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Careers at Haywood Academy

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Careers at Haywood Academy

At Haywood Academy we are committed to providing high-quality careers education, information, advice, and guidance (CEIAG) to help our students make informed decisions about their future pathways. Our careers programme supports students in developing the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to succeed in further education, apprenticeships, or employment.

Our Careers Programme We offer a structured careers programme that aligns with the Gatsby Benchmarks and government guidance. Our programme includes:

· One-to-One Careers Guidance: Personalised support from our careers advisor, Mrs Campanelle. [email protected]

· Work Shadowing and Work Experience Opportunities: Opportunities for students to gain real-world experience in various industries throughout their school lives.

· Employer Engagement: Regular visits from employers from all areas. Recent examples include Artist in Residence visits and our successful Careers in the Services Day, where we hosted the Army, Navy, Police, Fire and Rescue, RAF, NHS and Keele University.

· Further and Higher Education Guidance: Advice on college, university, apprenticeships, and training options and visits from local HE and FE providers.

· CV Writing and Interview Preparation: throughout their school career, students build on the skills they will need to secure a place at college or university or secure employment.

· Unifrog – All students have a Unifrog account. Unifrog is an online platform which helps students with the whole progression process – from exploring their interests, to recording the great things they’ve done, to finding education and training opportunities, to drafting their applications

The Gatsby Benchmarks

The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of eight guidelines that define excellence in careers education. Our careers programme is defined by these principles.

Careers Delivery

At Haywood Academy, we deliver specific careers guidance to students through a variety of methods, whether this be through reference to careers within our main curriculum or specifically tailored careers sessions within Careers Days or through PSHE and Community time. Students are also able to access 1 to 1 advice and guidance. We have close connections with many local employers and with the Services. Employer visits to school are frequent, as are opportunities for students to go on workplace visits and meet with providers outside of the academy.

If you would like to speak to the academy regarding careers provision, please contact Ms C Stanley, Senior Lead Practitioner for Careers, PSHE, RE, and Citizenship via the main office on 01782 853535, or by email [email protected].

Here is an overview of our careers provision: Careers overview 25-26.xlsx

Careers and Future Pathways with Unifrog

At Haywood Academy, we use Unifrog to support our students in exploring their interests, strengths and future career ideas from an early age. From Years 7, 8 and 9, students are introduced to Unifrog through engaging profile and skills quizzes that help them understand what they enjoy, what they are good at, and how these link to different careers and the world of work. This early exploration helps students build confidence and curiosity about their future.

In Year 10, Unifrog plays a key role in our work experience programme. The platform is used by students, parents and employers to support the administration of work experience placements. Students can research opportunities, record applications and reflect on their experiences, while parents and employers can complete key information and approvals online — making the process clear and well organised.

By Year 11, each student has built up a personalised Unifrog profile that brings together their interests, skills, experiences and aspirations. This supports informed decision-making about next steps, whether that is further education, apprenticeships or future career pathways, and ensures students are well prepared for life beyond Haywood Academy.

How to Access Unifrog:
Students can sign in by clicking the Unifrog tile on RM Unify – they can use their school email and password to log in and begin exploring their profile, quizzes and careers tools.

Parents and guardians can set up and sign into their own Unifrog account here: https://www.unifrog.org/parent — this lets you support and stay informed about your child’s activities and opportunities on the platform.  

For more information on Unifrog, please watch the Introduction video or visit their website:

 Unifrog – The universal destinations platform – YouTube 

www.unifrog.org  

If you have any questions about logging in or using Unifrog, please contact the academy’s Careers Team for support.

Work Experience at Haywood Academy

At Haywood Academy, we are committed to ensuring that every student has the opportunity to take part in meaningful work experience. In Year 10, we strive to provide all students with one full week of in-person work experience, giving them the chance to experience the workplace first-hand, develop employability skills and gain a better understanding of the expectations of employers.

Alongside this, students also benefit from a range of virtual work experience opportunities, delivered through Spring Pod. This allows students to explore a wide variety of industries, roles and career pathways that may not be available locally. Our strong engagement with Spring Pod has been recognised nationally, with Haywood Academy named as the second highest engaging school in the UK.

Through both in-person and virtual experiences, students are encouraged to reflect on what they have learned and how it links to their aspirations, ensuring they are well prepared for the next steps beyond Haywood Academy. We give every student the chance to explore the world of work and develop essential skills for the future.

  • Year 7–9: Students start by exploring careers, completing skills quizzes, and building a personal profile using Unifrog. Many curriculum trips are career focused.
  • Year 10: Every student takes part in one week of in-person work experience and can also try virtual placements through Springpod.
  • Year 11: Students finish with a full work experience record and skills profile to support future applications.

Parents and employers are involved in planning, supervising, and supporting placements, ensuring each experience is meaningful and safe.

Virtual Work Experience
Even if a physical placement isn’t possible, students can take part in project-based online experiences across business, health, STEM, and creative industries.

Year 8 Future Ready Fund Programme

At Haywood Academy, a carefully selected cohort of Year 8 students takes part in the Future Ready Fund, a national programme designed to transform work experience for young people and help them develop the skills and confidence they need for the future.

The Future Ready Fund is delivered in collaboration with JPMorganChase and national and regional Careers Hubs, as part of a £3.3 million investment to improve access to high-quality work experience for young people across England. The programme focuses on supporting students who may benefit most from early, sustained careers guidance and meaningful employer encounters.

Students begin their journey in Year 8 and are supported through to Year 10, taking part in a range of immersive work-related experiences, employer engagement activities and skills development opportunities. This longer-term approach helps students build ambition, resilience and a clearer understanding of the world of work, while raising aspirations and broadening future career choices.

The Future Ready Fund reflects our commitment to equity and opportunity for all, ensuring that every young person—regardless of background—has the chance to explore careers, develop employability skills and make informed decisions about their next steps.

Work Experience Process at Haywood Academy – Year 10

As part of our careers programme, all Year 10 students complete one full week of work experience. During this week, students do not attend school and instead gain real-life workplace experience by shadowing an employee.

How It Works

Step 1: Find a Placement

  • Students can shadow parents, relatives, family friends, or approach a local business, charity, school, care home, or place of worship.
  • Students have 14 weeks to organise their placement.
  • Tutors are available to help write emails or make phone calls to employers.
  • Act early: popular placements book quickly, especially during National Apprenticeship Week.

Step 2: Unifrog Administration

  • Once a placement is chosen, the student complete a placement initial form on Unifrog. Unifrog contacts the employer and requests all the necessary details.
  • Parents are emailed for consent, and tutors along with Ms Stanley sign off to confirm permission.

Things to Know

  • Shadowing family members is perfectly valid, even if they work from home.
  • You don’t need to follow your parents’ career – the experience is valuable for learning about workplaces, skills, and career options.
  • If you’re struggling to find a placement, your tutors and teachers can suggest alternatives.

Key Tip: Start looking for a placement as soon as possible to secure a spot at a workplace you want

We are always striving for 100% of our students to be able to access and in-person work experience placement.

This year, of 225 students eligible for work experience, 223 have secured an in-person placement.

Students who are currently absent from school due to extenuating circumstances, will complete a virtual work experience programme via Springpod.

Haywood Academy: Virtual Work Experience Opportunities

Virtual work experience lets students explore careers and industries from home or school. Experiences range from a few hours to a full week or more and can include interactive tasks, live sessions, project work, and videos from professionals. Virtual work experience is used in two ways at Haywood Academy. In the Autumn term of year 10, students are able to complete virtual courses via Springpod, that helps to prepare them for their in-person placement in the Spring term. It is also used to enable a small number of  students, who, due to extenuating circumstances, are unable to participate in an in-person experience, have a.

Haywood Academy has been recognised nationally, for our engagement with Springpod, and named as the second highest engaging school in the UK. Students using Springpod benefit from a range of virtual work experience opportunities. This allows students to explore a wide variety of industries, roles and career pathways that may not be available locally. A few of their many courses are listed below.

Some opportunities from other providers are open to all, while others require applications. Students can explore roles, build employability skills, and discover career paths that suit their interests and strengths. Remember to record your virtual courses on Unifrog to help build your careers profile and download any course completion certificates.

https://www.springpod.com

Business, Finance & Professional Skills

PwC Virtual Insight Programme

Explore business, consulting and finance roles with guided online activities and interactive sessions — excellent for building professional skills and CV material.
https://www.pwc.co.uk/careers/early‑careers/entry‑level/virtual‑insight‑programme.html

Barclays LifeSkills – Virtual Work Experience

Discover how teams work together in a digital workplace, practise real‑life tasks and develop skills like communication and teamwork.
https://barclayslifeskills.com/i‑want‑virtual‑work‑experience/sixth‑form/

Springpod – AAT Virtual Work Experience (Accounting & Finance)

Get an insight into careers in accounting and finance with interactive tasks, quizzes and expert talk sessions designed with industry leaders.
https://www.springpod.com/virtual‑work‑experience/aat‑virtual‑work‑experience/WEXP‑00447

Springpod – ICAEW Accountancy Experience

Explore the world of accountancy with interactive learning and activities covering the profession’s key roles, pathways, and employability skills.
 https://www.springpod.com/virtual‑work‑experience/step‑inside‑accountancy‑virtual‑work‑experience‑with‑icaew/WEXP‑00257

Healthcare & Science

Springpod – NHS England Healthcare Science Virtual Work Experience

Explore scientific careers that support patient care within the NHS, with tasks, quizzes and insights into how life sciences, physical sciences and health science roles work together.
https://www.nhse.springpod.com/experiences/healthcare‑science‑careers‑virtual‑work‑experience‑with‑nhse

Technology, Engineering & Creative Skills

Springpod – TUI Virtual Work Experience

Learn about careers in travel and customer service — from airline operations to digital and head office roles — with interactive modules and quizzes.
https://springpod.tui.co.uk/experiences/tui‑virtual‑work‑experience

Springpod – WSP Engineering Experience

Discover engineering and professional services through real‑world case studies and project‑style tasks with a global firm.

https://www.wsp.springpod.com

iDEA Awards – Digital & Enterprise Skills

Build digital skills like coding, cybersecurity and creative tech through online challenges that earn you digital badges recognised by employers.

https://idea.org.uk

The Forage – Virtual Internships

Choose from a wide range of short virtual internships in sectors such as tech, finance and consulting — complete projects used by real companies.
https://www.theforage.com/virtual‑internships

Creative, Arts & Humanities

SideQuest – Video Game Design

Design and build your own video game while learning creative technology skills, with support from industry professionals.
https://www.theforage.com/virtual‑internships

Free Online Courses – Arts, History & Languages

Explore subject areas like art, history and languages via free online courses from recognised providers.

https://www.open.edu/openlearn

 Trades & Construction Skills

Construction & Trades Intro Courses

Experience the basics of trades such as plumbing, carpentry, electrical work and masonry through online learning that builds practical understanding.
https://www.futurelearn.com/subjects/engineering‑courses

Employability & Career Readiness

National Careers Service – Career Planning Tools

Understand different industries, workplace expectations and employability skills with interactive online guidance.

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk

MOOCs – Free University‑Level Courses (Massive Open Online Courses)

Choose from a huge range of free online courses to build skills in everything from science and tech to business and humanities.
https://www.classcentral.com/

Measuring the Impact of Careers at Haywood Academy

At Haywood Academy, we are committed to ensuring our careers programme has a real, positive impact on every student. We monitor and evaluate its effectiveness in several ways:

  • Student Skills and Knowledge: We track the development of careers-related skills using Unifrog, which allows us to review each student’s skills profile and career exploration progress.
  • Future Skills Questionnaires: Students complete regular surveys to assess the skills they are developing and to help us identify areas for further support.
  • Compass+ Reviews: In partnership with Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire Careers Hub and the Careers and Enterprise Company, we conduct formal reviews of our careers provision, ensuring it meets national standards and supports all students effectively.
  • Work Experience Impact: We monitor the number, quality, and outcomes of in-person and virtual work experience placements, including feedback from students, employers, and parents.
  • Post-16 Destinations: We track how students progress after Year 11, including college, apprenticeships, and employment, to see how our careers programme supports their next steps.
  • Parent and Employer Feedback: We gather insights from parents and local employers to ensure students are gaining meaningful workplace skills and experiences.

By combining these approaches, we continually refine our careers programme to provide every student with the guidance, skills, and experiences they need to make informed choices and succeed in the world of work.

As an academy we regularly monitor our careers provision against the Gatsby benchmarks. We are always striving to improve.

Haywood Academy Careers Resources

For Students

These resources help students explore careers, gain virtual work experience, and plan their future pathways:

For Parents

These resources help parents support their child’s career planning, virtual work experience, and skills development:

Destination Data

Cohort of 24-25 

2.4% NEET/Unknown

97.6 Engaged in Full Time Education/Apprenticeships/Study programmes

Cohort 23-24

5.1% NEET/Unknown

94.9 Engaged in Full Time Education/Apprenticeships/Study Programmes.

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