Choosing which direction to take after leaving school is a big decision.
We’re here to support our students and make sure they know about all the options open to them. Our curriculum focusses on careers, and we provide our students with meaningful career-related opportunities and activities throughout their time with us.
Careers as a subject is one of the few that can be tailored to individual strengths, needs, and aspirations. It can provide practical guidance, boost confidence, and help students develop independence by preparing them for realistic pathways into further education, training, or employment. By offering structured support and accessible experiences, careers education ensures that every student, regardless of their challenges, has the chance to make informed choices about their future. Visits are organised to local Colleges or workplaces to enable our students to gain real world experience of what their future could be.
- A Stable Careers Programme
A structured, well-planned careers programme that is embedded across the school.
SEMH adaptation:
- Build flexibility into the programme (students may have disrupted attendance or engagement).
- Careers learning outcomes should connect with EHCP targets.
- Learning from Career and Labour Market Information (LMI)
Students should understand labour market trends and opportunities.
SEMH adaptation:
- Present LMI in accessible, simplified formats (visuals, real-life examples).
- Focus on local, realistic opportunities and supported employment pathways.
- Reinforce confidence and aspiration, avoiding overwhelming data.
- Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil
Careers provision should be tailored to individual needs.
SEMH adaptation (critical benchmark):
- Link careers guidance directly to EHCP targets, behavioural support plans and emotional needs.
- Recognise non-linear pathways e.g. alternative provision, vocational routes.
- Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers
All teachers should link curriculum subjects to career paths.
SEMH adaptation:
- Make learning relevant and practical (project-based, hands-on).
- Emphasise life skills and employability skills (teamwork, resilience, communication).
- Use real-world contexts to increase engagement.
- Encounters with Employers and Employees
Students should have multiple opportunities to engage with employers.
SEMH adaptation:
- Start with low-pressure encounters (virtual sessions, small groups).
- Work with employers experienced in SEND/SEMH.
- Prepare students in advance to reduce anxiety.
- Experiences of Workplaces
Students should have first-hand experience of workplaces.
SEMH adaptation:
- Provide supported or staged work experience.
- Consider in-school enterprises or simulated workplaces as stepping stones.
- Risk assess carefully and ensure pastoral support is in place.
- Encounters with Further and Higher Education
Students should understand all post-16 and post-18 options.
SEMH adaptation:
- Focus heavily on FE colleges, training providers, apprenticeships, and supported internships.
- Arrange familiarisation visits to reduce anxiety about transition.
- Highlight pastoral support available in next settings.
- Personal Guidance
Every student should receive guidance interviews with a qualified careers adviser.
SEMH adaptation (essential):
- Provide regular, trusted 1:1 guidance (not just one-off interviews).
- Ensure advisers understand trauma-informed approaches.
- Build rapport over time, as trust is often a barrier.
Key Takeaways for SEMH Schools
- The Gatsby Benchmarks still fully apply, but delivery must be:
- Trauma-informed
- Flexible and personalised
- Integrated with wellbeing and behaviour support
- Success is often measured through:
- Engagement
- Confidence
- Readiness for transition
(not just academic or destination data)
Our Careers Leader is Mr Matthew Donnelly. If you have any questions about careers, higher education, work experience, or if you would like more information about our careers programme, please contact him on 0191 216 1051 or by email matthew.Donnelly@parksidehouseschool.co.uk.