As a member of staff at Hexham Middle School (teacher or support), you are in a privileged position to help influence and support the pupils. Although you may not be a qualified, independent careers advisor, you are able to provide information and advice based on your own experiences and the knowledge you have of the world of work.  We believe that you should be actively encouraged to help direct pupils in the right direction; this may be during opportune encounters or within planned curriculum time.  It is therefore vital that you have the most up-to-date information that will empower you to impart accurate, reliable and valid information to help pupils pursue possible destinations and make well-informed decisions. 

The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks 

Hexham Middle School is using The Gatsby Benchmarks to help inform their careers strategy and programme. 

  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

Labour Market Information (BM2)

Not-with-standing the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, the world of work is dynamic. The changing social, political and economic landscape means that staff should be conversant in accurate LMI for different industrial sectors. There are four specific growth areas for the north east region; advanced manufacturing, digital, energy and health and life sciences.  

To find out more about these sectors and the North East LEPs strategic economic plan click here.

Careers across the Curriculum (BM4)

Our Careers across the Curriculum plan is developing. We acknowledge that each department has the opportunity to expose pupils to careers in their curriculum intentions and planning.  There are many ways that staff can help support careers education, including; 

  • the strategic signposting of careers sectors and roles that specifically link with topics, themes or units of study being taught
  • the emphasis of employability skills (essential transferable skills) with long-term, medium term and short-term planning. This includes the schools broader engagement with Skills Builder that is delivered as part of the tutorial programme
  • getting involved in National Careers Week or establishing a careers focus when it most suits the curriculum planning 
  • establishing and creating engaging careers displays within your department or classroom areas
  • the organisation of employer engagement talks (face-to-face and virtual), activities and enrichment trips
  • the use of the CEC My Learning My Future Subject Resources 
  • the use of North East Ambition resources in subject planning

Personal Guidance (BM8)

If you feel one of your pupils needs more support with their next steps you can refer them to Sarah Sunderland, our in-school Careers Guidance Manager. Pupils are entitled to have access to independent careers guidance from year 7. Please click here to view the Education (Careers Guidance in Schools Bill).

Although Sarah Sunderland typically works with year 11 and Sixth Form students at Queen Elizabeth High School, please feel free to contact Paul Freeman-Myers (Careers Leader for Hadrian Learning Trust) for an initial discussion on justification for a referral. We accept that every learner at Hexham Middle School is unique; some pupils may require or desire a careers conversation at different times. 

Careerometer – LMI for All

By the time a pupil leaves Hexham Middle School they should now how to access the ‘Careerometer’, a widget to help find out more information about different careers and professions. This resource helps our learners to compare different careers based on factors such as salary/wage, roles and responsibilities and growth or decline statistics. 

Additional Websites and Resources