Student Support

Every student from year 7 to 13 is supported with high quality careers education and guidance as part of their overall education. At Lammas, we ensure that students are provided with independent careers guidance, which enables them to:

• Find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point
• Hear from a range of providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through pathways events, assemblies, group discussions and taster events
• Understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses
• Receive one to one impartial careers guidance from a careers advisor.

We welcome feedback from parents, carers, employers, further and higher education providers and other stakeholders. Please contact our careers advisor (school@thelammas.com) if you wish to make an appointment to see her or should you have any questions regarding our careers provision.

Our Careers Programme: Advice and Legislation

In January 2023, the updated provider access legislation (PAL) came into effect. It specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education for all their students: Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend and two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend. Two encounters for pupils during the ‘third key phase’ (year 12 or 13) that are mandatory for the school to put on but optional for pupils to attend. The new legislation aims to help learners understand and apply for both apprenticeships and a broad range of technical education options including T-Levels and Higher Technical Qualifications.

The careers programme is planned, for all students in Years 7-13. In line with government statutory guidance and with the aim of fully meeting the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks and the Six Learning of the CDI Framework.  It is a progressive programme of activities which supports students in choosing 14-19 pathways that suits their interests and abilities and helps them to follow a careers path and sustain employability throughout their working lives.

Our careers advisor ensures that careers education, information, advice and guidance is:

• Presented in an impartial manner
• Includes information on the full range of education or training options, including apprenticeships and other vocational pathways
• Guidance give aims to promote the best interests of the students to whom it is given

• Please also see our careers UNIFROG learning journey for all year groups 7-13.

Unifrog

Unifrog is a complete destinations platform that allows students, parents and staff to search for opportunities, submit responses and support students to make the strongest applications for their next steps into higher education.

All students have a personalised account with login details. Students click here to sign in.

• Information Letter for Parents
• An Introduction Video for Parents

Work Experience

Work Experience is partly arranged through the school and partly independent. We encourage our students in KS5 to find work placements during one set week in the summer term. The aim is to help give them a better understanding of, and be better prepared for, life in the adult workplace. External providers help us to find suitable work experience for our students.

Students have secured placements with law firms, architectural firms and finance companies. Students meet with our careers advisor who will discuss what type of work experience would be beneficial according to each student’s aspirations and choices.

Students are encouraged to research what type of work experience would suit them and further guidance will be offered on how to contact employers for work placements. All students will write a CV and Cover Letter to support with their application.

Virtual Work Experience Placements:

• Parents Guide to Virtual Work Experience 
• Speakers for School VWEX
• Medic Mentor 
• Barclays Life Skills
• Spring Pod

Promoting Apprenticeships through Work Experience and In-School Engagement

In today’s job market, practical experience is essential for students to understand their career options. To promote apprenticeships, we use various strategies, including structured work experience days, weekly sessions on Unifrog, dedicated college days, and engagement with industry professionals. These initiatives aim to provide students with valuable knowledge hands-on experience.

A key part of our strategy is using Unifrog, an online platform that centralises information about apprenticeship pathways. Each week during form time, students explore Unifrog’s resources, which detail apprenticeship programmes, their requirements, and benefits. This allows students to compare options and reflect on their interests, helping them make informed decisions about their futures. Parents can access information on apprenticeships through our website and parents have their own Unifrog login to stay informed and engaged in the process.

We also work closely with career advisors to give students a clear breakdown of available apprenticeship options. Advisors explain the different levels of apprenticeships (higher, middle, and lower tiers) and help students identify programmes that suit their skills. They also assist in cross-right courses.

We also organise dedicated college days where students learn about specific apprenticeship routes offered by nearby institutions, and integrate talks into our assembly programme. College representatives from Monoux, Leyton Sixth Form and Bsix present information entry requirements, and the advantages of choosing an apprenticeship over traditional education. This engagement helps students see how these options align with their career goals.

Additionally, we host structured work experience days with professionals from various fields. For example, at a-level, students have participated in apprenticeship fairs at Tottenham Stadium, where they can meet potential employers and learn about available opportunities across various sectors. Work experience with organisations like Bain Capital in Year 9, students gain insights into finance apprenticeships, while Bart’s Hospital work experience in Year 12 displays healthcare pathways. At JD Sports, Year 10 students can explore apprenticeship opportunities in retail management and merchandising. We have conducted workshops with Ask Assembly and taken Year 11 students to a college fair, as well as to Green Careers at Stratford Stadium to learn about sustainability. ELBA (East London Business Alliance) provides a workshop for women interested tech and STEM, and Next Home Ltd collaborates with students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to offer tailored support and career guidance. Hearing from professionals helps students understand the skills needed and the benefits of pursuing these pathways. After the introductory sessions, students participate in hands-on activities that reflect real job tasks. For example, they might engage in a mock financial analysis project at Bain Capital. These activities allow students to gain practical skills and better understand what to expect in an apprenticeship.

Additionally, we organise assemblies with groups like Women of the Future whole school, where inspiring speakers share their career experiences. These sessions empower students, especially young women, by showcasing successful role models and their journeys. We have also held assemblies with Wisdom Tree in year 9 and year 12, a financial that supports guidance to young people, alongside representatives from Essex University and Newcastle University, to discuss various apprenticeship routes, including degree apprenticeships, and how to prepare in Year 11 and Year 12.

Finally, we hold quizzes reflective surveys where students can discuss their experiences and receive guidance from career advisors. This helps them build confidence and clarity regarding their future choices. By providing access to resources and real-world experiences, we empower students to make informed decisions about their futures and encourage them to pursue these opportunities successfully.

Partnership with external providers and stakeholders

At Lammas, we pride ourselves on our work with external agencies, supporting students to broaden their horizons wherever possible. We provide accurate and focused careers information, advice and guidance tailored to individual needs to enable young people to make informed choices about their future career routes.

See below just some of the partnerships we work with at Lammas:

• The Elephant Group
• Ort Jump
• Careers Hub
• London Square
• Join the Dots
• Women of the Future
• The Brilliant Club
• Mark Evison
• Mentoring Elba
• Bank of America
• Speaker for Schools
• Place2Be
• Jack Petchey

We always welcome the opportunity to develop new partnerships to add to our existing partnerships. If you are an employer, apprenticeship provider, university, higher education provider, a parent or alumni and would like to arrange to come in to deliver careers related talks to our students, please contact Ms Holme (school@thelammas.com).

A number of events, integrated into the school careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to students and/or their parents/carers

We are keen to gain feedback from a range of stakeholders including parents, students, teachers and employers. If you would like to give us feedback about our careers programme, please get in touch using the email above.

If interested in working with young people please see the Careers & Enterprise Company’s Resources for Employers, which helps employers to effectively support students with experiences of the workplace.

If you are interested in talking to our students, please contact Ms Holme (school@thelammas.com).

Useful Websites for Students and Parents:

Students

Students can independently research their careers education and work experience opportunities. See below some useful additional websites to support you with careers guidance.

• www.unifrog.org

• Please watch the launch video for your key stage, which will give you information on how to activate your Unifrog account:
  • KS3 launch
  • KS4 launch
  • KS5 launch

• Find an apprenticeship
• National Careers Service
• Rate My Apprenticeship
• Careerpilot

Parents

Parents are key influencers in ensuring students have the correct careers guidance. See below some useful additional websites to support your child with Higher Education and careers provision.

• The Parents’ Guide To…
• The Parents’ Guide: Your Teen – Things they can and can’t control
• The Parents’ Guide to Personal Statements
• The Complete University Guide
• Careers advice, discovery and exploration | Plotr careers love 
• Careermag – Parents
• Careers Advice, Choices & Ideas – Find Your Dream Job!
• Apprenticeships – GOV.UK
• Not Going to Uni
• Russell Group: The Leading 24 UK Universities
• Russell Group Informed Choices for Post-16 Education Guide
• Volunteering England
• Find Foundation Degrees
• UK Course Finder
• University and College Open Days
• UCAS
• UCAS Student Finance Guide for Parents 
• Parent Guide to UCAS
• NHS Careers
• Careers Advice for Parents

Wider Resources

The resources below give guidance on Careers in the curriculum:

• Where can Subjects take you
• Apprenticeships Teacher Guide
• CDI Framework
• Careers in the Curriculum
• Gatsby Good Careers Guidance
• T-Levels – Alternative to A Levels
• T-Levels: What’s Available
• Traineeships
• Creative Degrees
• Medical Degrees
• Oxbridge Applications