At St Michael’s we aim to provide every opportunity for our pupils to flourish as a child of God; to grow in body, mind and spirit and experience ‘life in all its fullness’ and this is reflected in our comprehensive and effective careers programme.

We are proud of the depth and quality of experiences offered to our pupils across all years and feel it prepares our young people for success in the future, whether this be in higher education, training or employment.

Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) at St Michael’s forms an essential aspect of every pupils’ personal education and future well-being. Within Personal and Spiritual Development lessons (PSHE), all year groups are taught about different aspects of Careers.

Please see the detailed careers plans above for individual year groups. Below is a summary:

Year 7

In Year 7 we start by trying to raise our pupils’ aspirations and to challenge career stereotypes and all pupils have an ‘introduction to careers’ lesson in their first week in school. Year 7 pupils also have the chance to visit 2 places of work; Chorley town hall where they hear from council town planners; the second is a choice from a hotel, theatre or power station on a Spirituality Day at the end of the year. In their Character and Spiritual Education lessons they also take part in an entrepreneurial chocolate project which also involves a ‘virtual’ workplace visit to Harwood’s Patisserie, learning from Bake-Off runner-up Andrew Harwood how to run a successful business.

Year 8

In Year 8 pupils on their Spirituality Day take part in an enterprise project. This involves investigating different types of crisps, looking at marketing, advertising and production. Pupils visit Asda and learn about careers in the food industry as part of this day. Pupils also have an ‘Apprenticeship Day’ where they look at employability skills, learn labour market information and hear from apprentices in the local area.

Year 9

As our pupils take their options in Year 9, we focus the careers unit of work in PSD lessons on choosing their options and picking out strengths, interests and aspirations. In Year 9, as part of the Enrichment programme, pupils also have a visit from the Department for Work and Pensions, explore the Springpod platform having ‘virtual’ work experience placements and they also have a session with construction company Eric Wright. These sessions are all aimed at pupils working on employability skills. They also have an ‘Options Day’ where they hear from people in a variety of professions who come and talk about their career paths.

In Years 9-11 they begin learning how to write personal statements, learn about their online reputation and how to use labour market information.

Year 10

In addition to PSD lessons, in Year 10 pupils also have a careers lesson once every four weeks. Local colleges and apprenticeship providers come in to school to teach our pupils about their different Post-16 pathway options, spotlighting A-Levels, apprenticeships, T-Levels and vocational courses. In line with the school’s legal duty under the ‘Baker Clause’ (2018) pupils are provided with opportunities for encounters with a range of education and training providers for the purpose of informing them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Pupils are also provided with taster sessions for subjects they have not yet studied, for example, sociology, psychology or law, to give them insight into what the pursuit of these subjects might include.

Also in Year 10, pupils start the academic year with a visit to the University of Lancashire where they experience university life and take part in a course of their choice, including English, Science, fashion, cyber, music and sound, design and AI. They also have a ‘mock interview’ day on their Spirituality Day in September where they look at interview technique, personal statements and writing CVs. They also visit Runshaw College for a Sampling Day in June.

Year 11

Year 11 pupils begin the academic year with a dedicated week of work experience, with each pupil securing their own placement to gain first-hand insight into the world of work. This vital experience helps them develop employability skills, build confidence, understand workplace expectations and make informed decisions about their future pathways. Throughout the year, pupils receive extensive support with post-16 applications, CV and personal statement writing, interview preparation, professional online presence and transition into further education, training or employment. They attend provider talks from local colleges and sixth forms, engage with employers and apprenticeship providers at our Careers Fair and receive ongoing guidance to help them make ambitious and well-informed choices about their next steps.

Careers Advisor

All pupils have access to personal careers guidance interviews with our independent Careers Adviser Mr Banks, providing impartial advice and support to help them make informed decisions about their future education, training and career pathways. Priority is given to pupils in upper school, Year 9 pupils during the GCSE options process, and those identified as vulnerable or requiring additional support. These one-to-one interviews enable pupils to explore their interests, strengths and aspirations, consider the full range of post-16 opportunities available and receive personalised guidance to help them plan confidently for their next steps. Action plans are also shared with parents.

Careers Fair

In December we hold our annual Careers Fair, welcoming approximately 50 representatives from colleges, sixth forms, apprenticeship providers and employers. Pupils in Years 9-11, alongside their parents and carers, are invited to attend and explore the wide range of education, training and employment opportunities available. During the school day, pupils are given dedicated time to engage with exhibitors and complete structured worksheets designed to encourage meaningful conversations, research pathways and gather key information about courses, careers, entry requirements and future opportunities. This ensures that every pupil actively engages with providers and employers, helping them to make informed and ambitious decisions about their next steps.

Pupils with additional needs

Our careers provision places a strong emphasis on supporting pupils with additional needs and those who may be vulnerable, ensuring they receive tailored guidance to help them achieve positive post-16 destinations. These pupils are prioritised for one-to-one careers interviews with our qualified Careers Advisor, providing personalised advice and guidance about suitable pathways and future opportunities. The SENCO works closely with pupils and families throughout the application process, offering additional support with college applications, transition planning and follow-up interviews to help pupils make informed decisions about courses and providers. In Years 10 and 11, selected pupils also have the opportunity to participate in vocational programmes at Preston College, including Hair and Beauty, Construction and Automotive Engineering, enabling them to develop practical skills, experience college life and build confidence in preparation for their next steps.

The CEIAG provision outlined above aims to meet The Gatsby Benchmarks, which are a national framework containing eight guidelines that define the best careers provision in schools and colleges. The quality of St Michael’s CEIAG programme is reviewed and assessed annually against The Gatsby Benchmarks by The Careers and Enterprise Company Compass Tracker.

These are the eight Gatsby Benchmarks:

A stable careers programme

Learning from Career & Labour Market Information

Addressing the needs of each pupil

Linking curriculum learning to Careers

Encounters with employers & employees

Experience of workplaces

Encounters with further and higher education

Personal guidance

 

Contact Details

If you have any questions about careers, please contact:

Mrs S Wilk

swilk@saint-michaels.lancs.sch.uk

Parent/Carer Resources 

We have put a link to some websites/documents below which will allow you to understand different opportunities available to our pupils. 

Links to local Colleges & Training Providers

For information about post-16 courses and opportunities, we recommend accessing the course information via the provider websites below. These websites contain the most up-to-date details on entry requirements, study programmes, open events, and application processes.

Click the icons below to find their websites:

Colleges:

Runshaw College         

                                

 

Apprenticeships:

Training 2000

 

 

 

Destination Information

 

Destinations

Percentage of Pupils in Sustained Education, Employment or Training (SEET)

 

Year

National

(All Pupils)

National

(Other)

St Michael's

(All Pupils)

St Michael's

(Disadvantaged)

2018

94

96

99

100

2019

94

97

98

100

2020

94

96

98

100

2021

94

96

95

95

2022

93

96

96

96