Please refer to this national website: https://www.careersandenterprise.co.uk/careers-leaders/gatsby-benchmarks/

The Gatsby Benchmarks are a renowned framework of 8 benchmarks that define what world-class careers provision in secondary education looks like. We are happy to celebrate with you that Aston Academy has scored 100% in 7 out of 8 categories and 91% in the eighth. We are delighted with this, as not all academies, by any means, score so highly.

Needless to say, we will be working hard this year to secure 100% on all 8 Benchmark criteria!

Careers Leadership action plan and summary

Accordion content 

Your Career, Your Future!

At Aston Academy, we are here to support you to start planning your career and future ahead! And we are here to support you through your learning journey from day one.

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

This section of our website is aimed at helping parents and carers source information to help support young people in their future decisions.

Types Of Jobs Students who have a vision of where they want to be in the future may find it easier to plan their next steps more easily. To help students and parents to get an idea of what types of jobs are out there we would suggest looking at a number of these websites:		Education Options There are a variety of educational routes available to students post 16. Click each link to find out more: Higher Education Apprenticeships Rotherham 6th Forms Rotherham Colleges Sheffield College Rotherham Training Providers
SEND There are a variety of educational routes available to students post 16. Click each link to find out more: Rotherham SEND Schools and Colleges Rotherham SENDIASS (Special Educational Needs and Disability Information, Advice and Support Service) Rotherham Council Website		Labour Market Information With developments in technology, there are now numerous jobs that did not exist 10 years ago. It is important to keep up to date with what is happening locally, nationally and internationally. Where do people work in Rotherham? Sources of Labour Market Information SY Shape Your Future Booklet

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.

Useful Websites

• Panjango online subject areas.
• Labour market information
• MYPATH Careers Resources (mypathcareersuk.com)
• Speakers for Schools
• My Learning My Future
• CEC Resource Directory (careersandenterprise.co.uk)
• Careerpilot : Jobs by subject

Careers Interviews

To book an appointment for student 1-1 Careers Interviews, please contact Mr. Shaw, Careers Advisor careers@astonacademy.org

We are delighted that all our students have the opportunity to experience the world of work through work shadowing and work experience in Y8, Y10 and Y12.  This provides our students with over two weeks’ worth of experience in the workplace. 

This valuable experience allows students to:
1. Gain a feel for a real working day.
2. Develop important life and communication skills.
3. Explore potential career interests.
4. Eliminate career paths that may not ultimately be suitable.

We hope that students will begin to understand what different roles involve and how the working world operates.

Year 10

Building upon the learning of students from Key Stage 3, our bespoke Key Stage 4 programme focuses on a deeper and more personalised preparation for the world of work. The Careers education in Key Stage 4 at Aston Academy incorporates a working understanding of the workplace, including how to create a good CV, how to prepare effectively for an interview, customer service skills and, in Year 10, an authentic week's experience of a local workplace.  We work with our business partner, Richard Jones, from B and E Together, to source personalised placements, which link directly to both student interest and aspiration. Richard is also charged with approving all associated liability and insurance issues.

Year 8

Year 8 Work Shadowing Day
As part of our commitment to preparing students for life beyond the classroom, we are excited to offer Year 8 students the opportunity to take part in a Work Shadowing Day.  The idea for the day is to visit the work place and shadow a family member or family friend.  This may not necessarily be in the career sector that the student wants to pursue but instead should focus on students understanding the world of work.  For example meeting new people, routines, daily tasks, timing of a work day etc.
 
Year 12

All our Y12 students have the opportunity to complete one week work experience in summer term Y12.  This provides students with an excellent opportunity to explore the world of work before fully deciding their next steps Post 18.  We can also be flexible to support students who would like to experience specific work placements that only offer opportunities outside our planned work experience week.  In these instances students should speak to the Post 16 team.

It’s free

The majority of virtual work experience placements are free, although some employers charge for the opportunity; working from home will also mean students will not incur any travel related costs.

Future proof

Remote working is likely to be important to many businesses in the future and learning how to conduct business and work online will develop extremely valuable skills for the modern workplace.

Enhancing Transferable skills

It’s not always easy working from home and taking part in virtual work experience placements will help students develop those soft skills that all employers are seeking, such as organisation, time-management and self-motivation.

Supports Knowing what’s right for you (or what isn’t)

Understanding what a job or a career entails might help students make decisions about whether or not that role is right for them in the future.

Useful Links:

The Parents’ guide to virtual work experience

A guide to the benefits of virtual work experience and a selection of employers that offer this.

Forage

Bite-sized 5 – 6 hour virtual work experience programs that give students a genuine career advantage with Fortune 500 companies

Barclays Life Skills

A comprehensive careers advisory platform including virtual work experience

Speakers for Schools

A charity which helps young people access high quality work experience to help them plan for their future careers.

Springpod

This platform will allow students to explore work experience and university taster courses.

Volunteering and work experience are a great way to gain skills and experience, help others, meet new people and have fun! The latest roles for young people are listed below. If you’re interested in any of these opportunities, please contact the organisation(s) directly to find out more, using the details provided. If you need any advice about volunteering please see Mr Shaw.

Sheffield Opportunities

• Contact us on: vc@vas.org.uk or 0114 253 6649 (Mon – Thurs)
• www.sheffieldvolunteercentre.org.uk
• Facebook: @SheffieldVolunteerCentre
• Twitter: @VolunteerSheff

Sheffield Volunteering.com

• https://www.sheffieldvolunteering.com/

Rotherham Opportunities

• https://www.varotherham.org.uk/
• Email admin@varotherham.org.uk
• Call: 01709 829821

NHS Volunteering Opportunity’s

• https://www.therotherhamft.nhs.uk/Get_Involved/Volunteers/Volunteer_Vacancies/

Sheffield Health and Social Care

• https://www.shsc.nhs.uk/get-involved/volunteering/volunteering-opportunities

St Johns Ambulance

• https://volunteering.sja.org.uk/opportunities/

Sheffield Music Hub

• https://www.sheffieldmusichub.org/pages/friends-volunteers-of-sheffield-music-hub

Thornberry Animal Sanctuary

• https://www.thornberryanimalsanctuary.org/volunteer/

At Aston Academy, we are passionate to ensure every young person gains good career guidance, education and experiences, empowering young people to have confidence to make informed decisions about their future.

Within our holistic careers program that drives for excellence, is monitored regularly through the Gatsby Benchmarks, driven through a forward-thinking approach, creating cultural capital and a golden thread throughout the School to support every young people to reach their full potential.

Our 8 Gatsby Benchmarks and Current Scores (as at Term 1, 2025) are:

1. A stable careers programme ​ 100%
2. Learning from careers and labour market information 100%
3. Addressing the needs of each student 90%
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers 100%
5. Encounters with employers and employees 100%
6. Experiences of workplaces 100%
7. Encounters with further and higher education 100%
8. Personal guidance 100%

The Outcomes of the Benchmarks (inline with the CDI framework)

The outcomes of the Gatsby Benchmarks and Astons Careers Program is to clarify and empower the skills, knowledge and attitudes that young people need to gain a positive career, being able to make a positive contribution to the community and develop life and employability skills that will be developed alongside academic knowledge.

At Aston Academy we are dedicated to ensure that every student is given detailed information to make informed choices on their post 16 next steps.

Researching your next steps and pathways to your career’s aspirations are a fantastic way of having confidence in your future

 

 

Useful websites are: National Careers Service https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers

Options at Post 16: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/career-choices-at-16

Skills Assessments: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/skills-assessment

1-1 Impartial Careers guidance meetings are available with Mr Raymond and Mr Shaw.

careers@astonacademy.org

Post 16 options

A Levels – You would normally choose 3 subjects to do at a sixth form college, these subjects are more ‘academic’ and there are exams at the end of each year.

Useful Websites: Aston Post 16: http://www.astonacademy.org/page/?title=About+Us&pid=95

Sheffield College 6^th Form: https://sixthform.sheffcol.ac.uk/

Thomas Rotherham College: https://www.trc.ac.uk/

Vocational Courses – can often be referred to as BTEC, you would choose one subject and usually has a more of a job related interactive approach and involve coursework.

Useful Websites: Rotherham College: https://www.rotherham.ac.uk/courses/

Sheffield College: https://www.sheffcol.ac.uk/courses

UTC College https://www.utcsheffield.org.uk/

Apprenticeship – An apprenticeship usually complies of one day a week at a college or training provider, and you will work for the rest of the week with an employer.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

AMRC https://amrctraining.co.uk/apprenticeships

NHS Apprenticeships https://www.syrechealthandsocialcarecareers.co.uk/apprentices-students-trainees

T Levels – Equivalent to A levels, this is delivered through 80% college and 20% work placement and has been developed with employers and businesses. It prepares you for work, further training or study through academic work and work placements. https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/

Levels and Grades (May vary subject to providers entry requirements)

• Entry Level – no qualifications or GCSE Grade1
• Level 1 – Normally require at least 3 grade 2’s
• Level 2 – Normally require at least 3 grade 3’s
• Level 3 (BTEC) – usually require minimum 5 Grade 4’s and above including English Language and maths
• Level 3 (A Levels) – Normally require an average of Grade 5 or above preferring 5’s in Maths and English Language.

Apprenticeship Information

Websites: https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

https://amazingapprenticeships.com/

Higher and Degree Apprenticeships: https://www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/

An apprenticeship is a real job where you learn, gain experience and get paid.

You’re an employee with a contract of employment. By the end of an apprenticeship, you’ll have the right skills and knowledge to embed into your chosen career.

It can take between one and six years to complete an apprenticeship depending on which one you choose, what level it is and your previous experience. It’s funded from contributions made by the government and your employer.

Requirements:

To become an apprentice, you must:

• Be 16 or over
• Not already be in full-time education

As an apprentice you will:

• Learn and gain hands-on experience in a real job
• Get a paid income
• Get training for a specific job role
• Be on a specific career path with future potential of Employment