Implementation of the Careers Programme | Newminster Middle School

Implementation

Newminster Middle School has a close working partnership with North East Ambition, which is part of the North East Combined Authority. We actively participate in the Primary and Secondary Hub network with a focus on delivering the Gatsby Benchmarks and improving careers outcomes for young people. The intended outcomes of CEIAG across the school are to ensure young people have the ability to understand and enjoy economic stability through a sound understanding of the labour market, both in a local and global context.

The careers programme is:

Integrated across the curriculum and embedded into the personal development provision
Anchored by the Gatsby Benchmarks
Reviewed annually with input from students, staff, and stakeholders

Newminster Middle School Careers Education Programme Overview 2025-2026

Year Group	Core Theme	Focus	Learning objectives
Year 5 “Me and the World of Work”	Session 1: Employability & Aspirations	Awareness and Curiosity	– Identify personal interests and skills in relation to school values
	Session 2: Employer Encounters		– Explore a variety of jobs in the community
	Session 3: LMI		– Understand what adults do at work
	Session 4: Pathways		– Begin to imagine future possibilities
Year 6 “Skills for Success”	Session 1: Employability & Aspirations	Skills and Challenge	– Recognise core employability skills and the importance of their own aspirations
	Session 2: Employer Encounters		– Understand skills needed for future roles
	Session 3: LMI		– Learn about emerging jobs of the future
	Session 4: Pathways		– Reflect on aspirations and set simple goals
Year 7 “Exploring the World of Work”	Session 1: Employability & Aspirations	Exploration and Challenge	– Match interests and skills to career areas
	Session 2: Employer Encounters		– Engage with real people in real jobs
	Session 3: LMI		– Explore the job market and key growth areas
	Session 4: Pathways		– Investigate progression routes and pathways
Year 8 “Designing My Future”	Session 1: Employability & Aspirations	Confidence and Planning for transition	– Apply self-awareness to future planning
	Session 2: Employer Encounters		– Understand subject and career decision-making
	Session 3: LMI		– Explore how to adapt to a changing job world
	Session 4: Pathways		– Begin building a personal progression plan

How do the Personal Development Careers Sessions align with the careers enterprise company equalex objectives?

Core Themes (Revisited and Developed every year)	Core objectives (derived from the CDI – Career Development Institute and CEC -Careers Education Company )
Employability Skills & Raising Aspirations	Learning Outcome Improved Self-Awareness Learners are aware of their passions, skills and work preferences and understand how these could inform their career choices. Learning Objectives Learners are aware of essential workplace skills and are able to self-assess their current skill level. Learners can identify their passions, interests and skills and consider how they might inform potential jobs or career pathways. Learners can describe their work style and ideal working environment and can give examples of workplaces that would and would not suit their preferences.
Workplace & Employer Encounters	Learning Outcome Increased Opportunity Awareness Learners have a broad knowledge of a range of career opportunities which enables informed decision making. Learning Objectives Learners understand that there are different types of workplaces such as, offices, warehouses and home working, and that there are different types of employment such as, self-employment, freelancing, and full-time employment. Learning Outcome Inspiration Learners are inspired and motivated by career opportunities which they may not have otherwise considered. Learning Objectives Learners can recognise and challenge stereotypes about career pathways and understand that their career aspirations should not be limited by them. Learners can identify career role models and articulate their early career aspirations. Learners can recall a range of different sectors and jobs, and describe the characteristics of the workplaces these jobs might take place in. Learners can identify links between the curriculum and essential skills needed within the workplace and can give examples of careers linked to subject areas.- covered across the curriculum Learning Outcome Career Readiness Learners have developed essential skills which will support them to transition to the workplace. Learning Objectives Learners can evidence the essential workplace skills they have developed. Learners can demonstrate essential skills applicable to different workplaces, including skills required when working in a remote environment. Learners can create, develop or design something based upon a brief set by an employer, and identify the essential skills they used- British Science Day; Y5 Hopes and Dreams day; Y8 Careers Conference Learners can create, develop or design something based upon a brief set by an employer, and relate the essential skills they used to a potential career pathway.
Labour Market Information (LMI)	Learning Outcome Understanding of growth sectors and the changing economy Learners understand how the local and national labour market is changing and what this might mean for their career choices. Learning Objectives Learners can identify growth sectors within their local area and talk about the types of jobs within these sectors.
Pathways and Progression Opportunities	Learning Outcome Career Readiness Learners have developed essential skills which will support them to transition to the workplace. Learning Objectives Learners understand the different routes into employment and understand the differences between pathways. Using real life examples, learners can describe the roles of different people within an organisation and talk about what they do.

Alignment of the programme with the Gatsby Benchmarks

Core Theme	Gatsby Benchmark
Session 1: Employability & Aspirations	Benchmark 3 Addressing the needs for each pupil Benchmark 8: Personal Guidance Benchmark 4: Linking Curriculum learning to careers
Session 2: Employer Encounters	Benchmark 5: Encounter with Employers Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces
Session 3: LMI	Benchmark 2 :Learning from Career and Labour Market Information (LMI)
Session 4: Pathways	Benchmark 7: Encounters with Further and Higher Education

Benchmark 1 – A stable Careers Programme achieved by the planned programme of activities and events

The school will seek to ensure that meaningful encounters:

Have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and pupils.
Are underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of pupils.
Provide opportunities for two-way interactions between pupils and the employer.
Are followed by time for pupils to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained via the encounter.

Key Features Across All Years:

Annual Aspirations Survey (Track changes & measure impact)
Repeated employer contact (in person and online)
Skill reflection tools (passports, ladders, maps)
Cross-curricular links to PSHE, English (presentations), Maths (budgeting), and Computing (research, AI trends)
Gatsby Benchmarks embedded across all activities.

Every year, from the age of 9, pupils will participate in at least one meaningful encounter with an employer; at least one of these encounters will be with a STEM employer or workplace. These encounters will be facilitated through:

Careers events such as careers talks, careers days, British Science Day and through the Personal Development Programme.
Transition workshops at all phases including First to Middle and Middle to High schools. These workshops aim to prepare pupils for the next phase of their learning journey.
Extensive and robust Mentoring via a range of avenues within the pastoral system, all aimed at developing confidence, self esteem, general communication, literacy and numeracy skills.
Employer delivered employability workshops