Teacher Zone
Integrating career-related learning can make the curriculum more relevant and engaging for students, helping them understand how their studies connect to future careers and the real world. This approach can also broaden their aspirations and empower them to navigate the evolving workforce.
With the updates to the Gatsby Benchmarks coming in to operation from September 2025 the expectations are that careers is key element that runs throughout the core of the school and all subject areas.
Here you will find a range of resources to help you integrate careers learning in to your teaching practice.
Videos
Videos are a great way to introduce careers into your teaching. Here are a selection of links that include a range of videos which can be used to learn more about different jobs from real people within the industry as well as some great lesson introductions which can help contextualised learning.
- Maths: MYPATH Maths Why Bother https://www.mypathcareersuk.com/maths-why-bother
Shows students the link between maths and the wider world of work.
- English: MYPATH English Why Bother https://www.mypathcareersuk.com/english-why-bother
Shows students the link between English and the wider world of work.
- Science: MYPATH Science Why Bother https://www.mypathcareersuk.com/science-why-bother
Shows students the link between Science and the wider world of work.
- BBC Bitesize: Jobs that use…. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/cpw27rkvq6pt
Explore different job profiles related to a range of subject areas.
- BBC Bitesize: Careers in …. https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/groups/cpw27rkdkkyt
Range of videos from people working in different job sectors.
- icould: https://icould.com/explore/
Real life insights in to jobs and career paths.
- Careers & Enterprise Company: https://primaryplatform.careersandenterprise.co.uk/resources/videos-children-interviewing-professionals
Great short videos where children interview diverse young professionals about their jobs, challenges and aspirations.
Posters & Visual Images
Posters and visual images are a great way to promote careers in different subjects. They can visually represent career paths and possibilities associated with different subjects.
Here are a selection of posters that you can download, print and use as noticeboard displays or to place in subject folders.
Subject Posters
Click here for more informationSector Posters
Click here for more informationGreen Sector Posters
Click here for more informationApprenticeships
Click here for more informationP16 Options Posters
Click here for more informationDifferent Levels of Study
Click here for more informationEncounters with Employers
It is very important for students to have encounters with employers. These interactions provide valuable insights into the working world, help students explore career options, and can improve their academic performance and future career prospects.
The expectation is that students should have regular “meaningful” encounters with employers every year throughout key stages 3 and 4. These encounters could include guest speakers coming into school, virtual online encounters or visits to the workplace.
The term “meaningful” is very important. A meaningful encounter with an employer is:
- Planned with clear purpose and objectives that are understood by the employer and the young person.
- Provides the young person with information about the different job opportunities, skills, qualities, and qualifications valued in the workplace, as well as recruitment processes.
- Provides opportunities for two-way interactions between the employer and young person.
- Students are able to reflect on what they have learnt from the encounter.
This set of documents will help you set up meaningful encounters with employers as well as gain student and employer feedback.
Encounters with Employers Student Evaluation
Click here for more informationEncounters with Employers Employer Evaluation
Click here for more informationEncounters with Employers Planning Document
Click here for more informationLearning from Career & Labour Market Information (LMI)
Staff working with students should have access to good quality, up-to-date information about future pathways, study options and labour market opportunities, which in turn can help students make informed decisions about their next steps.
Labour market information is essentially accessing key information such as the number of people in certain jobs, which industries are recruiting, skills and qualities employers are looking for, salaries that different jobs have to offer and growing/declining job areas and employment trends.
There are various websites and resources that you can use to access up-to-date LMI that are student-friendly and easy to follow.
Career Pilot
Click here for more informationNational Careers Service
Click here for more informationLMI Posters & Information for Different Job Sectors in Cornwall
Click here for more informationPost-16 Education and Training
The thought of leaving school can sometimes be daunting for a young person. It is important for you to be aware of the range of post-16 options that are available to our children when they leave Oak Tree School.
When a child leaves school, there are three main pathways that they could choose to take. These may include:
- Staying in full-time education: This may include going to college to study courses such as vocational courses (BTECs), A-Levels, T-Levels or for those with additional needs, Foundation Learning provisions.
There are, however, alternatives to mainstream colleges such as Cornwall College and Truro & Penwith that still offer full-time education courses but are more specialist to meet the needs of learners with SEND. These could include provisions such as United Response and Access Training, to name but a few.
- Starting an apprenticeship: Apprenticeships are a great way to combine work with training and study. You can earn a wage whilst gaining skills and experience on the job, whilst studying at a training centre or college. Typically, when you do an apprenticeship, you would be working four days a week with one day per week attending the training centre or college.
- Employment with part-time education or training: A young person can leave school at 16 and go straight into employment. However, there is a catch. Even after leaving school at 16, a young person is legally required to participate in some sort of education and training until they are 18. It is also worth noting that if a young person is under 18, there are restrictions on the types of work they can do.
Here are some links that you may find helpful when exploring post-16 options with the children.