With 83% of schools nationally dramatically reducing their professional careers guidance and many sectors expressing their fears that thousands of school leavers are being abandoned without adequate advice to help them plan their future, one Kent Headmaster speaks out.
Bruce Grindlay, Headmaster of Sutton Valence School, Maidstone said “Our Careers Department provides a bespoke service to all of our pupils, aged from 11 to 18; we believe it is never too early to start thinking about the future and we are investing in it now more than ever before. Impartial support and guidance is offered to help with decision making and managing transition, preparing pupils for the opportunities and responsibilities of life.”
Good careers guidance has never been so important; this was the key message emerging from Graham Stuart, Education Select Committee chairman in the report ‘Careers guidance for young people: the impact of the new duty on schools’ published on 23rd January but this has long been recognised by many in the education sector as a key component in a good education.
Together with the need for one to one interviews with qualified careers advisors, Mr Stuart said that young people faced “ever more complicated choices” in school qualifications, university courses and career paths.
Head of Careers at Sutton Valence School, Christine Carter highlights the vital role her department plays: “specific careers-related activities are embedded in the curriculum, through the PSHE (personal, health, social, education) programme. For example, those pupils interested in a law career recently had the opportunity to participate in a mock trial hosted by the School, which was run by barristers. It proved to be an invaluable experience.”
Christine concludes: “our annual Careers Convention offers pupils the opportunity to meet and network with a broad range of professionals, employers and organisations. We facilitate a high quality experience of the world of work, which in turn helps pupils explore possible career options and make life-changing contacts. ”