Careers and Enterprise
At HAB, we believe that a well-structured and highly effective programme of Careers and Education Guidance will play a key role in contributing to how the Academy prepares its young people for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life.
Education about careers pathways is aligned to the academy’s values of ambition, compassion and respect.
HAB students are always encouraged to be ambitious and set themselves audacious goals irrespective of their starting points and backgrounds. They are informed about the education, training and employment choices available to them. They learn how to identify the benefits of each choice, to recognise personal barriers, and to determine strategies to overcome these barriers. The school careers and curriculum entitlement support the development of the skills and knowledge that students need to realise their ambitions.
You can download our Careers and Education Guidance Policy from our Teaching and Learning page.
As part of their careers education, students also learn about prevailing stereotypes and inequalities that exist across different courses and jobs. They are encouraged to advocate for themselves and others, and to challenge practices that discriminate. As an Academy, we seek to engage with employers, and education and training providers who champion diversity and inclusion in their organisations, and to provide a diverse group of career role models as part of employer encounters and mentoring.
At HAB, all students receive tailored, confidential careers counselling from a highly qualified Careers Advisor. They also have the opportunity to better understand the labour market and prospects for career development in different sectors through careers’ encounters and as part of the PSHE Curriculum.
By the time students leave HAB, they will be well informed about a variety of qualifications, including those of a technical, vocational and academic nature and both University and Apprenticeship options.
Key contacts
Assistant Principal and Senior Careers Lead: Daisy Mercer daisy.mercer@harrisbermondsey.org.uk
HAB Careers Lead: Donna Donnelly donna.donnelly@harrisbermondsey.org.uk
Harris Federation Careers Advisor: Alishea Robinson alishea.robinson@harrisfederation.org.uk
Careers Governor: George Hudson
Useful links
nationalcareers.service.gov.uk. Government website detailing a range of support and activities available to support young people with options including GCSE, Post 16 /18, via email or telephone.
harriscareerseducation.org.uk. Being part of the Harris Federation means that our students get lots of opportunities to work with some very big companies. Visit the site to hear talks, look at job opportunities for degree apprenticeships and find out about sixth form.
apprenticeships.org.uk. All current apprenticeship vacancies can be found on this website. You can register and receive information on new vacancies as they arise - intermediate, advanced and higher level apprenticeships available
university.which.co.uk/advice/a-level-choices. Advice and guidance on A Level subject and course choice from Which? University. Find out the best A-Level options to take for your future career path.
ucas.com. One stop shop for all the information you need on university courses - eg full and part-time courses, entry requirements, how to apply, important dates to remember, an dclearing with links directly to university websites, and now Degree Apprenticeships and Higher Apprenticeships. This also has a parental section with really useful and relevant information.
informedchoices.ac.uk. Informed Choices brings together guidance from admissions teams at Russell Group universities to give pupils clear information about the subjects they should consider if they are hoping to progress to a competitive university.
notgoingtouni.co.uk. Other post-18 options available, including employment opportunities.
Provider Access Policy
The document Careers guidance and access for education and training providers (January 2023) sets out that:
The provider access legislation (occasionally referred to as the ‘Baker Clause’) requires all schools and academies to provide opportunities for a range of education and training providers to access all year 8 to 13 pupils to inform them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. Through the Skills and Post-16 Act 2022, the government has strengthened this legislation by introducing a minimum number of six provider encounters that every school must provide and, for the first time, introduces parameters around the duration and content of these encounters so that we can ensure they are of high quality.”
All maintained schools and academies must provide six encounters with a provider of technical education or apprenticeships for year 8 to 13 pupils. We have timed these six meetings to inform consideration of post-14, post-16 and post-18 options and progression to the next stage of education or training.
As a minimum, schools must offer:
- Two encounters for pupils during the ‘first key phase’ (year 8 or 9) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend, to take place any time during year 8 or between 1 September and 28 February during year 9.
- Two encounters for pupils during the ‘second key phase’ (year 10 or 11) that are mandatory for all pupils to attend, to take place any time during year 10 or between 1 September and 28 February during year 11.
- 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, to take place any time during year 12 or between 1 September and 28 February during year 13
The careers implementation strategy is integrated into students’ experience of the whole curriculum including subject based learning, the PSHE Curriculum, assemblies, enrichment and trips. The academy also plans and participates in events during National Careers Week and National Apprenticeships Week as a means of promoting different pathways to the student population.
The HAB Provider Access Policy can be found on our Teaching and Learning page.
Management of provider access requests
A provider wishing to request access should contact Daisy Mercer daisy.mercer@harrisbermondsey.org.uk, telephone: 0207 237 9316.
Visitor access
Visitor access will be granted in accordance with Academy procedures (see the Safeguarding Policy downloadable from our Safeguarding page).
