Careers Education - Mulberry School for Girls

Careers Education

Vision

Our vision is to raise students’ aspirations to future possibilities and inspire their interest in the range of exciting opportunities and experiences available to them. We strive to provide our students with the confidence, skills, and knowledge to transition successfully into society and the world of work. Our intention is always to close the gap amongst our disadvantaged students and their peers. Through our careers curriculum, we want to provide students with equal access to a stable careers programme which enables students to make informed decisions and reach their full potential.

Destinations

The quality of our careers provision and guidance ensures excellent destinations at the end of Key Stage 5.

Summer 2022 highlights

3 students went to Oxbridge
80% of students secured university places across the country, with 43 students going to Russell Group universities
80% of disadvantaged students went to university; 26% of this group of students are now studying in Russell Group universities
85% of Additionally Supported SEN students went to university
17 students are now pursuing alternative study on professional pathways, 11 students are completing GAP years and will retake or defer university admission, 3 students are now on apprenticeship routes and 1 student is in full time employment

Summer 2021 highlights

84% of students progressed to university, with 36% of students pursuing study at Russell Group universities
76% of disadvantaged students are now studying at university, with 34% of this cohort at Russell Group universities

People

Sandy O’Meally coordinates our careers provision, trained and qualified in Careers Education, with a Level 6 qualification in Careers Guidance and Professional Development. A substantial part of her role involves signposting as well as guiding students, utilising Mulberry Learn to share opportunities. Sandy is part of the London Careers Hub, as well as Tower Hamlets’ network, works strategically with a corporate mentor from KPMG and Careers Hub mentor. Sandy works alongside Chris Harvey, Deputy Headteacher.

Email: careers@mulberryschoolstrust.org
Telephone: 020 7790 6327

Strategy

Our Careers Strategy involves a highly ambitious, bespoke and targeted careers programme that works alongside a coordinated approach to careers through the Arts, Enrichment and Women’s Education, Global Learning and the Super-Curricular, as well as specific lessons through PSHE. Students have varied encounters with employers and employees through work experience in Year 10 and Year 13, trips, visits and frequent encounters with speakers from diverse backgrounds and industries. Established experiences, like the annual Girl Leading Conference, where students meet panels of speakers representing women in business, as well as the school’s partnership with the WOW Festival, enable students to meet women a range of different sectors, supporting them to network and aspire to different careers in the future.

Key partners in delivery are Tower Hamlets Young Work Path (NEET, SEN, LAC), BARTS Health Careers, The Switch, Clifford Chance Mentoring, KPMG mentoring, Queen Mary University and Education Development Trust for Apprenticeship Education.

Our careers strategy focuses on challenging stereotypes associated with the workplace, and the importance of equity and equality across industries, as well addressing disadvantage and significant material deprivation within the school’s community, ensuring students are exposed to non-traditional sectors, encouraging students’ passions and interests and reducing barriers to university.

In April we host our Aspiration Inspiration Careers Fair for all students across the school, including universities and other education providers, as well as other organisations and companies who support young people to access apprenticeships and pathways into work. Whilst termly Academic Review Days include exposure to higher education, apprenticeships and different pathways, an opportunity for families to explore their child’s future aspirations.

Gatsby Benchmarks

We measure our careers strategy and programme against the Gatsby Benchmarks outlined in the Government’s 2017 Careers Strategy. We ensure that our careers education fulfils the 8 Benchmarks of good careers guidance:

A stable careers programme
Learning from career and labour market information
Addressing the needs of each student
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Encounters with employers and employees
Experiences of workplaces
Encounters with further and higher education
Personal Guidance

Careers Entitlement

Students from Year 7 to Year 13 have the opportunity to:

find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point;
hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, group discussions and taster events;
understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses and to have the opportunity to acquire the skills necessary to use the information they are given to make informed choices.

The Baker Clause

The Baker Clause is an amendment to the Technical and Further Education Act 2017 which states that schools must allow colleges and training providers access to all students in years 8- 13 to tell them about non-academic routes which are available to them.

The provisions made at Mulberry School for Girls are detailed in the Provider Access Policy.

In summary, all students from Year 7 to Year 13 have opportunities to learn about opportunities to access alternative routes to employment, including vocational qualifications and apprenticeships via readiness curriculum activities which include drop down days, assemblies, mentoring, work experience and careers fairs.

Read our Careers Education Information and Guidance Delivery Plan below for more information.

Careers Delivery Plan

Our Careers policy can be found on our Policy Documents page.

Contact information

School’s Career Coordinator: Ms S O’Meally
Email: careers@mulberryschoolstrust.org
Telephone: 020 7790 6327