Careers Education, information and guidance
Throughout their time at Belmont, our students develop the skills they need to enable them to become as independent a they can be, and to prepare for their next steps. We aim for pupils to have an enriched and stimulating curriculum, giving them every opportunity to reach their full potential.
A careers programme, as detailed in our Careers Policy below, is a statutory requirement in Key Stages 3 and 4 and is embedded in the life of our school. Belmont is committed to preparing students for the opportunities, choices, challenges and transitions affecting their future education and adult life.
The activities on offer at Belmont fully comply with the Baker Clause, a legal requirement for schools to give employers and colleges access to students in order to talk about the potential opportunities available to them.
Those activities include:
- Employer Experience days – a two-way exchange between companies and students to explore opportunities and choices
- work experience in the community
- mock interviews in school, and with local employers.
Belmont measures the quality of our careers’ education against the eight Gatsby benchmarks, and uses the Compass self-assessment tool to indicate areas for further development.
Details about employer access to school can be found below, and we are pleased to hear from companies and post-16 providers who may be able to help support our young people with experience, education and life skills.
For more information about our careers programme and employer access, please contact James Farrer-Grover on email: james.grover@belmont.sandmat.uk
Belmont School - Compass Careers Benchmark Tool
Pupil Entitlement
We are pleased to set out Belmont’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to our students for the purpose of giving them information about the providers’ education or training offers. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997.
All pupils in Years 8-11 are entitled:
- To find out about technical education qualification and apprenticeship opportunities as part of a careers programme that provides information on the full range of education and training options as students approach transition at the end of KS4.
- To hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, via subject course work, assemblies and group discussions and taster events.
- To understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.
Practical and safeguarding information for providers
The school will make the main hall, classrooms or separate meeting rooms available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available technical equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Key Stage Leaders or senior members of staff. Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature at school.
In all areas of school life safeguarding is a high priority. All aspects of careers education and work-related learning are organised with an accredited provider and include activity and pupil risk assessment. All visitors are made aware of and agree to Belmont School safeguarding procedures. This ensures the best outcomes for Belmont pupils and ensures everybody stays safe. For more information please refer to the school’s Safeguarding Policy.
Providers wishing to request access should contact James Farrer-Grover:
- via the school office on 01242 216180
- email directly: James.Grover@belmont.sandmat.uk
- by post: Belmont School, Warden Hill Road, Cheltenham GL51 3AT
Opportunities for access
A number of events that are integrated into the school careers programme and wider curriculum will allow providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers. Please do not hesitate to contact school to identify the most suitable event for you. Some of the events on offer are listed below:
- Whole school assemblies, weekly throughout the year
- Parental conversation meetings, twice a year
- EHCP transition meetings, specifically for pupils in KS4 and Y9 transition
- Annual whole school National Careers Week activity (March)
- Careers/Skills for Independence and Work and PSHCE lessons, throughout the year
- Independent guidance and advice accessed through Glos Special Schools
- Challenge and Support Subgroup – Careers, Employability and Enterprise
- Pupils meet employers during mock interviews through our close working relationship with GFirstLEP
- Pupils meet employers through Enterprise training activities with GFirstLEP
- Pupils in Y11 have two work experience placements
- Pupils are invited to College Link days Y9-Y11
Belmont’s Careers Programme and its impact (2023-24)
We are delighted that College Link Days have taken place with our main providers, and many college staff have attended EHCP meetings in person. This, together with transition panel meetings at Gloucestershire County Council, has helped to identify and match needs with placements, and support plans are in place for families with additional needs.
Independent advice around the next steps in education for our students is accessed via a Prospects Careers Advisor.
Targeted support has also been received from Young Glos advisors to enhance transition planning for pupils where Post-16 may have caused difficulties or issues for them.
In addition, Belmont has an enterprise advisor, through the support of GFirst Careers Hub, to assist with careers evaluation and planning and to create further links. This has resulted in Enterprise days being run for our Key Stage 4 students with employers from a variety of industries.
The GFirst Careers Hub has also enabled us to access practice interviews with local business leaders to ensure students are exposed to the routines associated with gaining employment.
The careers information published on this page will be reviewed in September 2024.