Careers 

Vision

‘The Overall objective of an effective career education and guidance programme is to enable a learner to manage their own career development successfully, confidently and with due respect and care for their own needs, those of others and of their wider communities.’ Department of Education, (DE), Entitlement Framework Circular, 2005/18

Central to the ethos of Antrim Grammar School, is our school motto, Educating for Life. Thus good quality CEIAG sits at the heart of our ethos, providing pupils with the knowledge, skills, and guidance to prepare them for life beyond Antrim Grammar School.

It is our vision that the CEIAG programme within Antrim Grammar will:

  • build a commitment to career exploration and lifelong learning;
  • develop self-awareness and motivate learners to make informed, appropriate and realistic decisions about their education, training and employment options;
  • be accessible to all, meeting the needs of individual pupils.

Unifrog

Unifrog – The Complete Destinations Platform

In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers guidance and tailored support when choosing their next step after school, all students have their own personalised Unifrog account; an award-winning, online careers platform.

Unifrog brings into one place every undergraduate university course, apprenticeship, and college course in the UK, as well as other opportunities, such as School Leaver Programmes, MOOCs and every college at Oxford and Cambridge. This makes it easy for students to compare and choose the best university courses, apprenticeships or further education courses for them. They can also explore exciting opportunities further afield by looking at English taught undergraduate programmes available in Europe and the USA.

Additionally, the platform helps students successfully apply for these opportunities by writing their personal statement, applications and CVs and guiding them through the process, allowing teachers to give live feedback.

Click here to access the Unifrog website. 

The Gatsby Benchmarks

The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in secondary schools. We use this framework to structure all we do in the Careers Department at Antrim Grammar School.

  • Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme 
  • Benchmark 2: Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
  • Benchmark 3: Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil
  • Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
  • Benchmark 5: Encounters with Employers and Employees
  • Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces
  • Benchmark 7: Encounters with Further and Higher Education
  • Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance

 

Gatsby Benchmark 1. A stable careers programme

Every school should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

We will meet the benchmark by:

  • Updating our website with information for students, parents and staff including statutory guidance
  • Resourcing careers education – including access to funded training for Careers Staff
  • Having a clear careers programme with progressive learning outcomes at each key stage
  • Having a careers policy approved by SLT and governors
  • Regular evaluation of interventions from teachers, students, employers, parents

Benchmark 2. Learning from career and labour market information

All students and parents should have access to high-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.

Year Group We will meet the benchmark through:
10 Y10 Options Evening to include coverage of LMI
12 Y12 Options Evening to include coverage of LMI
13 Y13 UCAS Evening to include coverage of LMI
ALL
  • Careers Noticeboards
  • Assemblies

Benchmark 3. Addressing the needs of each pupil

Students have different careers guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support should be tailored to each of these stages, with diversity and equality embedded in the school’s careers programme.

Year Group We will meet the benchmark through:
10
  • Y10 Options Evening
  • Term 1 Form Assembly: Options
12
  • Y12 Options Evening
  • Term 1 Form Assembly: Options
  • 1-1 Transition meetings with DoE
13
  • Y13 UCAS Evening
  • Terms 1 and 2 Form Assemblies: Post 18 Options
14 Terms 1 and 2 Form Assemblies: Post 18 Options
ALL Careers Noticeboards (Unifrog section detailing how the platform is designed for individual students))

Benchmark 4. Linking curriculum learning to careers

All teachers link curriculum learning with careers.

Year Group We will meet the benchmark through:
8 June Curriculum Day
9 June Curriculum Day
10 December Curriculum Day
11 Fortnightly Careers lessons Jan - June
12 Fortnightly Careers lessons Sep- Jan
13 Fortnightly LLW lessons throughout the year which includes Careers
14 Fortnightly LLW lessons throughout the year which includes Careers
ALL
  • Form Period: Unifrog Big 50
  • Form Assembly: Unifrog Competencies, Uni v Apprenticeships and Enterprise
  • Term 2 Whole School Assembly:National Careers Week (Early March)
  • STEM Week (early March)
  • Schemes of Work
  • Clubs including STEM
  • Trips to include elements of CE

Benchmark 5. Encounters with employers and employees

Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace.

Year Group We will meet the benchmark through:
11
  • Careers Fair Antrim Forum
  • Titanic Skills Event
  • Term 2 Whole School Assembly: Apprenticeships
ALL
  • Friday Careers Cafe 
  • Assembly Talks (including Alumni)
  • Term 3 Form Assembly: Enterprise (incorporating Enterprise Week)

Benchmark 6. Experiences of workplaces

Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

Year Group

We will meet the benchmark through:
11 Year 11 Work Shadowing/Business Safari
13 Year 13 Work Experience

Benchmark 7. Encounters with further and higher education

All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and the workplace. 

Year Group We will meet the benchmark through:
12
  • Term 2 Assembly: FE
  • University Roadshow (December)
14
  • QUB Open day (September)
  • UU Open Day (September)
  • Oxbridge Information Day (October)
  • University Roadshow (December)
  • UCAS Fair (February)
  • Scottish Universities presentation (March)
  • Oxford Summer School (June)
ALL Term 2 Form Assembly: Uni v Apprenticeship (incorporating Apprenticeship Week)

Benchmark 8. Personal guidance

Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.

Year Group We will meet the benchmark through:
10 1-1 Choices Interview (AGS Careers Staff)
12 1:1 Careers Interview (Department fo the Economy)
13 Interview Skills Day
14

1-1 UCAS Interview (AGS Careers Staff)

ALL Careers Corridor Noticeboards (Careers Team section - Informal drop in chats  for any student)

Unifrog and the Gatsby Benchmarks

unifrog and the gatsby benchmarks.pdf

Careers Service

Students can also access free and impartial careers advice at any stage of their career journey from the Careers Service based in Antrim Careers Office. Their contact details can be found here.

Useful External Links

University of Ulster

UCAS

QUB

Unifrog

Work+ Apprenticeships