At Bridgewater, we believe that academic achievement and preparation for life beyond school go hand in hand. From their first year in Senior School, pupils are encouraged to explore their strengths, interests and aspirations, developing their self-awareness, practical skills and confidence they need to make informed choices about their future.

Our Careers Programme provides a progressive range of careers education, information, advice and guidance throughout years 7-13. It is shaped around the eight Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance and supported by independent and impartial information and resources, including the National Careers Service.

Central to our approach is the Bridgewater Careers Passport – a personalised record which grows with each pupil as they progress through Senior School and Sixth Form.

The Bridgewater Careers Passport

Every pupil develops their Careers Passport throughout their time at Bridgewater, creating an individual record of their skills, experiences, interests and aspirations. Updated year by year, the Passport brings together:

• Strengths and aptitudes – Activities and assessments help pupils recognise their individual strengths and interests, and begin to explore the careers and pathways to which these might lead.
• Skills for the future – Pupils identify and record examples of transferable skills such as teamwork, communication, leadership, problem-solving and adaptability, developed through lessons, enrichment, sport and wider school life.
• Experiences and encounters – Employer talks, careers events, workplace experiences, visits, workshops and other opportunities are recorded, encouraging pupils to reflect on what they have learned.
• Planning next steps – Ideas, research and personal goals provide a valuable starting point for individual careers guidance and, as students progress through school, support the preparation of CVs, applications and personal statements.

The result is a careers journey that develops alongside each individual – helping students to understand themselves and make increasingly informed decisions about their future.

 

Careers through Senior School

Year 7: Discovering strengths

The focus on Year 7 is on self-awareness and beginning to recognise the connection between individual interests, strengths and future possibilities.

Pupils:

• explore their hobbies, interests, personal qualities and strengths;
• begin to recognise transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and curiosity;
• discover the breadth of opportunities within the world of work; and
• begin to encounter employers and guest speakers.

Year 8: Exploring possibilities

As students’ understanding develops, we encourage them to look more widely at the changing world of work and the opportunities it may offer.

Pupils:

• explore a broader range of careers, including emerging opportunities in areas such as technology and the green economy;
• develop teamwork, creativity and problem-solving through enterprise activities and challenges;
• consider how skills developed inside and outside the classroom contribute to future employability; and
• begin setting personal goals for their wider development.

Year 9: Making informed GCSE choices

Careers education plays an important role as students begin making decisions about their GCSE options.

Pupils:

• use careers resources and their Careers Passports to explore pathways linked to their interests and strengths;
• consider how GCSE choices may support future study and career opportunities;
• develop their understanding of labour market information and changing employment opportunities; and
• hear directly from employers about different careers, skills and routes into employment.

 

Year 10: Developing workplace skills

In Year 10, the emphasis moves increasingly towards employability and meaningful experience of the workplace.

Pupils:

• identify and develop important workplace skills including reliability, communication and adaptability;
• prepare a CV and develop their understanding of applications and recruitment;
• prepare for and undertake work experience;
• participate in employer encounters, workplace visits and careers events; and
• reflect on their experiences through their Careers Passport, identifying skills gained and areas for further development.

Year 11: Planning the next step

By Year 11, students are supported to make confident and well-informed decisions about their next stage of education or training.

Pupils:

• explore the full range of post-16 pathways including A Levels, further education, technical and vocational routes and apprenticeships;
• research entry requirements and consider these alongside their own academic profile and aspirations;
• prepare for individual careers guidance meetings;
• develop their application and interview skills; and
• make applications with a clear understanding of their preferred pathway and appropriate alternative options.

Continuing into Sixth Form

For pupils who continue into Bridgewater Sixth Form, careers education builds upon the foundations established throughout Senior School. Their Careers Passport continues with them through Years 12 and 13, providing a valuable record of seven years of skills, experiences, achievements and aspirations.

Sixth Form students receive further support as they explore and prepare for their individual post-18 pathways, whether progressing to university, a degree or higher apprenticeship, further training or employment. Work experience, university and employer encounters, individual guidance, application and interview preparation, and practical preparation for life beyond school all form part of this next stage.

Find out more about Careers in Bridgewater Sixth Form>

 

 

Independent careers information and guidance

Alongside the support students receive in school, we encourage students and their families to make use of reliable, impartial sources of careers information.

The National Careers Service provides free, government-backed careers information and guidance including:

• detailed career profiles explaining different roles, skills, qualifications and routes into employment;
• information about salary ranges, working patterns and progression opportunities;
• up-to-date information about the labour market and areas of growing skills demand; and
• access to independent careers support online and by telephone.

As pupils approach important transition points, individual careers guidance provides an opportunity to discuss these interests, aspirations and possible pathways in greater depth.

 

The Gatsby Benchmarks

Our Careers Programme is shaped around the eight Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance, providing a framework for high quality careers provision throughout Senior School and Sixth Form.

Working with parents, alumni and employers

Careers education is strengthened by the knowledge and experience of our wider Bridgewater community. We are always keen to hear from parents, alumni, employers or local organisations who would be willing to support our Careers Programme – whether by talking to students about their profession or industry, contributing to a careers event, offering a workplace visit or providing a work experience opportunity.

Sharing real experiences of education, training and working life can make a valuable contribution to helping our young people understand the breadth of possibilities available to them. If you would be interested in becoming part of the Bridgewater Careers Network, please contact Dr Ben Wong, Head of Careers. Email wongb@bridgewater-school.co.uk