Making the right decisions about which courses to study and what careers students are aiming for, can have a big impact on their future.

At Lealands we know it is vital students are offered impartial advice, information and guidance to help them make well informed decisions about their career goals and choices.

We have fully established links with colleges, local training providers, school sixth forms and employers ensuring students have the information needed to make informed decisions.

Key stage 3

This stage of education opens up many opportunities to ask questions about future careers plans.

Understanding the importance of team work, personal presentation, good literacy and numeracy skills as well as trying to develop self-belief and ambition is important. Students are encouraged to do this through CITRS, subject lessons and through tutor time to explore career opportunities.

We inform students about the skills and qualities that are needed for different careers. This helps students to make decisions about which subjects to choose for their GCSE options.

Knowing their strengths and having an understanding of the world of work will give them a head start.

Key stage 4

All students in Year 10 and 11 are provided with an appointment to attend a careers interview to discuss options and support them with planning their nest stage of learning.

Other events for Year 10 and 11 include:

• Practice Interviews
• Careers Fair (in School)
• Assemblies from colleges and school sixth forms
• Work experience
• Support with writing CV’s and application forms.

Students also attend a variety of open days and taster sessions at colleges.

Lealands has a fully stocked careers section in the library (Learning Resource Centre).

To maintain quality and ensure compliance with the latest statutory advice, the careers programme will be reviewed annually and impact will be measured and evaluated. This will be done through destination data and analysis, student and staff surveys and reviewing the careers programme. 

Lealands' Careers Coordinator/Careers Leader, Miss Griffiths, is available in the Learning Resource Centre for students to contact. Parents may contact Miss Griffiths by telephoning the school on 01582 611600 or email admin@lealands.luton.sch.uk.

Lealands undertake a self assessment termly through the Gatsby benchmarks, We currently hold 7 out of the 8 benchmarks and hold 82% of the 8th benchmark.

The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are:

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

Our self assessment is validated by an external body - Complete Careers, they are Licensed Awarding Body for the Quality in Careers Standard, using the Career Mark method – the national careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) award.

Lealands was awarded Careers Mark in 2021, and we are due for renewal in May 2025. For this we are assessed against the components below:

• Management
  Measures the effectiveness of your systems for planning, managing and integrating CEIAG
• Careers Learning
  Measures how effectively your curriculum supports the development of learners’ knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes.
• Information
  Measures the accessibility, relevance, importance and effectiveness of information, the acquisition of skills to research and evaluate to be able to make well informed and realistic career decisions
• Advice, Guidance and Support
  Measures the effectiveness of an integrated programme of advice, guidance and support

And through the assessment day and speaking to learners:

• Learner Outcomes
  This is where your assessor on the Assessment Day evaluates learners’ knowledge, competence and attitudes towards career planning

For each standard there are a number of ‘assessment indicators’, which clearly present that standard in its component parts, making it easy for you to identify what’s required.