Careers guidance success at Delta Academy Garforth

Lauren Llywellyn, Careers Leader at Delta Academy Garforth tells us below about the careers provision they have in place and how it's benefited their students. 

At Delta Academy Garforth the careers provision is truly valued and embedded across the whole school (from Y7-Y13). This is a key aspect of the whole school PP strategy and it has enabled students to access opportunities that they would not have otherwise encountered.   

There are so many fantastic opportunities to be harnessed for our students across West Yorkshire. Having dedicated team results in a careers programme that is vibrant and full of guest speakers, small group trips, large group trips, mentors, and opportunities that address the needs of each student. 

Our termly ‘Business Breakfast Meeting’ is of huge importance to nurturing this engagement and aims to bridge the gap between education and employment. 

Through this group we secure input from individuals and organisations, develop new initiatives, and even secure investment from them. The West Yorkshire Careers Hub have supported the development of our network of partner organisations.  

The Careers Programme is at the heart of the ethos of the school - we want our students to be “fully prepared and equipped to enter the competitive world of work or further studies”.  

Delta Academy Garforth is a large school and sixth form (2000 students); SLT recognise that a large careers team is required to truly deliver on this ethos. The careers team includes:  

  • A full time Careers Lead - leadership and accountability for the whole school CEIAG offer and providing 1:1 Careers Guidance (Level 7 Qualified). 

  • A part time Careers Coordinator: administrative elements of the CEIAG provision. 

  • A part time (4 days) Level 6 qualified Careers Advisor (part funded through the Leeds United Partnership): offering 1:1 careers guidance and link to LUFC opportunities. 
  • A part time (1 day) Level 7 qualified Careers Advisor via Progress Careers: offering 1:1 careers guidance and support with whole school events. 

Key elements of the careers programme include: 

  • 1:1 Careers Guidance (L6 qualified Careers Advisors) 
  • A half term of weekly Careers focused PSHCE lessons for y7-11 (mapped to the CDI framework).  
  • Class sized employer encounters. 
  • Whole school careers event: Futures Day- including Encounters with Further & Higher Education, and employer encounters. 
  • Assemblies: informative assemblies (LMI) and inspirational assemblies with guest speakers 
  • Work based learning 
  • Targeted careers interventions: trips/virtual events/mentoring programmes for groups of students selected based on their PP status and/or with the input of the SEND and pastoral team.  
  • Optional guest talks for students to attend based on their interests  
  • Unifrog- Careers and Labour Market Information, and a facility for students to log their skills and strength building activities 

An example of one of our targeted careers programmes is NextGenLeaders, through this programme students developed confidence, and many employability skills. One student even walked away with a Degree Apprenticeship as a result of their involvement.  

Ultimately a good careers programme enables students to have access to qualified careers guidance, recognise their skills and strengths, explore opportunities with positivity and curiosity, be inspired, and feel confident in making decisions on their next steps. Investing in the resource to enable this is key.  

If you would like support to strengthen the careers provision in your school, please get in touch at careers-education@westyorks-ca.gov.uk.