, E-safety