Supporting your teenager with their plans for the future
At Ashley High School, all students participate in careers sessions to help them prepare for the future. From Year 9 onwards, the Education, Health and Care Plans will be reviewed and there will be a focus on goals and aspirations for the future at the annual review meeting. As a parent, you have a key role in this important career planning process.
By the end of Year 11 your teenager will have made decisions about their future. This might be to remain at school and enter the school sixth form or move into further education, apprenticeships or training. Each student will have had the opportunity to meet with their careers adviser and talk about all the options open to them.
The calendar below shows what they need to do during Year 11 and the support available to help them make the right choices. The school can support with any transition days and visits to the local college forms part of the careers programme.
September - December
- Explore the range of options in employment, training, sixth forms and further education colleges.
- Use the National Careers Service website (nationalcareers.service.gov.uk) to explore career ideas.
- Consider pathways that fit around their skills, interests and predicted grades.
- Weigh up all the pros and cons of different options.
- Check out schools, colleges and training providers own websites and prospectus for more information.
- Encourage your teenager to ask tutors or teachers for more information or advice.
- Go to college and sixth form open days and events.
- There are deadlines for making applications – ensure that your teenager is aware of these dates; don’t let them leave everything until the last minute!
- Remember that some courses are very popular so avoid disappointment by submitting an early application.
- Use the SEND Local offer to help you and your teenager find out more about the support available to meet any specific needs https://localoffer.haltonchildrenstrust.co.uk/
- Check that your teenager has had their individual careers guidance interview and support them to complete the actions outlined.
January - March
- Application forms need to be completed by the end of January for some popular courses.
- College and sixth form interviews begin. Recruitment for apprenticeships and other vocational training begins.
- If looking for training or work register with the National apprenticeship website www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
- Contact colleges/sixth forms if your teenager is likely to need additional support. The support needs will also be included in the Education, Health and Care Plan and the colleges/sixth forms will need a copy of this.
- If your teenager is looking for work with training or apprenticeships, they need to start contacting employers; they might also need a back up plan such as a full-time college course or school sixth form.
April - June
- Exams start in May so this is a busy time for your teenager
- Check any costs for courses such as equipment for post 16 options.
- Discuss with student advisers if any finance is available for travel or equipment.
- Teenagers interested in getting a part time job or an apprenticeship need to have an up to date CV ready.
- National Insurance numbers should have been issued by now but if not call 0845 915 7006.
July - August
- Your teenager needs to enrol at college if they have applied for a course starting in September; there may be also be summer enrolments for those with unconditional offers.
- If they are continuing into sixth form make sure that they have completed their transition day and know term dates.
- If your teenager is looking for work they need to update their CV with exam results.
- Child benefit should still be payable if your teenager is continuing in full time education, for more information visit www.gov.uk/child-benefit.
OTHER USEFUL RESOURCES YOU MAY WANT TO USE
APPRENTICESHIPS
To access the resources, please visit: www.amazingapprenticeships.com/learn-at-home
Useful SEND information
We’ve been including guidance in recent Parents & Carers Packs on how to support children with additional needs when it comes to apprenticeships. Check out December’s edition for more info on job coach support and identifying strengths when applying for post-16 options.
CAREERS AND OPTION CHOICES
Success at Schools are creating a guide to help parents and carers steer their children through the confusing world of careers choices. Use this link to access the Ebook
https://successatschool.us3.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2c038531b25876a2c7c9cf8b1&id=3d56d2e18f&e=dcc2ba5137
You can access their website to view their resources https://successatschool.org/
LOCAL LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION
Careerometer widget 2
Want to know the wages and areas of growth and decline?
http://www.lmiforall.org.uk/widget/
For advice once students have left school, phone the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900.
Employment after Ashley High School
Does your son or daughter want to get a job? Like many young adults they may need some help to do that. Halton Borough Council really want to help support more young adults with SEND to move from education into paid work. There is lots of information now available on the Halton SEND Local Offer under the Preparing for Adulthood Employment Pathway https://localoffer.haltonchildrenstrust.co.uk/preparing-for-adulthood-pfa-guide-and-vision/pfa-education-employment/pfa-employment-pathway/ Spotlight on Jobcentre Plus Disability Employment Advisors they can support in a variety of ways to ensure they meet the needs of each young adult and their family. They can be the key point of contact for you and your son or daughter; work along work coaches; share information about local provision, services, training and employment opportunities; champion schemes such as Disability Confident, Access to Work and Access to Work Mental Health Services; signpost and support employee/employers on retention of staff and; support and advice people who are not in receipt of benefits. Support from them is voluntary and is not a mandated service. If your son or daughter has an Education Health and Care Plan they can attend the annual review meeting to start looking at what they can do to support the move from education to employment. Please ask your son or daughter’s education provider if they have arranged this for you and if they haven’t you can ask them to do so. The Disability Employment Advisors will also talk to groups of young adults and groups of parents or you can get in touch with them directly for an individual chat to find out more. Click on the Jobcentre Plus Disability Advisor link on the page for more information and contact details.