Careers & Post 16

Our Careers Programme
At Churchill School we view careers guidance as an integral part of our work. It appears as a discrete subject on all class timetables. The schools careers programme appears as an attached document on this page and can be accessed by students, parents, teachers and employers. The progress that students make as part of our careers programme, is monitored regularly and used to inform further work.
Our vision is to develop a learning community that broadens horizons and raises aspirations through meaningful and powerful links and contact with local employers and local businesses. Learners will develop and apply a range of employability skills throughout their time in school and sixth form and develop knowledge and research skills to ensure future pathways are fully informed and allow a clear sense of direction.
A comprehensive programme of Work Experience begins in Year 9 with all students having equal access to work shadowing.
Employer Engagement
We work closely with employers through a range of activities including
- employer visits
- attending careers fairs
- mock interviews
- work experience placements
- working with an Enterprise Advisor to explore opportunities for engagement with relevant employers, personalised to specific pupils.
Who to Contact
Schools Careers Leader: Mrs Maria South (currently on Maternity leave)
In Mrs South’s absence please contact Mr Komodromos with any enquiries regarding the careers programme at Churchill School.
Monitoring, review and evaluation
Careers provision is monitored, reviewed and evaluated in the following ways;
- Staff feedback during meetings
- Students’ feedback following work experience
- Employer feedback forms
- Mock interview feedback
- Destination data
Please view the documents in the attachments section for further information.
Post 16 Options
The Post 16 choices available for our students are:
- Attend a school or college full time
- Seek employment or self employment for 20 hours a week or more while studying part time.
- Start a course of work-based learning known as an apprenticeship
- Do voluntary work for 20 hours per week or more and engage in some part time education
These options can be discussed at the annual review and the transition plan can be written or adapted to help the young person work towards the option they would like to take. As a school we will seek to support all students whichever option they select and will also help them access independent, impartial advice.
Post 16 Pathways at Churchill School
If students decide to stay at Churchill School they will be able to follow one of the following three pathways.
This is for students who wish to study the most academic A –levels at Haverhill Community Sixth Form, they will study largely independently but with some support from Churchill to meet objectives listed in their EHCP (Educational and Health and Care Plan). They should have at least a grade 6 in the subjects they choose to do at A-Level.
These students will study less traditional A and AS Levels at Haverhill Community Sixth Form, they will study largely independently but with some support from Churchill to meet objectives listed in their EHCP (Educational and Health and Care Plan). Students would need an average of grade 5 and this must include English and Maths. Students should again have at least a 6 grade in the A Level subjects they choose.
This is the BTEC route and contains applied or vocational courses that can be studied at Haverhill Community Sixth Form, they will study largely independently but with some support from Churchill to meet objectives listed in their EHCP (Educational and Health and Care Plan). Students would usually have at least 4 GCSEs 9-4 and these should include Maths or English at 4 or above.
Further Information
We hope you find the links below useful. If you have found a really useful resource please contact Mrs South and we can add the link to the list below.
Useful Websites When Considering Your Options
Suffolk Post 16 Travel | Suffolk On Board Transport Policy for Post 16 learners |
16-19 Bursary Fund | You could get a bursary to help with education-related costs if you’re aged 16 to 19 |
Access to Work | Get support in work if you have a disability or health condition (Access to Work) |
Useful Career Websites
How2Become | Career Specialists with useful guides and videos |
Gov UK Apprenticeship Application | Apprenticeship vacancies and information, search and apply |
National Careers Service | Careers guides and info for students aged 13-18 |
Doing Careers Differently | How to make a success of your career while living with a health condition or disability |
National Autistic Society | Here you’ll find advice for autistic people on looking for a job |
Employ Autism | Ambitious about Autism works to increase autistic young people’s access to employment |
I Could | Lots of videos you can explore by employment sector or life theme |
Start | A careers site aimed at 11-24 year olds, with useful content in ‘Career Worlds’ |
Careers Box | Free online library of careers related film, news and information |
Careers 4 U | Videos on lots of different jobs, and students talking about Apprenticeships, university and jobs |
The Source | The Source can help you find out where to access support in your local community |
I Can Be A | A local social media style careers website with information about work, careers and training opportunities. |
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) specific websites
Future Morph | Career opportunities from Science and Maths |
Tomorrow’s Engineers | All about a future in engineering |
Post 16 Options
UCAS Progress | Online national prospectus for further education |
Higher Education
UK Course Finder | Quiz to choose uni courses |
Prospects | A good resource for anyone thinking about university, careers you can reach from your subjects and job hunting trends |
UCAS | Database of all degree courses and entry requirements |
Jobs within the NHS
NHS Careers | Careers with the NHS |
Step Into the NHS | Young people focused site with career information on jobs within the NHS |
Volunteering
Do It | Volunteering opportunities for 16-25 year olds |
Community Action Suffolk | Volunteering opportunities in Suffolk |
National Citizen Service | National Citizenship Service – an exciting opportunity to take on new challenges, gain new skills and experience new things. |
Suffolk Police Cadets | Suffolk Police’s volunteer police cadets are recruited between the age range of 13 to 16 years but can remain a cadet until their 18th birthday |