--- title: "Careers Programme at Wandle Valley Academy" url: "https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/careers-programme-at-wandle-valley-academy" school: "Wandle Valley Academy" --- # Careers Programme at Wandle Valley Academy At Wandle Valley Academy we are committed to providing a stable careers programme, through a combination of high quality teaching, personalised guidance and a range of further education and work experience opportunities. At Wandle Valley we are continually seeking additional opportunities to inspire our pupils in the world of work. If you think you could help, please contact [kpeck@wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk](http://kpeck@wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk). Wandle Valley Academy is committed to providing students with regular opportunities to meet local employers and training providers. Our [Provider Access Policy](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/files/documents/policies/WVA_Careers_Provider_Access_Policy_Jan_2023.pdf) gives details of how training providers and potential employers can either visit the school or offer educational tours/placements of their work-place; providing students with guidance towards potential career pathways and opportunities. The Gatsby Benchmarks (**[https://www.goodcareerguidance.org.uk](https://www.goodcareerguidance.org.uk/)**) are a key measure of the effectiveness of careers advice and are central to the Government’s Careers strategy. To ensure our students receive the highest quality of careers guidance, we will be working towards meeting all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks by the end of 2020, in line with DfE expectations. The focus of the benchmarks are: - A Stable Careers Programme - Learning from Career and Labour Market Information. - Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil - Linking Curriculum Learning to Carers - Encounters with Employers and Employees - Experience of Work Places - Encounters with Further Education - Personal Guidance From the Primary department, through to leaving in Year 11, students at Wandle Valley Academy have access to a broad and varied Careers Programme: ### Primaries ‘Careers Week’ including a dress-up day and visits from Public Services inc. Fire Brigade/Police Dogs #### Year 7 and 8 Individual termly meetings with Careers Advisor Workshops from visiting speakers Visits to local employers ‘Careers Week’ including a dress-up day and visits from Public Services inc. Fire Brigade/Police Dogs Life Skills and Preparation for Work units covered through the PSHE curriculum. #### Year 9 Individual termly meetings with Careers Advisor Workshops from visiting speakers Visits to local employers ‘Careers Week’ culminating in ‘Careers Open Morning’, attended by 30+ local employers/training providers, offering informal interviews and further information Volunteering opportunities in local area Options Evening inc. visiting representatives from local training providers/colleges Life Skills and Preparation for Work units covered through the PSHE curriculum. #### Year 10 Individual termly meetings with Careers Advisor Workshops from visiting speakers Visits to local employers and training providers ‘Careers Week’ culminating in ‘Careers Open Morning’, attended by 30+ local employers/training providers, offering informal interviews and further information Volunteering opportunities in local area KS4 Parents Evening inc. visiting representatives from local training providers/colleges Work Experience placement (1 week, usually in May) Princess Diana Mentoring Programme - an employability programme delivered via weekly sessions Mock interviews (pre and post work experience) with external professionals. ‘Way to work’ taster sessions – run through Carshalton College/JACE Commence King's Trust units in weekly Careers Lessons. #### Year 11 Individual termly meetings with Careers Coordinator Workshops from visiting speakers Visits to local employers and training providers ‘Careers Week’ culminating in ‘Careers Open Morning’, attended by 30+ local employers/training providers, offering informal interviews and further information KS4 Parents Evening inc. visiting representatives from local training providers/colleges Princess Diana Mentoring Programme - an employability programme delivered via weekly sessions Continuing Princes Trust units in weekly Careers Lessons Mock interview with external professional Visit to The Quad to view NEET services available Visits from local training provider representatives, to support post-16 course application forms One to one support at initial visits and Learning Support interviews at prospective colleges, where required. At Wandle Valley Academy we analyse our destination data and ensure that all of our leavers access Education, Employment or Training. We also collate information of our students’ destinations and forward onto the local borough for continued tracking. **Katherine Peck (Careers, Literacy and PSHE Coordinator) has overall responsibility for the Careers programme at Wandle Valley Academy and can be contacted via email at [kpeck@](mailto:kpeck@suttonmail.org)[wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk](mailto:randrews@wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk) or tel: 020 8648 1365.** ### Useful websites **[https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk](https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/)** Job profiles, planning tools and CV builder **[www.fasttomato.com](http://www.fasttomato.com/)** Matches personality and interests to possible careers **[www.icould.com](http://icould.com/)** Videos, stories, news and articles, includes 'The Buzz Test' a personality based career matching tool **[www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk](http://www.allaboutschoolleavers.co.uk/)** Information aimed at 16-24 year olds **[www.apprenticeships.gov.uk](http://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/)** The National Apprenticeship service **[www.plotr.co.uk](http://www.plotr.co.uk/)** Career matching tool and job finder **[www.careersbox.co.uk](http://www.careersbox.co.uk/)** Films, News and Information **[www.careerpilot.org.uk/information/careerometer](http://www.careerpilot.org.uk/information/careerometer)** Compare career salaries Our Careers Programme will be reviewed annually ### Curriculum - [What learning looks like at Wandle](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/what-learning-looks-like-at-wandle) - [What does learning during non-contact times look like?](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/what-does-learning-during-non-contact-times-look-like) - [Curriculum](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/curriculum) - [Learning - Subjects Covered](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/learning) - [Music Development Plan Summary 2024/25](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/music-development-plan-summary-2024-25) - [Personal Development](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/personal-development) - [Relationships & Sex Education (RSE)](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/relationships-sex-education-rse) - [Travel Training at Wandle](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/travel-training-at-wandle) - [Clubs](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/clubs) - [Year 9 Options 2025](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/year-9-options-2025) - [Careers Programme at Wandle Valley Academy](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/careers-programme-at-wandle-valley-academy) - [Careers Day at Wandle ](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/careers-day-at-wandle) - [National Careers Advice](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/national-careers-advice) - [Exams](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/exams) - [Pupil Progress and Exam Results](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/pupil-progress-and-exam-results) - [Enrolment Information for Local Colleges](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/Enrolment-Information-for-Local-Colleges) - [Pupil Destinations Post-16](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/curriculum/pupil-destinations) ![Music Mark School for the 2020/21 Academic Year](https://files.schudio.com/wandlevalleyschool/images/partners/Music_Mark.png)![Wellbeing Award for Schools](https://files.schudio.com/wandlevalleyschool/images/partners/WAS_website_badge.png) [Embedded content](https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d2490.0494945603627!2d-0.17181028408731117!3d51.38376837961513!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x487607ce36ecbdb3%3A0x5f43cbc772f2ec27!2sWandle%20Valley%20Academy!5e0!3m2!1sen!2suk!4v1585218912935!5m2!1sen!2suk) ![Wandle Valley Academy](https://files.schudio.com/wandlevalleyschool/images/logo/logo-bottom.png) [ ![Parallel Learning Trust](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/images/logo/trust-logo.png) ](https://plt.org.uk/) **Wandle Valley Academy** Welbeck Road Carshalton Surrey SM5 1LW Tel: 020 8648 1365 © Copyright 2019–2026 Wandle Valley Academy [X](https://twitter.com/WandleValleyA) School & Trust Websites by [ ![Schudio logo](https://wandlevalleyacademy.org.uk/img/logo/light.png) ](https://www.schudio.com/)