Careers

Notices

We are pleased to announce that Lipson Cooperative Academy have retained the Investor in Careers Award: fully meeting the Quality in Careers Standard for the eighth time. The school was assessed via the submission of a detailed e-portfolio and an assessment visit with members of staff, students, parents and employers and educational providers. The following strengths were highlighted in our report

• There is a clear strategic vision, commitment and effective management of the careers programme within Lipson Cooperative Academy led by the Head Teacher and Governing Body for the benefit of their students.
• The Careers Leader is highly experienced and is proactive in working with a wide range of key partners for the benefit of her students as well as other schools in the area.
• Students are afforded a wide range of career learning opportunities with a range of key stakeholders.
• The School has adapted its provision to provide online opportunities for their students to continue with their career learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• CEIAG evaluation procedures are rigorous and timely and fully integrated into the School’s self-evaluation processes (SIP).

The full report is linked here. 

Careers At Lipson

Lipson Co-operative Academy ensures that Careers Education and Guidance is at the very heart of both our curriculum and pastoral care.   

The real strength of our Careers Education and Guidance model is its developmental nature, taking into consideration an individual student’s ever-changing needs and career aspirations as they progress through Key Stage 3 and 4 and on into post 16 education; we endeavour to make these transitions as seamless as possible and students are continually asked to reflect on their learning and progression, thereby preparing them for success in life outside school.  Parents/carers are also invited to be a part of the guidance process, establishing an on-going and effective dialogue between the academy so as to meet the best interest of all students. 

Please see our Careers Education and Guidance Policy on our policies page and our Core Careers Education and Guidance Programme for more information.

Our OFSTED report in 2021 commented that “leaders have ensured that an effective careers programme is in place. The school meets the requirements of the Baker Clause, which requires schools to provide pupils in Years 8 to 13 with information about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships.”

Core Careers Offer 2022/23

Careers Pathway Programme

Careers Pathway Programme (PDF)

Destinations

Year 13 2021 - 2022

 Year 11 2021 – 2022

Careers Education and Guidance Staff

Careers Leader – Rebecca Marshall

SLT Link - Shelley Walker (Deputy Headteacher)

Work Experience Coordinator – Mark Bevin

Careers Advisor – Helen Devlin (CSW)

Enterprise Advisor – Stephanie Anderson (Speakers for Schools)

For further information, please contact Rebecca Marshall on 01752 671318 or email rmarshall@lipson.plymouth.sch.uk

 Provider Access Legislation

The provider access legislation (PAL) introduced in January 2018 requires all maintained schools and academies to publish a policy statement setting out opportunities for providers of technical education and apprenticeships to access year 8-13 pupils. It is the responsibility of the school and its governors to ensure that this statement is adhered to.

In January 2023, this legislation was extended to ensure that the school provides at least six encounters for all students in Years 8-13 with two encounters in each Key Stage. In addition, schools must ensure that all events take place in the school day, include information about the provider, the courses/training it offers and potential careers as well as enable two-way communication between provider and student(s).  Further information can be found in our Careers Guidance and Education Policy

Gatsby Benchmarks

The Academy measures its careers education and guidance against the Gatsby benchmarks. These are a set of measures outlined by John Holman in his 2014 report ‘Good Career Guidance’ and adopted as best practice by the government in 2017 and OFSTED in 2019.

These are:

1. A Stable Careers Programme
2. Learning from Career and Labour Market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum to careers
5. Encounters with Employers and Employees
6. Experience of Workplaces
7. Encounters with Further and Higher Education
8. Personal Guidance

A full overview of each benchmark can be found here https://www.goodcareerguidance.org.uk/the-benchmarks

Impartial Careers Guidance

Lipson Cooperative Academy fulfils its statutory requirement to offer all students impartial and independent careers advice and guidance by commissioning the CSW Group (formerly Careers South West).  All students have an interview in Year 11 and Year 13 as part of their transition to post 16 and post 18 destinations.

Advisor support is available at Lipson each week and all students in Years 8 – 13 may request an interview by emailing Rebecca Marshall rmarshall@lipson.plymouth.sch.uk  or by speaking to tutors or the relevant Head of Year. Parents/Carers are very welcome to attend an interview with their child. CSW Advisors also attend key Parents Evenings such as the Year 9 Options Evening and the Sixth Form Open Evening.

Further specific information for the following groups is available below

Students

Parents & Carers

Employers

Teachers

The information published here will be reviewed in May 2023