Careers Hub

How do we measure and assess the impact of the careers programme?

At Bramcote College we use the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks and the Careers Development Institute framework as a foundation when planning our careers programme.

The effectiveness of our provision is reviewed by the Careers and Enterprise Company using the Compass Plus online evaluation tool. This tool is used by schools and colleges in England to support the analysis and evaluation of careers activity against the eight benchmarks of best practice. It ensures that the development of our careers strategy is ongoing. We will benchmark our schools against the Gatsby Benchmarks once per term.

In line with the recommendations set out in Gatsby Benchmark 1, we plan to review the published information on an annual basis, inviting feedback from key audiences in our stakeholder evaluation group. Bramcote College will also be holding an annual Future Skills Questionnaire with the students during their transition years so that the programme has a youth voice.

Why we evaluate This careers programme is evaluated every year to assess its efficacy and areas for improvement.

How we evaluate Key stakeholders (students, parents, teachers and employers) provide feedback on their participation in activities via questionnaires, surveys and focus groups throughout the year. We use the evidence collected to inform continuous improvement of the programme. We also use the input of our Enterprise advisor and Careers Adviser to inform our evaluation.

What we evaluate Stakeholder Feedback – We review samples of stakeholder feedback collected using various methods after activities, events and experiences.

Implementation – We review what was actually delivered against the programme of planned activity and how well it went. Impact – We measure key performance indicators linked directly to our vision and desired outcomes for our students.

 

Introduction

This policy statement sets out Bramcote College’s arrangements for managing the access of education and training providers to pupils for the purpose of informing them about the provider’s offer. It complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997 and the updated Provider Access Legislation (PAL).

Pupil Entitlement

All pupils in Years 7 to 13 are entitled to:

· Learn about technical education qualifications and apprenticeship opportunities as part of a careers programme that informs them of all available education and training options at each transition point.

· Hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships, through events such as assemblies, group discussions, and taster sessions.

· Understand how to apply for academic and technical courses.

Management of Provider Access Requests

Providers wishing to request access should contact our Careers Team: Jacqui Banger and Maria Whiteley on 0115 916 8900

Opportunities for Access

A number of events are integrated into the school’s careers programme, offering providers opportunities to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers. These include:

· KS3 and KS4 Options Evenings

· Careers Fairs

· Assemblies and Workshops

· Sixth Form Open Events

· Apprenticeship and University Talks

Monitoring and Review

This policy is reviewed annually by the Assistant Headteacher in charge of Careers and the Senior Leadership Team.

Premises and facilities

The school will make the main hall or classrooms available for discussions between the provider and pupils, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available AV equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team.

Meaningful online engagement is also an option, and we are open to providers that are able to provide live online engagement with our pupils.

Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature at the reception to be available for pupils in the Library. The Library is available to all pupils at lunch and break times.

Complaints:

Any complaints with regards to provider access can be raised following the school complaints procedure.

Next Review – 1st January 2027

 

Careers At Bramcote College

Welcome!

Whether you already know what you want to do in the future or you're still figuring it out—that’s absolutely fine. At Bramcote College, we’re here to help you explore your options and make confident, informed choices about your next steps.

Our careers programme supports you from Year 7 all the way through to Year 13. It’s designed to help you understand the wide range of opportunities available after school, and to prepare you for life beyond the classroom.

What We Offer:

· For younger students, our personal development and tutor sessions introduce different career paths and help you start thinking about your future.

· As you move through school, we provide up-to-date information about post-16 options like college courses, apprenticeships and open days.

· In the Sixth Form, we support you with university applications, employment routes, gap years and other post-18 choices.

We aim to deliver a careers programme that:

· Raises aspirations and inspires ambition

· Builds key employability skills

· Supports your personal and economic wellbeing—now and in the future

Careers Overview

Below is a summary of the careers provision at Bramcote College. This is always evolving as new opportunities arise, and we’re committed to continually improving what we offer.

Unifrog – Your Careers Companion

Unifrog is an award-winning online platform that helps you explore your interests, discover career options, and plan your next steps after school—all in one place.

At Bramcote College, every student has access to Unifrog. Whether you're in Year 7 just starting to think about your future, or in Sixth Form preparing for university or apprenticeships, Unifrog supports you every step of the way.

What Can You Do on Unifrog?

• Find out what suits you
  Take quizzes to learn more about your personality, skills, and the types of careers that might suit you.
• Explore career ideas
  Browse over 900 career profiles, watch webinars, and discover wider reading to help you learn more about different jobs.
• Keep track of your achievements
  Record your extracurricular activities, skills, and experiences to help with future applications.
• Search for opportunities
  Look up university courses, apprenticeships, scholarships, and more—both in the UK and abroad.
• Get application-ready
  Use tools to write your personal statement, CV, and cover letters, with support and feedback from your teachers.

Unifrog is a powerful tool to help you make informed choices and feel confident about your future. You’ll use it more and more as you move through school—so make the most of it!

Career Choices

There are a variety of educational routes available to you when you leave Bramcote College. Click below to find out more:

Apprenticeships Apprenticeships

T Levels  Skills for Life: it all starts with skills | Skills for Careers

Sixth form Colleges All schools and colleges in Nottinghamshire - Compare school and college performance data in England - GOV.UK

University University Rankings and League Tables 2026

Further Education: Where can you study locally when you finish Year 11?

  

Explore Different Types of Jobs

Knowing what you want to do in the future can make planning your next steps a lot easier—but it’s also totally okay if you’re still figuring things out!

To help you (and your parents or carers) learn more about the wide range of jobs out there, we’ve put together a list of useful websites. These sites can help you explore different careers, find out what skills are needed, and see what kind of qualifications or experience you might need.

Click the logos below to visit each site and start exploring!

      

 

"80.75% of students say their parents help them to make key careers decisions."

This section of the Bramcote College website is aimed at helping parents and carers source information to help support young people in their future decisions. Below you will find three helpful sections; information about education options, types of jobs and local opportunities.

“80.75% of students say their parents help them to make key careers decisions“

Unifrog

Unifrog is an award-winning online platform designed to help students explore their interests, discover career pathways, and successfully plan their next steps after school. Whether your child is considering university, apprenticeships, or other opportunities, Unifrog brings everything together in one easy-to-use place. Students can research courses, compare universities, find live apprenticeship vacancies, and build key application materials like personal statements and CVs.

As a parent, you can also get involved by completing your own research using the mirrored Unifrog parent account or with your child review the materials available in their Unifrog account. Unifrog empowers students to make informed decisions and helps families work together to plan for a successful future.

Talking Futures provide free resources, activities, and practical guidance to help you support your child’s careers and education choices. 

Education Options

There are a variety of educational routes available to students when they leave Bramcote College. Click each button below to find out more:

• Apprenticeships
• T Levels
• Sixth Forms and Colleges
• University

Further Education: Where can students study locally when they finish Year 11?

Local businesses – we need your expertise!

At Bramcote College we are busy growing your employees of the future.  We need your help to raise their career aspirations, develop their employability skills and learn more about the exciting industries in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

If you want to inspire our students, we are open for business!

Please get in touch!

Please feel free to contact our Careers Team – Jacqui Banger and Maria Whiteley by phoning school on 01159168900 or contacting maria.whiteley@whptrust.org 

Leave us an email and we’ll be in touch directly to talk about how you can make a difference in our school.  Being part of our business support network will provide you moments of great satisfaction but striving to make a difference can also be an exciting challenge!  Having employers like you helping to inspire young minds and transform attitudes through a range of activities and opportunities is the foundation of an excellent careers programme as set out by the Gatsby Foundation’s eight Benchmarks of good practice and the Careers and Enterprise Company. 

Bramcote College has the benefit of a local business volunteer who works with us on a strategic level, encouraging the development of our careers programme and connecting us to the business community across the county.  This role is recognised nationally as an Enterprise Adviser (EA) and they are part of the Careers Hub community of support driving the connection between careers education and the business sector. 

Ways to support:

• Be part of our Mock Interviews with Year 10 or 11 students and help them structure their CVs.
• Give an inspiring talk based on your industry or job role.
• Run a hands-on workshop with activities relating to your area of expertise.
• Be part of our discussions about pathways e.g., apprenticeships.
• Help champion specific issues and challenge barriers in the workplace around gender stereotyping, disability, etc.
• Help bring a subject lesson to life by linking it to your industry.
• Offer a work experience placement for students at your business premises.
• Become an ambassador supporting employment routes for young people with special educational needs and disabilities and offer a work experience placement that is co-supported by the school.
• Provide a Supported Internship opportunity.

What to expect:

By getting involved you will not only be supporting future workforce development and helping to broaden the minds of the young people but you will also be developing new skills for your staff, forging community links and building a positive profile for your company.  Our Careers Leader will:

• Be your main point of contact for all enquiries.
• Organise pre-meets/discussions/information for activities you sign up to.
• Provide you details of the local arrangements including parking, facilities and our safeguarding policy.
• With your permission, add you to our network and keep you up to date with future activities.

Why work with Bramcote College? 

Working in collaboration with Bramcote College offers a valuable opportunity for businesses and students alike. Businesses benefit from positive publicity and the chance to engage directly with the next generation of talent, gaining fresh insights into young people's aspirations, skills, and perspectives. These partnerships also provide meaningful professional development for staff, who can take on mentoring, coaching, or presenting roles that enhance their communication and leadership skills. For students, such interactions foster employability skills, broaden their understanding of the world of work, and inspire future career pathways. Together, we build a stronger bridge between education and industry. 

Case study – Business Department works with Barron McCann 

We are endeavouring to build links with local businesses in order to develop our careers programme. If you believe you might be able to support a particular curriculum area please contact Jacqui Banger or Maria Whiteley.  Below is an example of a recent project with Barron McCann  

In an exciting opportunity to bring their classroom learning to life, our Year 10 GCSE Business students recently visited Barron McCann in Derby, where they worked closely with staff and their partners on a real-world business project. 

The focus of the project was to investigate the feasibility of integrating electric vehicle charging points into a new school building development. Students began by conducting market research to explore demand and growth in the electric vehicle sector, applying key business concepts such as market trends, sustainability, and customer needs. 

As part of the experience, students toured the Barron McCann headquarters, where they gained valuable insights into the company’s operations and had the chance to speak with both hardware and software partners. These conversations gave students a deeper understanding of how different departments collaborate and how technology plays a vital role in modern business. 

A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to speak with staff about their career journeys, learning how they progressed through education and into their current roles. This gave students a real sense of the diverse pathways available in the business world. 

Back at school, students worked in teams to prepare and deliver a professional presentation of their findings and proposals. They presented to the Estates Manager of the White Hills Park Trust and staff from Barron McCann, receiving constructive feedback on their presentation skills and content. 

The trip was a fantastic experience that gave students a taste of working in a business environment and collaborating with multiple stakeholders. It also helped them develop key employability skills such as communication, teamwork, and critical thinking. 

Well done to all the students involved for their enthusiasm, professionalism, and creativity throughout the project! 

“We were hugely impressed with their enthusiasm and imagination, and we’re confident that many of them will go on to become future leaders in sustainability and innovation." 

“At Barron McCann, we believe that meaningful partnerships like this one not only benefit the students involved but also strengthen our own commitment to corporate social responsibility. We look forward to continuing our support for initiatives that foster environmental awareness and inspire long-term, positive change.” 

Click here to find out more about the project.