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Orchard School Bristol

Careers and Post-16

Careers Lead

Our qualified, experienced Careers Leader is Mrs Rachel Thorne.  She can be contacted on rthorne@orchard.tila.school or on 0117 377 2000.

If you are interested in offering careers support or mentoring to our students, please contact Mrs Thorne above.

 Training Provider Access

For any training providers who wish to talk to our students about post-16 courses, please find our Provider Access Statement on our Statutory Information Page here: Summary of Statutory Information (Key Info menu tab)

 Careers Programme in school

Year 7s

  • use The Future Skills Questionnaire and Careerpilot to gauge their knowledge and understanding of future pathways
  • develop their oracy kills by identifying their skills and qualities and discuss their achievements in the Values tutor programme
  • explore their career influences and what success looks like through the Values tutor programme
  • have the opportunity to visit a local university to find out about student life and help to raise their aspirations for the future
  • take part in careers enrichment days run by local business partners such as STEM  days
  • attend assemblies by inspirational speakers to raise their aspirations
  • enjoy Careers Week subject lessons
  • some More Able students receive targeted mentoring
  • Year 7 Parents Evening; individual guidance and feedback from subject teachers

 Year 8s

  • take a more detailed look into careers pathways and start to focus on those careers of interest to them
  • look to challenge assumptions, develop a ‘can do’ attitude and broaden their vision for their own futures. Students consider the impact of social media. 
  • explore budgeting and the cost of living as well as gaining an understanding of labour market information and starting to write a career plan
  • focus on personal finance, and the role this plays in becoming happy and successful adults
  • take part in career-focused lessons delivered by teachers/ visitors in lessons throughout National Careers Week
  • find out about technical pathways during National Apprenticeship Week
  • attend assemblies by inspirational speakers and employers to raise their aspirations
  • attend off site enrichment activities such as STEM days which will encourage them to consider their future careers
  • enjoy Careers Week subject lessons
  • all Year 8 students attend the Careers and Apprenticeships Fair in Careers Week 
  • Year 8 Parents Evening: individual guidance and feedback from subject teachers 

Year 9s

  • work further on raising their aspirations and removing limits, developing personal skills and qualities, writing a CV and making informed decisions regarding their post 14 provision
  • cover a series of Tutor sessions that focus on the local labour markets, job roles and what qualifications are required in these future career paths
  • use Careerpilot to explore where options subjects can lead to
  • address those challenging ‘softer’ skills that help them communicate with employers effectively, to help them prepare for finding and completing work experience in Year 10, a crucial experience in their personal development
  • take part in career-focused lessons delivered by teachers/ visitors in lessons throughout National Careers Week
  • have the opportunity to attend careers focused visits to local businesses and HE providers  
  • attend assemblies by inspirational speakers and employers to raise their aspirations and explore options choices
  • attend off site enrichment activities such as STEM days which will encourage them to consider their future careers
  • enjoy Careers Week subject lessons
  • find out about technical pathways during National Apprenticeship Week
  • all Year 9 students attend the Careers and Apprenticeships Fair in Careers Week
  • Year 9 Parents Evening: individual guidance and feedback from subject teachers
  • Options advice and guidance, and Options assemblies  
  • Careers in the curriculum: Orchard Values programme delivered in tutor time.  Students use Careerpilot to complete activities and develop their career plan

Year 10s

  • are tasked with finding a work experience placement that will engage and challenge them, through, researching careers of interest and then contacting employers directly, highlighting their interests, skills and qualities.
  • gain 1:1 Work Experience support 
  • attend mock interview Dropdown day with volunteers from business
  • work on ‘soft’ skills that include making a phone call, shaking hands and performing well at interview.  All of these life skills help our students increase in self-belief and confidence.
  • experience tutor time sessions on post 16 pathways, apprenticeships and CV writing
  • all Year 10 students attend the Careers and Apprenticeships Fair in National Careers Week 
  • take part in career-focused lessons delivered by teachers/ visitors in lessons throughout National Careers Week
  • enjoy Careers Week in subject areas
  • all students will have preliminary 1:1 guidance meeting with Mrs Thorne to discuss Post 16 ideas
  • attend Year 10 Parents Evening: individual guidance and feedback from subject teachers 

Year 11s

  • experience tutor time sessions on post 16 pathways, apprenticeships and CV writing 
  • attend the Careers and Apprenticeships Fair in national Careers Week
  • take part in career-focused lessons delivered by teachers/ visitors in lessons throughout National Careers Week
  • have the opportunity to attend careers focused visits to local businesses and HE providers, which might include subject specific activities and aspirational visits to local universities
  • are supported to make informed and considered Post 16 decisions.  Students learn about the providers in the surrounding areas, the labour market, the courses they have on offer and the level of courses that are best suited for them 
  • attend post 16 provider assemblies and post-16 open events
  • take part in targeted, small group sessions attended by local post-16 providers.  All of these session allow students to make informed, confident decisions for their future
  • takes part in at least one 1:1 information, advice and guidance meeting with the careers lead in which they can explore their career and post 16 ideas.
  • are invited to attend a ‘Year 11 Information’ evening with their parents
  • receive 1:1 support with post 16 applications and interview skills, as requested
  • Year 11 parents’ evening with careers / post 16 information 
  • Results day IAG and Year 12 follow up 

 Work Experience

Our Year 10 students take part in our very successful work experience week. At Orchard School Bristol, we work in collaboration with a number of local businesses and organisations to provide our students with valuable work experience, and opportunities to develop new skills and build their confidence. 

Work experience allows students to immerse themselves in the 'world of work', and discover what different types of jobs and careers are available to them. Taking part in work experience can also provide you with a fantastic reference for when you apply to college, or for an apprenticeship. Find out more about Post-16 Options, here. 

Students are expected to contact employers themselves to replicate the process of job applications. To prepare students for work experience, we support them in: 

  • Mock interviews;
  • Writing applications, CVs and cover letters;
  • Finding a meaningful placement via one-to-ones and tutor time help and advice sessions

We are pleased to be able to run Work Experience Week next year and it will run from 5th - 9th February 2024.  These placements range from 'insight days' to 5 day placements, and students will be able to gain experience of an industry they may want to work in.

Virtual work experience placements

These placements can be completed outside of work experience week. They range from 'insight days' to longer placements, and give students the opportunity to gain experience of an industry they may want to work in.

Students can find out more information about current placements and how to apply on the Speakers for Schools and Springpod.

Information for Parents

Parents can find some useful information here about how best to support their child with work experience, a letter outlining work experience in more detail and forms which will need to be completed by the family and the employer. 

If you have any questions related to work experience, or any other career-related enquiry, contact our WEX and Post-16 co-ordinator Rachel Thorne at: RThorne@orchard.tila.school

Post-16

 

To help students make the right decision we have a comprehensive programme of study, interviews and events.

In Year 9 students (and some in Year 8) choose the GCSE and BTEC courses that they will follow.  They are given guidance over the subjects and levels that are most appropriate for their interests and aptitudes.

Parents are invited in for an Options Evening in January when they can discuss their child's choices with subject leaders.

In terms 1 and 2, local colleges and sixth forms are invited in to deliver assemblies to the whole of Year 11 about their Post 16 provision. Students can find out about what courses are on offer, entry criteria and the application process.

Attendees include:

 

The latest Bristol City Council Post 16 directory can be found here: Post 16 directory

Year 10 students will also benefit from a practice one-to-one mock interview with a volunteer from business.  In term 3 every year, Year 10 students are supported and encouraged to go out of school on a week of work experience. In terms 5 & 6, all students will have an initial 1:1 meeting with Mrs Thorne to discuss Post 16 ideas.

Year 11 students are given the opportunity to attend to a one-to-one Post 16 Advice and Guidance session with Mrs Rachel Thorne, Careers and Employability Lead.  Mrs Thorne holds individual meetings with students in Year 11 for an in-depth discussion about all the options open to them. 

Students can contact Mrs Thorne for help with Post 16 applications and interview preparation.  At the same time we encourage our students to look ahead to post 18 and appreciate university as a future option.  We work closely with two local universities as well as offering students the opportunity to visit Oxford and Cambridge universities.

 Destinations Data

97% of 2022 leavers are still in education, employment and training

We use our destination data to measure impact, and our careers programme is evaluated against the Gatsby Benchmarks using the Compass Tool by our Enterprise Coordinator, 3 times per year.

The link to our latest Compass Report is here

  

Labour Market Information

Please find below some useful information about various sectors that you might be interested to work in once you leave school. You can find out what jobs are included in the sector; what qualifications you need; where you might get a job locally; and what you can expect to learn. 

STEM careers: https://www.stem.org.uk/secondary/careers

Creative careers: https://discovercreative.careers/

Local labour market information: https://www.skillsconnect.org.uk/career-insights/

Apprenticeships map: https://occupational-maps.instituteforapprenticeships.org/

Useful Websites

Useful documents

 Listing of all Post 16 providers in Bristol: link to follow

 

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