• Mrs Appleby is our school careers leader; located in the careers office within the library. Call in to ask questions or pick up information.
• Mr Crook is our school careers adviser - ask Mrs Appleby to book you an appointment if you wish to speak to him.
• The ‘Careers’ folder on the student IT site has a range of career-related information.
• Check your emails, our school App, display boards and digital display for regular career-related news and updates.
• Your Unifrog account: Sign In - Unifrog can be used at home and in school. It gives access to a huge amount of career information as well as personal
• GMACS | Inspire, Explore, Apply | The Greater Manchester Apprenticeship & Careers Service website is great for local careers information.
• Beeline | GMACS Beeline is an online tool to give you a clear line of sight through various pathways into high-quality jobs within Greater Manchester.

The Gatsby Benchmarks are a guide to help schools and colleges give you the best careers advice and support. They make sure you get the right information, experiences, and guidance to help you plan your future with confidence.

There are eight benchmarks that shape a great careers programme. Our school follows these benchmarks, so you have every chance to explore your options and feel informed and empowered to make ambitious future choices.

The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks:

1. A Stable Careers Program: A clear and ongoing careers programme that everyone knows about, including students, teachers, parents, and employers.

2. Learn from Career and Labour Market Information: Have access to reliable information about different careers, industries, and the jobs that are available, as well as the skills and qualifications needed for them.

3. Addressing the Needs of Each Student: School should understand your individual needs and provide tailored support and guidance to help you explore your options.

4. Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers: Teachers should help you see how what you're learning in your classes relates to different careers and industries.

5. Encounters with Employers and Employees: You should have opportunities to meet people who work in different industry sectors and learn about their experiences.

6. Experiences of Workplaces: You should have opportunities to visit workplaces and see what it's like to work in different environments.

7. Encounters with Further and Higher Education: You should be made aware of the different paths you can take after school, including further education, higher education, and apprenticeships.

8. Personal Guidance: You should have access to one-on-one guidance from a careers advisor to help you explore your options and make informed decisions. 

How West Hill School will meet those expectations

You can view our school Career Programme HERE

We aim to embed The Gatsby Benchmarks across the whole school curriculum in the following ways:

• A progressive programme of career lessons within the IDP timetable each school year.
• Form time activities, assemblies and talks.
• Career related learning within subject lessons.
• Career related trips and events.
• Access to UNIFROG - your personal online career learning and information platform.
• College Taster Days (Y10).
• Experiences of workplace.

Careers and our core values

In line with our school core values, and to gain the most from our careers programme, we expect students to be:

Ready

Readiness involves being open to learning about pathways, labour markets and new and emerging careers.

Develop skills for the future by taking part in skills-building activities, such as student leadership posts, teamwork exercises, co-curricular activities or volunteer opportunities. This helps you prepare for the challenges and demands of the workforce.

Respectful

During career lessons, talks, workshops, or industry visits, show the best version of you, ask insightful questions, and appreciate the knowledge shared by professionals and role models.

Recognise and value the diverse range of career paths and opportunities available. Engage in as many activities to discover different career ideas as you can.

Responsible

Take ownership of your career exploration, such as completing the action points discussed with your career adviser, using your Unifrog account to research potential career paths, attending college open events and reflecting on your skills and interests.

Set career goals. Make intentional decisions about your subject option choices, extracurricular activities, work experience placements and college Taster Days that align with your future aspirations.

West Hill School uses the services of Tameside Careers Service, a team of qualified professional Careers Advisers dedicated to help you make informed decisions about your future.

Personal careers meetings are an opportunity for you to explore potential career paths, a chance to ask questions and get expert advice about the pathway that suits you best.

In school, all KS4 students will have a careers meeting between January of Year 10 and December of Year 11. Targeted students will have career advice meetings at key points during KS3. All students can request a careers meeting at any time.

The confidential meetings take place in the careers meeting room (far end of the library).

During the meeting, the careers adviser will discuss your current subjects and skills, ask about your future aspirations, and help you identify areas you may want to explore further. Some questions you may be asked include:

• What subjects do you enjoy most?
• What activities or hobbies do you enjoy?
• Are there any careers you’re already interested in?
• What do you see yourself doing in the future?
• What strengths and skills do you think you have?

You can also ask the adviser questions such as:

• What subjects or qualifications are needed for different careers?
• How can I explore more about potential career options?
• What steps should I take to prepare for my future after school?

After the meeting, the careers adviser will create a personal Career Progression Plan that will be sent to your school email account. It acts as a record of the meeting; outlines actions required and directs you to further information and resources.

The aim of the meeting and written career progression plan is to make sure you feel supported and have the information you need to make ambitious decisions for your future.

This video clip from a similar career advice provider explains what to expect from a careers meeting:

What are school careers meetings like?

 

Labour Market Information (LMI) is a useful tool to help research future jobs in the local area, understand the skills needed for certain roles and the demand for future employment, so that students can make informed decisions about their future careers, education, and the skills they need to develop.

Labour Market Information includes:

• Job details: Descriptions of various careers, tasks involved, and typical working hours.
• Skill requirements: The qualifications, skills, and qualities employers are looking for in different sectors.
• Salary and progression: Information on salary ranges and potential career advancement opportunities.
• Job market trends: Data on job availability, growth sectors, and areas in decline, both nationally and locally.
• Local context: Specific information about the job market in your local area, including top employers and skills shortages.
• Career pathways: How to enter a specific career and the educational or training routes to get there.

How to use LMI:

• Make informed choices: Use the data to help you choose a career path that aligns with job opportunities and your interests.
• Plan for the future: Understand what skills to develop now to be more competitive in the job market later.
• Strengthen applications: Use the detailed job information to tailor your CV and job applications.
• Explore different sectors: Discover new career paths and industries you may not have previously considered.

Where to find LMI:

In school:

• ‘Job of the Week’, shared in Form time, includes Labour Market Information: MYPATH - YouTube
• Unifrog – your personal account gives access to a wide range of information by career area or by skill.

Local labour Market information for Greater Manchester:

• GMACS | Inspire, Explore, Apply | The Greater Manchester Apprenticeship & Careers Service website
• Beeline | GMACS puts you on the path to all the great job opportunities right here in Greater Manchester.
• Regular reports produced by Greater Manchester Combined Authority for example GM Sector Insights Pack - Spring 2025

National labour market information:

• National Careers Service
• Prospects | Job & Course Search | Career & University Advice

Further information is available from your Unifrog account. 

To summarise your options

Post-14 options - Choosing your options

Towards the end of Year 9, you will choose the subjects you want to study in Key Stage 4 alongside the core subjects of English, Maths and Science.

West Hill School wants you to be ambitious in your choices.

We have a comprehensive Pathways programme in school that supports you in your decision-making.

You can find out more on our Pathways page.

It’s important to choose subjects carefully as they may impact on choices in your future.

You may be given an appointment to discuss your options with our school careers adviser. You can request a personal appointment to see our school careers adviser at any time or call into the career’s office for an informal chat.

Post-16 options - What comes after West Hill?

After leaving school, young people are required to continue in education or training until the age of 18. There are a variety of pathways to consider, so it’s important to find the option that best aligns with your interests, strengths, and future career goals.

Some pathways offer flexibility by allowing you to study a broad range of subjects, while others focus on practical, work-related skills. Be sure to research the qualifications required for the career you want to pursue, so you can make an informed decision.

Our school careers programme from Year 7 to Year 11 is designed to give you the information, experiences and skills to enable you to make ambitious choices for your future beyond West Hill.

During the first term of Year 11 (September – December), you will be encouraged to attend college open events and complete college applications. From January through to the summer of Year 11, you will be supported to apply for Apprenticeships if that is your preferred pathway.

You can find out more here:

If you are thinking of going to university, you need to consider your KS5 pathway.  Some university courses have specific entry requirements, so you need to do your research to ensure that your decision-making in Year 11 allows you to progress to your chosen university or degree.  The links below will help you to make those informed decisions.

UCAS supports young people making post-16 choices, as well as those applying for undergraduate courses.     

The Russell Group is a collection of the twenty-four highest ranking universities in the UK.  They maintain the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience, and unrivalled links with local and national business and the public sector.

Post 18 options: What are my Higher Education options?

Once you turn 18, you can: 

• apply for further study and continue education part-time or full-time.
• start a full-time job, apprenticeship, internship or training
• take a gap year or volunteer to develop yourself and your skills.

If you decide you’d like to continue in education, you have a wide choice of courses you can take, such as an undergraduate degree or a higher technical qualification.

Greater Manchester Higher has a range of resources to support students to continue learning beyond 18.

UCAS and The Russell Group support students applying for undergraduate courses.

Higher & Degree Apprenticeships | Amazing Apprenticeships have a range of resources to support students with apprenticeships beyond 18.

National Careers Service can support with Skills for employment and exploring career sectors.

General career information:

www.Unifrog.co.uk

www.GMACS.co.uk

www.nationalcareerservice.co.uk

www.amazingapprenticeships.co.uk

www.unitasterdays.com

www.gmhigher.ac.uk

www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

 

Local Colleges: