Careers
At Heathlands School we are committed to providing a Careers Programme that is tailored to the needs and accessibility of all our students.
Careers Education and Guidance is vital in supporting our students to feel empowered via an abundance of information to make informed choices and pathway decisions towards their future careers. Our programme aims to prepare students with opportunities, key life skills, responsibilities, and a variety of work/life experience with the goal for students to independently navigate, successfully manage and plan their own futures.
Heathlands Careers Plan works alongside the Gatsby Benchmarks (for further information please visit: https://www.gatsbybenchmarks.org.uk/updated-benchmarks/ ) to promote aspirations, provide information for further/higher education, diversity and equality, overcoming limitations, challenging stereotypes and information on pathways to accessibility.
The benchmarks are enshrined in statutory guidance and are focused specifically on:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from careers and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each student
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
For further information please see our Careers Policy at: https://heathlands.herts.sch.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Careers-Information-and-Guidance-Policy-May2023.pdf
Heathlands also launched its own Sixth Form Programme in 2024. For information on available courses, entry requirements or residential options please visit our Sixth Form at: https://heathlands.herts.sch.uk/sixth-form/
Careers Team
Our dedicated careers team at Heathlands School:
Miss Nicola Jackson – Careers Leader
Mrs Stacey Mtanda – Careers Administrator
To contact Heathlands Careers Team for further information please email:
Who we work with:
The following organizations support our Careers and IAG provision:
| HCC Services for Young People Services for Young People | Source our Year 10 Work experience placements including site risk assessments. Provide qualified personal advisers to deliver careers interviews with all students in Years 11, 12 and 13. |
| Young Enterprise https://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/teachers-hub/enterprise-education/enterprise-programmes/ | Deliver a range of enterprise activities for Key Stage 3 and 4 students |
| University of Hertfordshire https://www.herts.ac.uk/ | Provide direct interventions for targeted students in Year 10 to promote university/higher education as a post-school option |
| Inspiring the Future https://www.inspiringthefuture.org/volunteers/ | Deliver a range of workshops around apprenticeships as a post-school option. |
| Oaklands College https://www.oaklands.ac.uk/ | Oaklands College is a leading further education provider in Hertfordshire, offering more than 300 courses, including apprenticeships and training through Oaklands Training & Development. Home to elite sports and renowned for its inclusive support, it has strong industry links and specialist programmes, equipping students and business with the skills for success. |
Support from CEC/Hertfordshire LEP and HOP
We are signed up to The Careers and Enterprise Company – The Enterprise Adviser Network – program. This is a free provision managed locally by Hertfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership to support us to achieve all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks – a target set by Department for Education in their Careers Strategy (Dec 2017).
Alicia Loxley – Enterprise Coordinator/Careers & Enterprise Company
Alicia comes to us via the Careers & Enterprise Company, the national body for careers education in England, supporting schools and colleges to deliver modern, 21st century careers education. The work is delivered through the local Careers Hub.
The Enterprise Coordinator (EC) sits at the heart of the local Enterprise Adviser Network (EAN – business volunteers) to help all schools and colleges improve their careers and enterprise programmes and to engage with the world of work.
At Heathlands, Alicia provides careers staff with support around our Careers Education programme. Linking employers to the school for work-related learning and experiences of the workplace as well as offering advice and guidance around the completion of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
We meet with Alicia (and Ebony our EA) once a term with. We also attend networking meetings that Alicia arranges so that we can link up with other careers leads in other SEND schools and attend other events like the Generation Careers Fairs where students and teachers are introduced to local employers who talk about the various job roles and pathway opportunities they have within their businesses, and Teacher Encounter CPD workshops where we hear from key employers and providers in Hertfordshire about their apprenticeship programmes and further education offers. Alicia also provides us with regular newsletters and key updates/information that helps us deliver the best careers education for our young people.
Ebony Urumedji
We have also been matched with Ebony Urumedji who works in the Tesco Head Office and is a group program manager. Ebony helps us to work towards the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks through workshops and networking. Meetings take place on a regular basis to discuss progress.
We are using the Hertfordshire Opportunities Portal (www.hopinto.co.uk) and would encourage all students, parents/carers to use this portal to seek current live job or apprenticeship vacancies within Hertfordshire as well as being a one-stop shop for a variety of information about the Hertfordshire Jobs Market providing information and inspiration about a variety of careers.
You can also follow HOP via their Social Media platforms as detailed below:
Website link – https://www.hopinto.co.uk/
Students
Here at Heathlands, we are determined to support our students with their futures – this includes providing advice, guidance and information to enable informed decisions. Your form tutor, careers team, and all your teachers are always ready and willing should you wish to discuss next steps or any areas of uncertainty with your future choices.
If you would like to book a 1-1 session to discuss any careers based topics please email either the careers team at admin@heathlands.herts.sch.uk, speak to your form teacher or fill in the form on the careers noticeboard, including your name, your form group and a brief description of what you would like to discuss – this is so the correct information can be prepared ahead of your meeting – and we will organise a meeting.
If you are considering an apprenticeship, university course, T Levels options, or would like to boost your UCAS application/CV there are several ways this can be achieved:
- Setting up your own club – this could include students in secondary or primary school.
- Seek volunteering opportunities in your local area – charity shops – homes for the eldering for example.
- Volunteering websites such as Home | GoVolHerts | Volunteering in Hertfordshire. | GoVolHerts
- Virtual work experience – there are several websites offering virtual work experience opportunities such as https://www.springpod.com/virtual-work-experience and https://www.ucas.com/careers-advice/virtual-work-experiences .
- Work experience week at school – taking part in work experience is . Experience within the working environment if valuable and can support developing new skills.
Access to further information to guide your career
Several organisations we work with at Heathlands School offer ample opportunities for self-development.
As a school for Deaf children, we are aware of the challenges faced amongst our students when trying to progress towards college, university and future careers. We had included a few useful websites that offer information and support in this area:
Services for young people:
Access to work
Disabled student allowance
https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowance-dsa
Part of our careers programme is providing parents and carers with up-to-date information to enable them to support their children with their personal career choices. This includes study, further education goals, working towards future employment as well as navigating accessibility.
Further information for parents
There are several websites available to research employment options, career pathways and accessibility information. We recommend you check these websites with your children. Please see below
School Leaver Jobs | AllAboutSchoolLeavers – information on employment after school, apprenticeships of different levels within your area as well as virtual information on CV’s and application processes.
GetMyFirstJob | Apprenticeships, Degree Apprenticeships, Work Experience & Graduate Jobs – information on finding a job after school
Apprenticeships – Guide to apprenticeships.
Careers – BBC Bitesize – Guide to Careers
Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is – GOV.UK – Access to work information
Help if you’re a student with a learning difficulty, health problem or disability: Disabled Students’ Allowance – GOV.UK – Information on funding, additional support and access.
University – Deafness is not a barrier | Deaf Unity – information on access and support for Deaf students.
Access to Work: am I eligible and how to apply | Deaf Unity – Access to work information
Teachers
Heathlands School is committed to providing students with up-to-date information on careers and the labour market. This is filtered through the school from nursery through to sixth form, this includes visits from employers/employees, further and higher education organisations, and a variety of workshops. It is also ingrained within the curriculum, with PSHCE lessons focused on careers, for example: writing CVs, interview practice, exploring different colleges or universities as well as investigating different areas of the labour market. All staff at Heathlands share responsibility for and have the aim of supporting our students throughout their school life with the goal of success and achievement in whichever career they are interested in.
How Heathlands supports our students
- Inviting relevant speakers to present talks, workshops and guidance within lessons to enrich learning and understanding.
- Linking subjects to careers and employment.
- Creating displays around school that are informative as well as aspiring.
- Organising external visits to colleges, universities and work environments.
- Presenting Heathlands annual careers fair and supporting access to several visiting careers organisations, inspiring role models and creating careers focused lessons in preparation.
- Exploring role play within working environment – setting up projects linked to careers.
Employers
Employers – local and across counties.
Heathlands is a residential school based in St Albans, we have many students who travel far and wide to attend our school. This often means we are searching within a vast range of areas for meaningful work experience opportunities for our Year 10/11/12 students.
We are always looking for employees willing to give our students the opportunity to grow and develop their skills and understanding of the working world.
Heathlands is a school for Deaf children – communication methods/support can be offered in a variety of ways should you wish to become a supporter of our school.
Ways in which employees can be involved
- Attend our annual careers fair and showcase your company as well as your personal career journey
- Host a visit at your workplace
- Support students who have special educational needs by explaining/sharing different employment routes
- Learn Deaf Awareness
- Offer a work experience placement
- Visit our school to give inspirational presentations.
- Run a workshop linked to your area of expertise
- Help enlighten students by showing how different subjects can be used within the working environment
If you are interested in supporting with any of the above please contact either Mrs Stacey Mtanda or Miss Nicola Jackson via admin@heathlands.herts.sch.uk Please state how or what kind of support you would like to offer and a brief description of yourself – this is to ensure we match you with the class/ age group that would benefit the most for your expertise. We would be delighted to work with you!