LINKS
Careers Information For Parents & Carers
Careers Special Educational Needs
Careers Useful Links & Resources
Careers Work Experience and Volunteering Opportunities
Statutory Information
Careers Education, Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) provides a bridge via which students move not only to further education, vocational training or employment, but to the next stage of their development as members of society.
As part of our PACE Programme, we aim to ‘PREPARE’ students so that they have happy and successful futures when they leave EPCHS, providing opportunities to develop key employability skills, which are highly valued by employers, colleges and universities, is crucial in our aim to successfully equip all students with the necessary skills to enable them to become successful in all areas of their lives, both now and in the future.
By engaging parents and carers, employers and the local community our aim is for every child to fulfil their potential and be inspired to achieve a successful future, develop high aspirations and be ambitious. This will be achieved through a programme of high-quality activities, advice and guidance.
We are proud to be part of the Cheshire and Warrington Pledge, where we work closely with the Careers and Enterprise Company to further expand and improve our careers provision within the school.
The role of the Careers and Enterprise Company is to link schools and colleges to local employers to help them deliver world class careers support for all young people by building networks, supporting Careers Leaders in school and using the Gatsby Benchmarks as a best practice standard.
Careers Team
Our careers team at Ellesmere Port Catholic High School consists of our Careers Leader Mr T Holt, Careers Linked Governor Mr R Hughes, Senior Leader Mr M Hughes and our Careers Advisor Ms E Strutt.
If you would like to get in touch with our Careers Leader, you can contact them t.holt@epchs.co.uk or by calling school number 0151 355 2373.
Teachers
If you are a teacher looking for more information, you can find our careers program and resources on our shared staff intranet or through Mr Holt. If you are looking to plan a lesson around careers, please check out ‘Useful Links’ below for Labour Market Information.
Information for Parents and Carers
Our Careers Program
At EPCHS, we aim to ensure the best possible outcomes for all of our students. We work proactively with the Careers and Enterprise Company and the Pledge to build a careers program that empowers our young people to develop skills and confidence in their future and informs them about relevant careers and pathways that work for them.
Our careers program is monitored termly against the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks (shown below). It is evaluated annually and updated using feedback from students, parents/carers, staff, and employers and our destinations data. We also gain feedback after specific events to ensure they have met our aims and to monitor impact.
Ellesmere Port Catholic High School Careers Policy ensures that all pupils at this school are provided with independent careers guidance from Year 7 to Year 11. The independent careers guidance provided is presented in an impartial manner, showing no bias or favouritism towards a particular institution, education or work option. It includes information on the range of education or training options, including apprenticeships, traineeships, and T-Levels. The guidance that the person giving it considers will promote the best interests of the pupils to whom it is given.
The Gatsby Benchmarks:
Aims
The main aims of our career program as a school are:
- Careers education within the curriculum
- Access to advice and guidance
- A range of opportunities to meet providers of post school opportunities
How will we achieve our aim?
Using the governments Statutory Guidance and the standards set by The Gatsby Foundation, known as the Gatsby Benchmarks we have developed our Careers Education Programme, within the PD Curriculum, and review this regularly to ensure compliance. We provide opportunity for individual Careers guidance with a professionally qualified and independent careers Adviser. Students in years 10 and 12 will also be given opportunity to undertake Work Experience. Students have access to Careers information in the library, on Unifrog and through messages on Microsoft Teams. Details of events and activities are also displayed on Microsoft Teams (Unifrog is a Careers Platform with is available to students from year 7 to 13. It allows students to research ideas record relevant experiences and build their CV as they progress through school). Ellesmere Port Catholic High School will continue to use all relevant guidelines to ensure that our programme is current and relevant for our students. We also use feedback from students, staff, employers, education providers other partners to review and develop our provision. Our destination data will be used to demonstrate that our students are prepared for their future. Strategic planning using the Gatsby Benchmarks and statutory guidance will be shared and approved by the Senior Leadership team and governing body.
If parents or carers would like more information about our careers program, you can read our full careers program here or contact Careers Leader Mr Holt for more information.
Special Educational Needs
All students with an EHCP will receive additional support with accessing careers information and guidance. For more information about support your child is receiving, please contact our SENCO Mrs Marsland (v.marsland@epchs.co.uk)
Provider Access
Ellesmere Port Catholic High School believes in giving Further Education Colleges, Sixth Forms, Higher Education and apprentice training providers the opportunity to talk to pupils at the school. In line with the Baker Clause, we will have two opportunities for students to meet with different providers at each key stage of their education. Please use the following link to see our Provider Access Policy
Destinations Data
At Ellesmere Port Catholic High School we use the destinations of our students after they leave us to evaluate the effectiveness of our careers program. You can find more information about what our students do after leaving Ellesmere Port Catholic High School here. Destinations Data
Information for Students
Overview of Events
If you are a student at Ellesmere Port Catholic High School, here is an overview of what you will do each year throughout your time with us:
| Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | |
| Year 7 | Team Building Challenges (PD Lessons Sept-Oct) Royal Navy (7-8/11/23) Cheshire Police Online Safety (Jun) | National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/24) | NHS (April/May 24) CCSW (May 24) |
| Year 8 | Citizenship (PD Lessons Sept-Oct). Human Rights & International Laws, Contribution to the Community, Previous liberties enjoyed by citizens of the UK Cheshire Police Online Safety (Nov) | Team Building Challenges (PD Lessons Jan-Feb) National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/24) Careers (PD Lessons March) Strengths & weaknesses developing transferrable skills, Carers & life choices Police (March 24) | Wirral Met (May 24) |
| Year 9 | Cheshire Police Online Safety (Nov) | Careers (PD Lessons Jan-Feb) Setting goals & learning strengths developing weaknesses, Employability skills, careers & life skills, Labour Market Information leading into GCSE option, process and support network National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/24) Year 9 Options Evening (07/05/24) All students have an interview with a member of SLT regarding options and pathways | Team Building Challenges (PD Lessons June-July) |
| Year 10 | Wellbeing (PD Lessons Sept-Oct). Mental Health & Stigma, Ill Health & Safeguarding Health, Influence of drugs, gangs and role models Careers & Education Fair (02/11/23) (Gatsby 5&7) Careers (PD Lessons Nov-Dec) Introduction to work experience (Gatsby 5&6), My Future Finances, Understanding types of Financial Risks, Moving on from School Cheshire Police Online Safety (Nov) | National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/24) | Work Experience Week (10/06/24) (Gatsby 5&6) |
| Year 11 | PD Lesson on Next steps – Application process & skill development for further education Cheshire Police Online Safety (Nov) | National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) 6th Form Open Evening (15/02/24) 6th Form Taster Day (01/03/24) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/2024) | Mock Interview Day (17/04/24) (Gatsby 5&7) |
| Year 12 | Unilever talk (ex-student) MOD talk (ex-student) Employment Readiness Programme (Nov) Northumbria University talk during PD Lesson (Nov) Cheshire Police Online Safety (Nov) | ASK Apprenticeships in PD Lesson (Jan) National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) Apprenticeship & Jobs Fair (6/02/24) (Gatsby 5&7) Financial Management Talk with Chester Uni during PD lesson (Feb) Mock Interview Day (13/02/24) (Gatsby 5&7) Financial Management Talk with Higher Horizons during PD lesson (March) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/24) Driver Safety talk with Cheshire Police during PD lesson (March) | Work Experience Week (01/07/24) (Gatsby 5&6) |
| Year 13 | Unilever talk (ex-student) MOD talk (ex-student) Employment Readiness Programme (Nov) Police talk during PD Lesson (Nov) | National Apprenticeship Week (5-11/02/24) Apprenticeship & Jobs Fair (6/02/24) (Gatsby 5&7) ASK Apprenticeships Talk in PD Lesson (Feb) Mock Interview Day (13/02/24) (Gatsby 5&7) Curriculum learning during National Careers Week (4-9/03/24) |
If you would like some more support or information regarding your future careers, please either get in touch with your form tutor or Mr Holt to arrange an interview.
Employers – Get involved
If you are a local employer or business who would like to support any of the events mentioned above, or would like some more information, please contact Careers Leader Mr Holt to get in touch.
Useful Links and Resources (link to extra page)
Labour Market Information – LMI For All Portal
National Careers Service – a comprehensive careers website with job profiles, outlining: the skills required, main tasks, pay levels and career prospects for hundreds of different jobs. In addition, valuable guidance on the different stages involved in getting a job.
Cheshire and Warrington Job Opportunities Portal – a portal with a range of information on local labour market information, including jobs, apprenticeships, and training providers
My Path Careers Information about a wide variety of interesting careers with job profiles and videos
Post 16 Pathways
UCAS – a very helpful website for students thinking of applying to higher education. Also contains valuable information on different options, including apprenticeships
Ask Apprenticeships Information about different types of apprenticeships in a variety of sectors.
Higher Horizons Part of the Uni Connect program, offers information about higher education and how to access it
Cheshire College South and West Local college with campuses in Crewe, Chester, and Ellesmere Port offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Warrington Royal Vale College Local college in Warrington offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Coleg Cambria Local college in Wrexham offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Reaseheath College Local land-based college in Nantwich offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Sir John Deane’s Local college in Northwich offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses
Work Experience and Volunteering Opportunities
Cheshire East Volunteering Hub Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area
Cheshire West Volunteering Action Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area
Warrington Voluntary Action Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area
Springpod Free virtual online work experience
Speakers for Schools Free virtual online work experience