Careers and Employability at St Katherines
There has never been a time when careers guidance has been as important for young people as it is today. The landscape of education, training and employment opportunities that students need to navigate is complex and challenging. Qualifications such as GCSE and A Levels are changing, and opportunities in higher education extend now beyond the UK to other parts of Europe and further afield. Students need help to make choices and manage transitions: they need good quality careers education, information, advice and guidance.
At St Katherine’s School we aim to get students thinking about careers education and employability as soon as they arrive in Year 7. This is achieved via careers lessons, employer encounters, careers fairs, guest speakers and using Unifrog regularly.
We also provide information and support at times when students are required to make decisions about their future; in Year 9 when they choose their options, Year 11 when they make Post 16 choices and in Year 12/13 for Post 18 decisions. We aim to guide, support and empower students to make informed decisions about their future. Our careers programme is integrated throughout the school from Years 7 to 13 to meet the requirements of the Gatsby Benchmarks which are embedded in the government’s career strategy. This enables students to maximize their own potential and go onto a career that they will not only enjoy but thrive in.
The St Katherine’s School careers programme is supported by the Cathedral Schools Trust Premium Partners scheme which provides a reciprocal and beneficial platform for students to access local employers as well as employment opportunities. We are continually developing our network of employers with the aim of broadening horizons, raising aspirations and inspiring our students about their future roles within the world of work. St Katherine’s School intends to offer a fit for purpose programme in supporting students with the knowledge, inspiration and ability to take ownership of their own career action plans and enable them to succeed in a meaningful career pathway.
The St Katherine's careers program is assessed on a termly basis by taking the COMPASS self-assessment tool. The Gatsby benchmarks help us to reflect on our careers offer and implement improvements. You can see our most recent COMPASS assessment here. We publish the review termly.
The Careers Team
- Careers Leader – Sara Gardiner gardiners@skdrive.org
- Careers Advisor – Dave Portingale portingaled@skdrive.org
- Work Experience Co-ordinator – Anna Duncan skworkexperience@skdrive.org
- Any student that wants any careers advice please email Miss Sara Gardiner gardiners@skdrive.org to arrange an appointment. Mr Portingale is in school on Thursdays and is based in the Future's Office.
