Careers

Inspiring Success Through Opportunity

• Raise aspirations and broaden horizons

• Develop confidence, independence and resilience

• Prepare students for adulthood and employment

• Support informed decision-making about future pathways

• Build essential life and employability skills

• Provide meaningful encounters with employers and workplaces

• Enable students to achieve successful post-16 destination

We aim to:

To develop a highly effective, personalised, learning community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and is of equal worth.

We strive to provide inspirational education and purposeful therapeutic support to make a lifelong changing difference to the children in our care.

Our Core Values

Our careers programme reflects the school's core values:

Trust

To strengthen a home/school partnership, where the positive support of our parents and the wider community is very important to us all. We maintain an open and welcoming environment where we can work together for the benefit of our pupils and inspire pupils to be part of a culture where everyone’s voice is heard and opinions are valued. Children are encouraged to accept mistakes as a tool to further learning.

Resilience

To nurture and foster a ‘never give up’ approach, where pupils and adults strive to overcome their difficulties.

Engagement

To promote and develop engagement in all aspects of school life, including developing an understanding of moral, spiritual and ethical issues in school, consistently demonstrated through a mutual respect for each other. To teach sensitivity and empathy advocating no acceptance of bullying or discrimination, sustaining an awareness and understanding of British Values.

Enjoyment

Foster an environment of enjoyment where we educate pupils in developing positive attitudes towards self-discipline, good behaviour and to encourage development of positive relationships between themselves and others. We support each child’s ability, creativity, development and enthusiasm in a range of subjects and skills through a creative approach to the curriculum, which incorporates opportunities for children to learn how to achieve a healthy and eco-friendly lifestyle.

Success

To create a culture where everyone aims high to achieve success through an inspiring curriculum that provides all pupils with opportunities, irrespective of ethnicity, religion, disability or gender.

What can we offer?

Every young person deserves the opportunity to reach their potential.

SEND Audit

SEND Audit and review service. Teeacher Training. Working with trusts to improve mainstream provision for SEND.

Provision

Year 4, 5, 6 provision. Pre EHCP? Working through diagnosis and application, supporting children and families.

Secondary SEND

11-16 Secondary SEND. ASD, CL primary need. Wrap around therapeutic support and extended school offer.

Vocational Pathway

Post 16 provison for EHCP Vocational pathway Apprenticeships for SEND.

Educational Testing

Educational testing and reporting service. First stage EP reporting. Dyslexia and dyscalculia testing. Thrive, OT, Pyschotherapy, counselling, Family support.

Years 7 & 8 – Exploring Possibilities

Students begin developing an understanding of the world of work through careers lessons, enrichment activities, employer talks, and curriculum learning. They are encouraged to identify their strengths, interests, and aspirations.

Year 9 – Making Informed Choices

Students receive support with GCSE option choices and learn how different subjects can influence future career pathways. Information sessions, assemblies, and guidance activities help students make informed decisions.

Year 10 – Preparing for the Workplace

Students participate in work-related learning and work experience opportunities, developing employability skills such as communication, teamwork, resilience, and professionalism.

Year 11 – Next Steps

Students receive personalised guidance to help them explore post-16 pathways including:

• Further Education Colleges

• Specialist Post-16 Provision

• Supported Internships

• Apprenticeships

• Vocational Training

• Employment Opportunities

To develop a highly effective, personalised, learning community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and is of equal worth.

Students also receive support with applications, interviews, CV writing, and transition planning. Through our external careers advisor supplied by EDT https://www.edt.org/

Employability Skills

Throughout their time at Forest Park School, students develop skills valued by employers, including:

• Communication

• Teamwork

• Problem-solving

• Organisation

• Time management

• Resilience

• Adaptability

• Independence

• Digital skills

• Personal responsibility

These skills are embedded across the curriculum and wider school life.

Work Experience

Real workplace experiences are a key part of our careers programme.

All students have opportunities to engage with the world of work and develop practical employability skills through:

• Workplace visits

• Employer projects

• Volunteering opportunities

• Enterprise activities

• Work experience placements

These experiences help students develop confidence, communication skills, teamwork and independence while exploring potential career interests.

Forest Park School states that all students access real work experience as part of its careers offer.

Gatsby Benchmarks

Our careers programme is aligned with the eight Gatsby Benchmarks for good career guidance:

1. A Stable Careers 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. Experiences of Workplaces
7. Encounters with Further and Higher Education
8. Personal Guidance

This ensures students receive high-quality careers education and guidance throughout their Employers and Partners

Support Welcome

We welcome support from employers, training providers, colleges, universities and community organisations. We are active in Aycliffe business community developing links to provide:

• Employer talks

• Workplace visits

• Careers fairs

• Mock interviews

• Enterprise projects

• Work experience opportunities

• Mentoring programmes