Careers
Sandringham School provides careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) to students at all stages of their school career.
It is our duty to ensure that students are fully prepared for their next stage of education, training and employment and are able to make fully informed choices about their next steps. We aim to ensure that all students have opportunities to develop their knowledge and access to a wide range of careers opportunities and are thus able to make informed choices about each step of their education and future career. We want every young person to find the very best destination and pathway for them.
The school is very committed to providing information about a wide range of providers at all transition stages and to ensuring a carefully sequenced careers curriculum through our Personal Development teaching programme. Our Extended Learning Days complement this offer, to ensure that we can bring in further educational providers and representatives from a wide range of sectors. We aim to amplify the vocational and technical career pathways alongside the higher education routes. the information on this page provides a summary of our careers programme, the programme is reviewed and updated in September every year. We are proud of all of the unique pathways that our students pursue!
The Careers Team
Careers Leader: Athina Pitsillis, Assistant Headteacher
Careers Coordinator: Carly Eady
Sixth Form Careers and Apprenticeship Coordinator: Vivienne Boost
Careers Governor: Luke Sieger
Our Careers Programme
Sandringham is committed to providing the highest quality careers provision and has ensured that the government’s required Gatsby Benchmarks are in place within our extensive careers programme. The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance are as follows:
- A stable careers programme
- Learning from career and labour market information
- Addressing the needs of each pupil
- Linking curriculum learning to careers
- Encounters with employers and employees
- Experiences of workplaces
- Encounters with further and higher education
- Personal guidance
A document outlining how we are meeting these benchmarks at Sandringham can be downloaded here:
Careers advice and guidance is offered from years 7 to 13. There are substantial events and opportunities planned for different year groups through the ELD programme, which include multiple opportunities for alternative providers to speak to students at key points. There is also clear exposure and advice on technical education and pathways at all key stages.The personal development curriculum has a unit on careers in all year groups which is carefully sequenced and ensures a regular and varied diet on many aspects on CEIAG and a focus on different career pathways. We measure and assess the impact of the careers programme using pupil surveys and feedback after events, reviews of the Personal Development curriculum and through a full analysis of destinations data for Year 11 and 13.
Careers advice and guidance is offered from years 7 to 13. There are substantial events and opportunities planned for different year groups through the ELD programme, which include multiple opportunities for alternative providers to speak to students at key points. There is also clear exposure and advice on technical education and pathways at all key stages. The personal development curriculum has a unit on careers in all year groups which is carefully sequenced and ensures a regular and varied diet on many aspects on CEIAG and a focus on different career pathways. We are always keen to invite providers of education and training routes into school to talk to our students, including FE colleges, other education providers and organisations offering apprenticeship and training opportunities, please contact Carly Eady eadyc@mysandstorm.org if you think you can offer this.
In addition, the school Learning Resource Centre holds a variety of resources for students to access, as well as online resources and there is access to personal guidance from an independent Services for Young People Careers Advisor.
Key activities taking place for each year groups are explained below:
Year 7
Work shadowing day
In Year 7, all students have the opportunity to spend a day shadowing a parent or family friend at work. This enables students to get a taste of the workplace and begin to consider the skills needed for work.
Year 8
Employer encounters
All students in Year 8 attend termly presentations from a range of employers across a variety of industry sectors where they hear more about the world of work and pathways to different careers. We work with a variety of local and national employers, from the NHS through to publishing companies and leading engineering companies.
Year 9
Careers Aspiration Event
All students in Year 9 engage in an event that focuses on their future career pathways. This includes meeting local employers and apprenticeship/training providers from a range of industries. Students are also supported to engage in their own careers research with a focus on the importance of choosing their KS4 options.
Year 9 into 10 Transition
As students select their options for GCSE, all Year 9 students are supported through a Year 9 into 10 Options Evening, one to one options personal guidance sessions and optional personal sessions with advisors from Services for Young People.
Year 10
University Aspiration Day
All Year 10 students experience a visit to the University of Hertfordshire in order to get a taste of university life. This includes a campus tour, sample course activities and opportunities to meet students and university staff.
Work Experience
All Year 10 students engage in work experience for a week during E Week. Students have scope to seek out their own placements or select those provided by our partners, Services for Young People. This is an excellent opportunity for students to engage in work, build their skills and consider their personal career pathway.
For more information please see here.
Year 11
‘You’re Hired’ Extended Learning Day
All Year 11 students take part in an Extended Learning Day focusing on building confidence on their chosen career pathway. Each student prepares their own CV, getting feedback from a professional. Students are given mock interviews by an employer and supported to reflect on this. Furthermore, they are given the opportunity to meet local colleges and to learn more about apprenticeships and career pathways.
Sixth Form and College Transition
All Year 11 students are supported as they make the transition beyond Year 11 to further education and training. All students receive one-to-one Sixth Form/College Options guidance sessions and are informed about multiple pathways, including technical and vocational options. Services for Young People provide information about college pathways at Year 11 events and students can opt for personal guidance meetings also.
Year 12
Work experience
In the Sixth Form, all students are supported to organise their own workplace visits in February. This plays a key role in their future applications to apprenticeships and universities.
Futures ELD
Year 12 students take part in a series of ‘Futures’ events including meeting representatives from universities, a range of careers and apprenticeship providers. Students learn about the UCAS application process in detail empowering them to make competitive applications. Students interested in applying for apprenticeships are provided with a bespoke programme of support and events to ensure they are successful in securing the very best places available. For students interested in applying for Oxbridge, Medicine or Veterinary Science, there is also a bespoke programme in place.
Year 13
Futures ELD
All students engage in an Extended Learning Day to seek advice and complete applications to the highest standard.
Apprenticeship and employment support
Students who are interested in applying for apprenticeships/ employment are supported in group sessions and in one-one-guidance with our Apprenticeship Champion, Mrs Boost.
Year 8 Careers Talk IT Customer Service Management
They were able to visit their curriculum areas of interest, watch a presentation about college life and a go on a campus tour. The photo shows a group visiting the Animal Care team. If you would like to find out more about Oaklands, please visit their website 
Sandringham is pleased to welcome Sarah Timberlake who will work alongside
For anyone interested in attending Oaklands College, there are open events at both campuses very soon in February. These events give students the chance to visit the campuses, learn more about the courses offered and to meet staff. Students need to check the list for their preferred subject areas prior to booking, as the two campuses will showcase different subjects.
Computacenter Apprenticeships
for more updates and anecdotes.
On Tuesday 1st November, the whole of year 8 were treated to a fantastic assembly by Louise Hardy, Non-Executive Director, Belfour Beatty about the various pathways into the engineering sector. Louise spoke about her 30 years of experience in engineering, how much she enjoys her role and the challenges she has faced.
session at
Another highlight of the day were the careers talks from employees. Students were treated to presentations by representatives of Google, Portland Design, Computacenter, Moody’s, Capcom, Vodafone, GSK, Amber Mountain Marketing, Bear and Urban Fruit, the Met Police, Amazon Web Services, Stephanie Belton Photography and a fantastic former journalist. We are extremely grateful for the time these representatives, some of whom are parents of students at this school, put into their presentations.
HOP have presented careers in Estate Agency, Hairdressing, the Police, Cyber Security and lots more. These are virtual sessions and therefore easy for students to access:
Springpod is a useful resource for students and is advertising numerous virtual work experience opportunities for the October half term week. Students can read about these opportunities and apply for free 
Twitter:
In May many students across years 10-12 took part in a Morrisby Assessment. This involves an online testing session, followed by a careers interview with a Morrisby Advisor. The Advisor reported that all of the students were stars and she very much enjoyed meeting them. We hope they found the sessions useful.
We would like to thank the year 10 parents for taking the time to work with us to find work experience placements for students in June. We look forward to hearing about their placements and speaking to the employers involved!
Students aged 15-18 interested in being a doctor of medicine might be interested in The Young Doctor Summer Experience. Information is offered here: 
Meet Nicky Honeywell
Post 16 Pathways
After Year 11, students have a range of options to consider and there are plenty of local providers providing a wealth of courses and opportunities in addition to Sandringham Sixth Form. The document below provides an indication of different destinations and options for students to fully consider. We invite local providers into school to work with students so that they can make informed decisions about what will suit them best.
