Careers and Employability at St Katherine's

Careers guidance has never been more important for young people than it is today. The world of education, training and jobs is complicated and can be difficult to navigate. Students need support to make informed choices and move confidently through these transitions. High-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance are essential.

At St Katherine’s School, we encourage students to start thinking about careers and employability as soon as they join us in Year 7. We do this through careers lessons, employer visits, careers fairs, guest speakers and regular use of Unifrog.

We also offer information and support at key points when students need to make important decisions about their future - in Year 9 when choosing options, in Year 11 when deciding on Post-16 pathways and in Years 12 and 13 when planning for life after school. Our aim is to guide, support and empower students to make informed choices about what comes next. Careers education runs throughout the school from Years 7 to 13 and meets the Gatsby Benchmarks set out in the government’s careers strategy. This helps students reach their full potential and move into careers they will not only enjoy but succeed in.

The careers programme at St Katherine’s School gives students valuable opportunities to connect with local employers and learn more about real employment pathways. We are constantly building and developing our network of employers to help broaden students’ horizons, raise aspirations and inspire them about their future in the world of work. Our aim is to provide a practical, relevant careers programme that gives students the knowledge, motivation and confidence to take ownership of their own career plans and succeed in a career that is right for them.

The St Katherine's careers programme is assessed on a termly basis by taking the COMPASS self-assessment tool. The Gatsby benchmarks help us to reflect on our careers offer and implement improvements. You can see our most recent COMPASS assessment here. We publish the review termly.

The Careers Team

• Careers Leader - Sara Gardiner gardiners@skdrive.org
• Careers Advisor - Dave Portingale portingaled@skdrive.org 
• Work Experience Co-ordinator - Alex Fey skworkexperience@skdrive.org
• Careers Governor Link - Will Harding hardingw@skdrive.org
• Any student that wants any careers advice please email Miss Sara Gardiner gardiners@skdrive.org to arrange an appointment. Mr Portingale is in school on Thursdays and is based in the Future's Office.