Students – Click here for Careers Guidance Referral Form – Parents/Carers – Click here for a Careers Guidance Referral Form
National Careers Week – 2nd – 7th March 2026 – Click here for more information
At Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School we have set ourselves an aim of achieving “Success with Care”. A young person’s career is their pathway through learning and work. All young people need a planned programme of activities to help them make well informed and realistic decisions; and plan their careers; both in school and after they leave. The 2011 Education Act places a duty on schools to provide students in Years 7-11 access to careers education, information and guidance. Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School endeavours to extend this guidance to Years 12-13.
Under the Education Act 2011, CEIAG must be impartial, and provided by a skilled professional who is not employed by the school. This is further reinforced in the statutory guidance laid out in “Careers Guidance and Access for Educations and Training Providers”.
The school is committed to providing a planned programme of careers education, information and guidance for all students in Years 7 -13 in partnership with external providers. This encompasses curriculum provision, PL for staff, Information provision, funding and management of the provision.
Click here to go to the Entitlement Statement
Click here to go to the Access Statement
Click here to go to the Provider Information
Click here for details about T Levels
Click here for Advice and Guidance
Click here to find out where you can get help in school
Policies and Procedures
Entitlement Statement
As a school we have a statutory and moral duty to provide students in Years 8 to 13 with careers education, information, advice and guidance. This is extended in Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School to include Year 7. Our careers strategy is now mapped against the eight Gatsby Career Benchmarks of,
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking curriculum learning to careers – delivered in all subject areas throughout the Key Stages and subjects within the taught, and wider curriculum.
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
which outlines what good careers guidance looks like.
The Careers Professionals in School are Mr K Pickles Assistant Headteacher, who is the lead careers professional in school (RCDP) and Mr R Jones is the Independent careers advisors in school (RCDP), Both are RCDP Registered Careers Development Professionals holding careers guidance qualifications. Mr Jones is from Progress Careers, please see their website here for more information and careers guidance.
Guidance takes place within the curriculum and with one to one interviews. Please liaise with Mr K Pickles regarding your child’s interview. Interview slots are communicated via your child’s mentor although we actively encourage parental / carer involvement in this process.
You are entitled to;
- clear advice and information about ALL the options available, so that you understand what they involve
- support and guidance to help you make choices and complete a career plan for the future
- regular personal support on information on how well you are doing
- help to decide what to do when you leave your course, including further learning, training and employment
- a programme of careers education helping you develop skills and knowledge to make choices and the transition to work and learning
- the opportunity to be involved in making decisions about things that effect your learning
- an opportunity to set out an individual learning plan, and
- an opportunity to learn about the world of work
Table to show Gatsby Benchmark Achievements
Careers preparation, called Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is taught to all years within the school. As a snapshot of the curriculum, the main elements are:
Year 7
Students receive a taught module within our Enrichment Curriculum, RE and drama lessons regarding self-awareness and Careers information matching. CEIAG supports access to information and advice from an earlier age, enabling better informed decisions at transition stages. Careers work can also be seen to raise aspirations and improve motivation to participate in education or training as a life long development.
Year 8
A Spiral Curriculum continues after Year 7 and is extended to the matching of Careers information to personal strengths, skills and attributes in making realistic and well informed decisions about future careers, courses and pathways. CEIAG supports access to information and advice from an earlier age, enabling better informed decisions at transition stages. Careers work can also be seen to raise aspirations and improve motivation to participate in education or training as a life long development.
Year 9
In Year 9, this continues to be developed into Options post Key Stage 4 are explored, and the Year 8 work on self-awareness and decision making is developed. Skills for employment and financial capability are added to the curriculum so that economic awareness is developed.
Year 10
We begin to explore Sixth Form options and interview skills. Work Related Learning also starts as students complete work experience. Work related skills alongside financial and economic competency are further developed.
Year 11
Apprenticeships and Sixth Form options are further explored, as are interview techniques and decision making. Awareness of the options available is a key area of study, as students begin to apply via the Common Application form. Work related skills alongside financial and economic competency are further developed.
Sixth Form
UCAS preparation is one core aspect of the pastoral support programme, as is interview techniques, job seeking and apprenticeship sessions. All none university options are also explored.
Access Statement
We welcome external training and education providers.
Please see the below Access Statement.
Provider Information
University Expo – Click here to visit the online university fair
Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme Degree Pathways
Chesterfield College Open Days
Interested in a career in the NHS?
Click here to find out more about a career as an Allied Health Professional
Unifrog Student Ambassador Fair (vfairs.com)
T Levels
T Level qualifications are a new suite of opportunities that may be of interest to your child.
For more information please look at ‘Get the Jump’ Skills for Life content hub on the National Career Service website.
Advice and Guidance
Newsletters and Booklets
Guidance Software
Transition & Next Steps
Subject Related Jobs
Where can I get help in school?
- Mr R Jones provides impartial advice to students and parents
- School Staff and Mentors
- School Digital Resources in the Careers IAG Advice area of the website
- The Careers Library based in the LRC
Careers Lessons
Students receive a full curriculum of Careers lessons from Year 7 to 13. These take place in formal lessons, drop down days, specialist input and cross-curriculum approaches:
- Enrichment day programmes
- Mentor time
- Careers convention and interview days
- Work experience
- STEM lessons
- Futures lessons – Sixth Form
- Social Studies / Lifeskills lessons – Years 10/11
Chesterfield College, Sheffield College and apprenticeship providers attend school regularly for both lesson and lunchtime drop in sessions.
Careers Interviews
The school operates an impartial careers service with Progress Careers. Mr Jones visits school on two days each week to offer unbiased and impartial careers advice to students.
Students are invited for interview, but can also request support via: Careers Guidance Referral Form – Student referral. (office.com)
Parents are welcome to attend the interview by arrangement.
Year 11 Trial Interview Day: October
Trial Interview days are held in Term 1 each year for Year 11 students and are designed to allow students to experience the process from application form to interview, followed by feedback. Students experience a real job interview by guests from our employment community.
Careers Convention: November (full day event) / March (evening event)
Each year we hold two highly successful careers conventions. These allow students to access a wide range of impartial careers advice from universities, employers, training providers, colleges and apprenticeships in industry. Parents are welcome to attend.
Click Here to see photos from our recent Careers Convention
Click Here to see information about how we celebrated National Careers Week 2022
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships are a valid choice after Year 11 and 13 for many students. We therefore allow open access to a wide range of apprenticeship and training providers so that our students are fully informed of the full range of opportunities available to them. The Careers area of our website and notice boards publicise vacancies, and students who are identified as being interested in such a pathway take part in a special forum supporting their applications. Click here to find out more about apprenticeships.
University Application
Our curriculum and assembly structure advises students on the application process and their options. Resources are available in the LRC, on the website, and via open evenings and careers conventions. Mr R Jones, our independent careers advisor, provides individual guidance based on student needs, our Sixth Form Team provide impartial advice led by a students’ individual needs, and a UCAS consultant assists students in writing their application statements alongside our Academic Mentor team.
Qualifications Explained
What different qualifications mean
Local Colleges
University Information
The University of Sheffield Subject Tasters
https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/
Data and Statistics
Labour Market – Key Facts for Derbyshire
Office for National Statistics – Labour Market Overview
Explore Labour Market Information
Email Us
Questions ? Need Help ?
Request an Interview
careers@dhfs.uk
Please note this information is reviewed on a termly basis.
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