Venture Academy is committed to creating a culture of aspiration and support, where learners make informed and ambitious plans for their future lives, understand the connection between their journey of social and emotional skill development now and their future chances of getting and keeping the kinds of jobs they want, and recognise that adults in school are committed and able coaches who believe in them and will do everything in their power to help them succeed.

Our pledge is to offer an exciting and progressive careers experience throughout a pupil’s time at school. In doing so, we aim to blend enterprise and work experience with carefully considered careers advice and opportunities.

Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance is an entitlement for ALL of our learners. In working on the “Presumption of employability for all,” it is imperative that our learners are well-equipped and prepared for this.

At Venture, we have developed a curriculum offer that sees a range of vocational opportunities on offer in recognition of this route being a likely pathway for many of our learners. With qualifications in areas such as Digital Media, Sport, Construction and Performing Arts, not only does this appeal to the interests of our learners but in addition they complement the reliable labour market information (LMI) data for our locality in terms of workforce need.

Gatsby Benchmarks

January 2018 saw the introduction of new statutory guidance for careers. The eight Gatsby benchmarks that underpin the statutory guidance are shown below, and we measure the impact of our provision against this through the use of the Careers Compass Tool:

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance

In January 2023 the Careers guidance and access for education and training was updated with the new statutory PAL legislation. Venture Academy’s Provider Access Policy Statement can be viewed on the careers pages of this website.

Curriculum

Discrete careers lessons are offered to all learners across Years 5 through to 11. In looking to ensure that learners are engaged in accessing a wide variety of information and guidance.

We use 8 Essential Skills identified as being vital for a person being fully equipped for the working world. These are:

• Listening
• Speaking
• Problem Solving
• Creativity
• Staying Positive
• Aiming High
• Leadership
• Teamwork

Students will be taught these skills through other subject areas.

In line with the Provider Access Policy, all students will have access to different opportunities to explore the working world, such as Meet the provider, careers fayre and world of work day.

In offering a curriculum with a strong vocational emphasis and to ensure that we are compliant with section 42B of the Education Act 1997 (Baker Clause) we have sought to create clear links with the Further Education colleges that exist within the Warwickshire region.

It is the aim of Venture Academy that all learners should leave the school safe in the knowledge that they have the skills and ability to access either a local college course, a training provider, an apprenticeship or a supported internship.

The review of our careers education offer is a regular feature of our provision. This takes many forms but includes a yearly strategic development plan, shared practice conversations with other schools, reviews of the requirements of the Gatsby Benchmarks to ensure we are exceeding expectations wherever possible and the use of our careers adviser for external validation.

Furthermore, learner voice plays a significant part in the shaping of our provision and evaluations of such opportunities as careers interviews, presentations and resources are gathered from our learners, analysed and used to drive improvement. The impact of our careers curriculum and our work with the CEIAG (Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance) Advisor is evidenced through learner questionnaires.  

Our Careers Leader is John Anderson and can be contacted by email or phone: 

John.anderson@macintyreacademies.org.

Telephone number: 015645 792514