Careers Education

National Careers Week - 4th-9th March 2024

Cardinal Hume will be taking part in National Careers Week 2024, providing students with careers based activities and information for the third year in a row. NCW is a one-week celebration of careers education across the UK. The aim is to provide a focus for careers guidance activity at an important stage in the academic calendar to help support young people develop awareness and excitement about their future pathways. NCW allows schools to highlight the links between education and future careers.

Our Aim

The aim of the careers provision at Cardinal Hume is consistent with the aims and values of our school, specifically ‘To prepare students for adult life and fit them for productive roles at work, in the community, at home and at leisure by providing them with the necessary knowledge, concepts, skills and attitudes’. We also aim to fulfil the Gatsby Benchmarks, that outline effective careers education, to help prepare our students for adult life.
This web-page is designed for students, parents/carers and employers to access detailed information regarding all aspects of careers education at Cardinal Hume.

Measuring the Impact of Careers Education at Cardinal Hume Catholic School

The impact of careers education at Cardinal Hume Catholic School is measured in a number of ways, including:

  • Destinations of school leavers onto the next stages of their career journey are recorded and collated, including monitoring NEET figures in conjunction with Gateshead council CEIAG department.
  • Termly Compass+ evaluations carried out by Careers Leader in line with CEC guidelines.
  • Student evaluations of all activities, visits and trips including Y10/12 work experience are carried out to determine the impact and suitability for repeating.
  • Employer feedback is collected, recorded and analysed by Careers Leader to determine success of Y10 & Y12 students on work experience.
  • Student voice is utilised to determine the effectiveness of the careers IAG programme
  • Regular, planned IAG staff meetings discuss the effectiveness of the careers IAG programme.
  • Careers leader monitors work across curriculum areas to embed careers learning into the curriculum, including lesson observations of English, Maths and STEM subjects to ensure Gatsby benchmark 4 is fully met by the school curriculum.
  • Analysis of IDSR figures carried out by Careers Leader and SLT.

A Structured Approach

At Cardinal Hume Catholic School our strategy structures the approach to ensure the tools and resources offered to us are utilised to make the most effective progress:

  1. Utilise the Compass evaluation tool to honestly assess current capability and opportunities for pupils within our careers programme.
  2. Align and clearly communicate realistic and actionable focus areas across the school year.
  3. Engage the right resources, both within our school and across our partners, to maximize progress and impact via generously sharing and reapplying best practices.
  4. Capture specific activities in the ‘Careers Plan’ to document progress and engage all teaching staff
  5. Utilise the Unifrog software to enable each and every student to build a personal profile and document their personal need, interactions, activities and guidance.
  6. Systematically utilise the Compass evaluation tool to measure progress and report back to SLT and the board of governors on a regular and planned basis.

Gatsby Benchmarks of Effective Careers Education

In 2013 Sir John Holman was commissioned by the Gatsby Foundation to research what pragmatic actions could improve career guidance in England and subsequently developed 8 effective career guidance benchmarks.  In 2015 a national pilot was commissioned to test how focused action planning and activity can result in meaningful improvements in careers education. Following this positive pilot, a systematic national roll out and adoption of the benchmarks has started, being championed in our region by the North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP) who are partnering Cardinal Hume along with  our dedicated Enterprise Advisor from the multinational corporation Proctor & Gamble, who offers a range of actionable material and training to enable progress in offering effective careers provision to students at Cardinal Hume. Increasingly the benefits and criticality of good career guidance is making a real difference in preparing our students for life after school, specifically within the world of employment.

Meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks

  • Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme

    Cardinal Hume has a stable, structured careers programme, that has the explicit backing of the senior leadership team and the school governors. An experienced and well qualified senior teacher was appointed as careers leader in 2019 with responsibility for managing the provision of careers education across the school.
    The careers programme is published on the school website to enable pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access and understand it. The programme is evaluated on a termly basis with feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and employers as part of the continual evaluation process.

  • Benchmark 2: Learning from Career and Labour Market Information

    Pupils, and their parents, have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They receive help from our qualified careers advisers to make the best use of available information.
    Within the IAG programme all pupils, by the end of year 9, will have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.
    Parents  are encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options via the ‘weduc’ system and parent information evenings, to inform and support their children’s decisions.

  • Benchmark 3: Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil

    At Cardinal Hume we acknowledge that pupils have differing needs at different stages of their careers guidance.  Opportunities for advice and support is tailored to the needs of each pupil. Our careers programme looks to embed equality and diversity considerations throughout it’s delivery, actively challenging stereotypical thinking and raising pupil aspirations.
    Systematic records are kept of individual advice given to each pupil and subsequent agreed decisions. All pupils are e-mailed a copy of these records to support their career development.
    The intended destinations of all school leavers are collated and recorded to ensure effective progression

  • Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers

    Teachers at Cardinal Hume embed careers information into lessons by teaching about relevant career pathways and job roles within lessons.  For example, Maths teachers highlight the relevance of numeracy within careers such as Architecture, Games Design, Accountancy, Engineering and many more.  English teachers highlight how literacy skills are required across a wide range of careers such as Journalism, Law, Blogging, Creative Writing, Publishing and many more.

    All subject leaders have included how they meet this benchmark within their department development plans to ensure coverage across the entire curriculum.

  • Benchmark 5: Encounters with Employers and Employees

    Pupils receive multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. Within Cardinal Hume this is delivered through a range of enrichment opportunities including visiting speakers during IAG and lessons, mentoring, enterprise schemes, virtual events and trips to workplaces.

    Our aim is that each year,from year 7 onward, all pupils should participate in at least one encounter with an employer or employee to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.

  • Benchmark 6: Experience with Workplaces

    Every pupil at Cardinal Hume is given the opportunity of first-hand experience of a workplace through work visits, work shadowing and work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

    All pupils in year 10 are given the opportunity to embark on a work experience placement. This takes place in July during the final week of the summer term. In year 12 students are given a second opportunity for a work experience placement. Additional to this, students are encouraged to participate in virtual work experience in their own time, with many VWEX opportunities being shared with students via teams and e-mail.

    All work experiences’ are additional to any part-time jobs that pupils may already have.

  • Benchmark 7: Encounters with Further and Higher Education

    All pupils are made aware of the full range of learning  opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace. By the end of year 11, each pupil will have received an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in a range of educational environments, including sixth form, college, university and apprenticeship providers. Additional guidance is given to students in Y10/11 by the North East University Collaboration Programme (NEUCP) during IAG sessions.
    By the end of year 13, all pupils who are considering applying for university will have had at least two visits to universities to meet staff and pupils. Any students considering applying for apprenticeships after sixth form are provided with advice and guidance on how to achieve this. Training providers are encouraged to send apprenticeship opportunities to the school, that are forwarded to students so that they can apply if interested.

  • Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

    Every year 11 pupil at Cardinal Hume receives an impartial guidance interview with a level 6 qualified Careers Adviser and receives an individual action plan tailored to meet their specific careers aspirations. A second interview is provided in year 13 to further explore pupils individual needs, which may have changed significantly since year 11. The advice and guidance they receive reflect these changes. Students intended destinations are discussed at length with them during these sessions to ensure they have a suitable plan in place for their future progression.

1-2-1 Careers Advice

In line with Gatsby benchmark 8, all students at Cardinal Hume receive careers interviews in year 11 and again in year 13 to ensure they receive the correct information to inform their careers decisions whatever pathway they decide to follow. All advice is given by a qualified careers advisor and is impartial to give students a balanced and informed perspective of their options at the end of key stages 4 and 5.

Careers IAG Programme

  • Year 7 - Positive Character Attributes for Employability

    Session 1 – Character attributes/Raising Aspirations

    Session 2 – Challenging Gender Stereotypes within Careers

    Session 3 – World of Work Employer Encounters

    Session 4 – Introduction to Unifrog 1 – Personality & Interests Profiling

    Session 5 – Introduction to Unifrog 2 – Investigating careers linked to personality and interests profile

  • Year 8 - Raising Aspirations for Employability

    Session 1 – Raising Aspirations – HE/Future Careers

    Session 2 – Employability Skills & Aspirations 1

    Session 3 – Employability Skills & Aspirations 2

    Session 4 – Discovering Your Personality

    Session 5 – Career Pathways

  • Year 9 - Careers Planning - KS4 Options

    Session 1 – Options Introduction – Pathways to Careers

    Session 2 – NE University Connect Programme – ‘The Choice is Mine’

    Session 3 – Career Pathways & Labour Market Information 1 – Unifrog

    Session 4 – Career Pathways & Labour Market Information 2

    Session 5 – Employer Encounters

  • Y10 - Preparation for Work Experience

    Session 1 – Career Pathways & Labour Market Information – Unifrog

    Session 2 – Are you job ready?

    Session 3 – Preparation for Work Experience 1 – ‘How to contact employers’

    Session 4 – Preparation for Work Experience 2 – ‘H&S and how to behave on work experience’

    Session 5 – NE University Connect Programme – ‘What If – Work Experience?’

  • Y11 - Post 16 Options - Pathways

    Session 1 – Life in Sixth Form at Cardinal Hume

    Session 2 – College, Apprenticeships and Other Options

    Session 3 – NE University Programme – ‘What if HE?’

    Session 4 – NE University Programme – ‘Apprenticeships Explained’

    Session 5 – Recording Initial Intended Destinations

Work Experience - (Year 10 & Year 12)

Unifrog - Student Guides

  • Unifrog - Careers Platform

    Unifrog is the chosen careers platform at Cardinal Hume. Use Unifrog to search for info on careers and job roles, record activities & competencies and much more…..

    Click to sign in to Unifrog
  • Careers & Enterprise Company

    The national body for careers education in England, delivering support to schools and colleges to deliver modern, 21st century careers education.

    Click to visit CEC homepage.
  • Amazing Apprenticeships

    Amazing Apprenticeships are a leading organisation in the education sector, founded to tackle misconceptions about apprenticeships and promote the benefits.

    Click for info on Apprenticeships
  • Apply for an Apprenticeship

    Use the government website to create an account and search for an apprenticeships suited to your own needs. Enter your postcode to find vacancies local to you.

    Click to search apprenticeships

Labour Market Information (LMI)

Labour market information (LMI) helps us to understand employment in different sectors, occupations, wage levels and the skills/qualifications needed for these jobs. Students should explore a variety of LMI and resources, including what data is available and how they can use it to support with their career guidance planning and inform their understanding of the North East economy. LMI information is widely available to students on the Unifrog platform for each of the job roles in the careers library section.

For a more detailed guide to LMI and the importance of it to young people use the link below to access the web page of North East Ambition:

Click here: Labour Market Information – North East Ambition

External Partners of Cardinal Hume Catholic School

The following companies and organisations are current active partners of Cardinal Hume Catholic School to aid the provision of careers education. We are always looking to extend this list and welcome any external contacts who are interested in partnering the school to assist with the delivery of our careers programme.

  • North East of England Chamber of Commerce (NEECC)
  • Proctor & Gamble
  • North East Local Enterprise Partnership (NELEP)
  • Work Inspiration Gateshead
  • Gateshead College
  • Sunderland Software City
  • Baltic Centre for Arts
  • Deloitte
  • Character First
  • St James’ Place Wealth Management
  • Haines Watts
  • Meldrum Construction Ltd
  • Building Self Belief
  • Smallpiece Trust- Arkwright Foundation Engineering Scholarships

Ethan, Head Prefect 2021/22 lands prestigious ICE QUEST Scholarship

Mr M Stobbs

Congratulations to Ethan Matuki, Head Prefect at Cardinal Hume for 2021/22 academic year after he has been successful in gaining the prestigious QUEST Scholarship with the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE). The scholarship provides Ethan with significant financial support throughout his studies at university and more importantly gives Ethan a guaranteed position with his sponsor company, including a hefty signing on fee, after he completes his degree at university. Ethans sponsor company is the major construction company Galliford Try. The scholarship is testament to the positive attitude and commitment to his studies exhibited by Ethan throughout his time at Cardinal Hume. We would like to take this opportunity to wish Ethan the greatest of success in his future career within the world of civil engineering and to thank him for his excellent service to Cardinal Hume Catholic School as Head Prefect.

Mr M Stobbs
Leadership of Careers & Character Education

  • Read More

    Any year 13 students wanting more information on applying for the ICE Quest Scholarship can see Mr Stobbs in school.

Arkwright Scholarship with Smallpiece Trust

Mr M Stobbs

Cardinal Hume became an accredited Arkwright School in 2019. Luke from year 12 has been successful in being the first student from Cardinal Hume to secure an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship which is the most prestigious scholarship scheme of its type in the UK. To achieve this award Luke had to undergo and pass a rigorous external selection process, aimed at selecting only the highest-calibre students after he applied in Year 11, passing a tough exam and submitting examples of his Design & Technology coursework within the application.

Through the Arkwright Engineering Scholarships programme, the Smallpiece Trust identify, inspire and nurture future leaders in Engineering and technical design. Every Arkwright Engineering Scholarship is sponsored by an industrial company, professional institution or personal donor. Luke is being sponsored by The Reece Foundation who are dedicated to supporting the development of future engineers within the North East.

Mr M Stobbs
Leadership of Careers and Character Education

  • Read More

    Any Y11 students wishing to apply for the Arkwright Scholarship can see Mr Stobbs for details.

Y12 Employability Programme

Mr M Stobbs

Year 12 students from Cardinal Hume Catholic School participated in an employability programme to bridge the gap between education and employment, building their skills and awareness of recruitment processes across a range of employment sectors. The programme was run in conjunction with the charity 'Building Self-Belief' (BSB) who work with schools across the region to improve students well-being while also building their self-belief.

The students also got to visit the Newcastle office of finance company Haines Watts, where they took part in mock interviews by members of the HR department at Haines Watts. They then received a tour of Newcastle University as the final part of the day.

Students also attended 10 workshops run by BSB within school focusing on skills such as creating CVs, the importance of social media profiles, developing ICT skills for the workplace and how to develop their presentation skills. The programme culminated in students giving presentations to parents, members of the school senior leadership team, employees of Haines Watts and the managing director of BSB on how the programme had benefited them.

A second cohort of Y12 students are currently embarking on the programme and will be visiting the Leeds office of Haines Watts and Leeds Beckett University. BSB will be taking both groups of students on a team building and confidence boosting activity of gorge walking in Alston, Cumbria.

Mr M Stobbs
Leadership of Careers and Character Education

  • Read More

    Cardinal Hume would like to thank the staff involved from Building Self Belief, Haines Watts, Endless Adventures, Newcastle University and Leeds Beckett University for their roles in making this experience memorable for the Cardinal Hume students.

Year 7 World of Work Event

Mr M Stobbs

Year 7 students received a range of presentations from the following people giving an insight into each of their career journeys, the multitude of opportunities that their sector provides and the various pathways into them.
Neil Rooney, Senior Design Engineer, Elekta - Design, installation and maintenance of medical facilities for the treatment of cancer
Catherine Cassley - Learning and Development Officer, Gateshead NHS Foundation Trust - Medical and non-medical job roles within the NHS
Sophie Clare - Senior Project Manager, Mott McDonald - Engineering solutions
Sophie Harold - Digital Marketing & Matthew Thomas - Digital Journalism, Allies Group - How digital journalism and marketing shapes society
Rhys Jones - Research & Development Manager, Proctor & Gamble - The variety of scientific and non-scientific job roles within a multi-national corporation such as P&G
Charlotte Knill - Northumbria Police Cyber Investigation Team - How police monitor and protect against cyber crimes.
Megan Groom - Trainee Engineer, Castle Building Services - Pathways into construction industry
PC Callum Richards - Northumbria Police - The exciting and varied role of the modern police constable

Mr M Stobbs
Leadership of Careers and Character Education

  • Read More

    I would like to thank all of the above for taking their time out from busy working lives to share their stories. Each presentation was outstanding and well received by year 7 students, with fantastic feedback on how much they enjoyed the event.

    It was great to see two of our Cardinal Hume Alumni, Neil Rooney and Callum Richards returning to school to share their career journeys with the students.

External Training Providers Access (Baker Clause)

In line with the Baker clause and subsequent amendments (January 2023), Cardinal Hume Catholic School has the following policy for external training provider access:

Provider Access Policy Statement

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