Careers Guidance
We aim to ensure that your child is equipped with the skills and knowledge to be successful after their time with us, no matter which path they choose to lead.
Preparing students for life after GCSE’s is a primary mission for the academy.
Whether your child chooses to continue in education, studying A-levels or other vocational courses at college, or decides on pursuing an apprenticeship route, we at OIEA are passionate in ensuring your child is able to make the right decision for them.
Throughout their time at the academy students are given a whole host of opportunities to learn more about the options available to them after they have completed their GCSE’s. We ensure that all students are supported when they consider their options towards the end of Year 9 and provide further independent and impartial careers information, advice and guidance in Years 10 and 11.
All years receive a full programme of careers education delivered during weekly PSHE lessons, and potential future careers are explored during regular timetabled lessons through class activities, school trips and guest speakers.
We also offer students the chance of work experience. Year 10 students spend a week in industry learning about what the world of work is really like, and helping them discover whether their initial career idea is really what they thought it would be.
Visit our Career of the Week page for useful career information.
Meet our Careers Team
- Dr J Lockhart – SLT Link
- Mr P Tomlinson – Careers Leader (Level 7)
- Mrs R Wingfield – Careers and Work Experience Officer (Level 3 in Careers Advice and Guidance)
- Mr M Stovin – Link Governor for Careers
To speak to a member of our Careers Team, please email: [email protected] or telephone 0115 9303724.
Careers Review July 2023
We review our CEAIG yearly through evaluations and questionnaires from all stakeholders. This then feeds into our Careers Related Programme for the following year as well as our Careers Action Plan. In addition, we hold the Careers Mark which is reviewed every three years by Entrust.’ next review date will be Feb 2026
Do you need …
- Help with your CV
- Help writing a cover letter
- Interview practice
- Work experience advice
Please email us at: [email protected]
Please refer to the table on the pages 3 to 6 on the Provider Access Policy for full details of the careers programme available to students by school year.
Year 11 Progression Statistics for Leavers
The CEAIG Destination Figures 3-year Trend shows a breakdown of the destinations of our students for the past 3 years. Data is collected based on the destination of a student at the end of the October following their GCSE results.
Information about the local job market in Derbyshire can be accessed via Start
Following link to ‘find out about the local jobs market in Derbyshire
The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework of 8 guidelines that define the best careers provision in schools and colleges.” The Careers and Enterprise Company
At OIEA our careers provision is designed and evaluated using the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. This ensures that every student, from Years 7 to 11, is provided with a purposeful and enriching careers programme that prepares them for life after GCSE’s.
Benchmark: 1. A stable careers programme
Description: Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers and employers.
Benchmark: 2. Learning from career and labour market information
Description: Every pupil, and their parents, should have access to good-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.
Benchmark: 3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
Description: Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.
Benchmark: 4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
Description: All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. For example, STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.
Benchmark: 5. Encounters with employers and employees
Description: Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.
Benchmark: 6. Experiences of workplaces
Description: Every pupil should have first-hand experiences* of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.
Benchmark: 7. Encounters with further and higher education
Description: All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.
Benchmark: 8. Personal guidance
Description: Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs.
This is a very uncertain time for students across the country. Many students will be heading onto college courses from September and its really important that they are fully prepared to meet the expectations of the colleges.
Please see the links and published resources and information below and complete any relevant activities to ensure that you are prepared for success when college courses start. Please also consult college websites for updates.
GCSE Pod – Getting Ready for KS5
These are free resources and provide an excellent introduction to a range of different Post 16 subjects. If you are planning on studying any of these subjects download the activities and complete.
Nottingham College – Coronavirus – Everything You Need to Know
Nottingham College have published information that elates to the current situation.
You should have received some correspondence from the College if you were awaiting an interview or have already accepted a place. If you have not heard from Nottingham College, but are hoping to, or expecting to study there from September please contact them as soon as possible.
Derby College – Virtual Open Days
Derbys College are running visual open days on May 19th, 20th and 21st. Please check the times and courses to make sure you sign up for the correct open day. More information can be found by following the link below.
You should have received some correspondence from the College if you were awaiting an interview or have already accepted a place. If you have not heard from Derby College, but are hoping to, or expecting to study there from September please contact them as soon as possible.
Virtual Open Days – Support for School Leavers
Confetti Institute of Creative Technologies
Confetti have published information that elates to the current situation. You should have received some correspondence from the College if you were awaiting an interview or have already accepted a place. If you have not heard from Confetti, but are hoping to, or expecting to study there from September please contact them as soon as possible.
Steps to your work experience journey
- Research
- Choose what kind of work you would like to gain experience in
- Collect details of potential placement providers
- Apply for work placement
- Interview
- Fill out placement confirmation form
- Set targets for your placement
- Complete your pre-placement checks
- Enjoy your work experience
Using Derbyshire County Council Work Experience Portal
Start career guidance
Start is a free and comprehensive digital platform, offering schools and colleges a single starting point to help simplify and improve careers guidance in schools.
Quality in Careers Standard
We are proud to have retained the Quality in Careers Standard fully incorporating the Gatsby Benchmarks provided by the Licensed Awarding Body, Complete Careers Career Mark, using the Career Mark approach.
This is an excellent achievement and recognises the quality and breadth of our careers provision.
Gatsby benchmarks
There are eight Gatsby Benchmarks which every school promotes as part of their careers, advice and guidance offer. We are proud to report that we satisfy 100% of the benchmarks. These are:
| Benchmark | How we meet it |
| A stable careers programme | Careers, advice and guidance information is delivered through our Personal Development lessons, assemblies and form time. |
| Learning from career and labour market information | Annual careers fair. Accessing our website and careers notice boards / library. |
| Addressing the needs of each student | Every student meets our Careers Advisor at least once. |
| Links curriculum learning to careers | Embedded within each programme of study are links to appropriate careers. Careers, advice and guidance information is also delivered via our taught Personal Development curriculum. |
| Encounters with employers and employees | Work experience placements are arranged for all year 10 students. Careers fair is very well attended by over 40 providers. |
| Experiences of workplaces | Work experience placements are arranged for all Year 10 students. Careers fair is very well attended by over 40 providers. |
| Encounters with further and higher education | Visits from and to HE and FE providers, such as, sampling days at Riverside and Cronton and trips to universities such as Liverpool. |
| Personal guidance | . Every student meets our Careers Advisor at least once. |
Instructions on how to use Unifrog can be seen – How to use Unifrog
Find out more on Open Evenings – Open Evenings 2025-2026
Find out more in our – CEIAG Policy – Review date 2026
Find our – Provider Access Policy Statement 2026
Our CEAIG – Find out what we offer 2025-26
