Careers Guidance

Careers Guidance and Development 

At Leventhorpe, we are committed to providing all students with high-quality careers guidance and development, helping them make informed decisions about their futures. Our dedicated Careers Advisers support students at every stage of their journey:

• Mrs Jones, Careers Lead for Key Stages 3 and 4, works closely with students in Years 7 to 11 to explore options, prepare for work experience, and plan next steps after GCSEs.
• Mrs Barger, Careers Lead for Key Stage 5, supports students in Years 12 and 13 with post-18 pathways and applications, apprenticeships and career planning.

The Leventhorpe Careers Programme is carefully designed to meet the statutory guidance set out by the Department for Education and is fully aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Our progressive programme begins with raising career awareness in Year 7, develops key skills throughout Years 8 to 10, and provides focused transition planning and support for students in Years 11 to 13.
We offer a wide range of activities, including dedicated careers sessions, curriculum-linked learning, meaningful encounters with employers and education providers, skills development workshops, work experience opportunities, and personalised guidance to support students in making informed decisions about their post-16 and post-18 pathways.
Careers guidance is also available to students on GCSE and A-Level Results Days.
We encourage both students and parents to engage with our careers team to make the most of these valuable opportunities.

Career Activities Calendar 2025-2026

Green Careers Week - 3rd to 8th November 2025

The Parents Guide to Green Careers 2025

National Apprenticeship Week - 9^th to 15^th February 2026

The Parents Guide to Apprenticeships 2024/2025

National Careers Week - 2^nd - 7^th March 2026

The Parents Guide to National Careers 2025

Personal Careers Advice & Guidance - Year 11

All Year 11 students are invited to take part in a Personal Careers Guidance Meeting throughout the academic year. These one-to-one sessions provide an invaluable opportunity for students to explore their interests, strengths, and goals with a qualified Careers Adviser. During the meeting, students will receive tailored advice on post-16 pathways including A Levels, vocational courses, apprenticeships, and employment options along with practical guidance on applications. Parents and carers are encouraged to engage in follow-up discussions at home to help students make confident and informed decisions about their next steps. At Leventhorpe, we believe that informed choices today shape successful futures tomorrow.

Year 11 students will be allocated a specific day and time slot for their meeting, which will appear on their timetable and be confirmed by email. These appointments will take place during school hours. Parents and carers are welcome to attend; please email Mrs Jones once the appointment has been confirmed if you wish to join.

Click here to email Mrs Jones

How to get the most from the Careers Guidance Meeting

We ask students to take a few minutes to think about their interests, subjects they enjoy and any ideas they may already have about their future. We will discuss student's plans for post-16 pathways such as A Levels, vocational courses, or apprenticeships. It’s also helpful for students to have questions prepared about college applications, work experience, or career goals. The Careers adviser is there to support you; this is an opportunity to explore possibilities and start shaping the next steps with confidence!

Personal Careers Advice & Guidance - Years 12 & 13

All students in Years 12 and 13 can book one-to-one Careers Guidance meetings with our qualified Careers Adviser throughout the academic year. These meetings give students the opportunity to explore their interests, strengths, and future aspirations in a supportive and confidential setting. Each session is tailored to the individual, helping them consider their options for higher education, apprenticeships, training, or employment, and to make informed decisions about their next steps.

In addition to careers exploration, students receive guidance and practical support with their university, apprenticeship, and job applications from researching opportunities to preparing for interviews.

Students are encouraged to prepare by reflecting on the subjects they enjoy, their career goals, and any questions they may have about post-18 pathways. Parents are also welcome to engage in the process to ensure students are fully supported. Our aim is to help every sixth form student leave Leventhorpe confident, informed, and ready to take the next step towards their chosen future.

Please email Mrs Barger to book a personal careers guidance meeting.

Click here to email Mrs Barger

Explore useful guidance and resources on Higher Education to support you with your university application. Click the link below to find out more.

Sixth Form Guide to Future PathwaysFind out where our 2025 leavers went next! Click the link below to explore our Sixth Form pages and view student destinations.

Destinations 2025

Work Experience

Work experience is an essential part of our curriculum, providing students with valuable practical skills, insight into a range of career pathways and a deeper understanding of the workplace. It offers students the opportunity to engage in real-world environments, develop key employability skills and explore potential future careers.

At Leventhorpe, our Work Experience Programme goes beyond simple observation. It is an ongoing, year-round initiative designed to prepare students for life beyond school. The programme includes information assemblies, CV workshops, Unifrog lessons, mock interviews and dedicated sessions on preparing for work placements. Each stage is designed with clear learning outcomes and meaningful employer engagement to ensure that every student gains a purposeful, rewarding, and practical experience of the world of work.

Please find below a letter giving details of the 2025/2026 Year 10 Work Experience Programme:

2025/2026 Year 10 Work Experience Programme Information Letter

2025/2026 Year 10 Work Experience Programme Presentation

For any enquiries regarding the Year 10 Work Experience Programme, please contact Mrs Jones, Careers Lead for Key Stages 3 and 4.

Please find below a letter giving details of the 2025/2026 Year 12 Work Experience Programme:

2025/2026 Year 12 Work Experience Programme Information Letter

For any enquiries regarding the Year 12 Work Experience Programme, please contact Mrs Barger, Careers Lead for Sixth Form.
 

Unifrog 

Leventhorpe uses Unifrog, an online careers and destinations platform, to manage all aspects of work experience, including authorisation and submission of relevant documents. Students can access Unifrog using their school email address and a previously set password. If needed, students can reset their password directly through the platform to regain access.

Unifrog - The universal destinations platform

Quick guide on Placement Tool in Unifrog

Careers Education and the Gatsby Benchmarks at Leventhorpe School

Leventhorpe has implemented the eight Gatsby Benchmarks through business encounters, careers guidance and PSHE as well as wider curriculum learning opportunities.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance:

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

Leventhorpe uses Compass to record our careers activities and ensure that we are achieving 100% across all eight Gatsby Benchmarks.

To enhance our provision we work closely with the Careers and Enterprise Company with a designated Enterprise Advisor who reviews the Careers, Employability and Enterprise programme to ensure we are fully meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Students from Year 9 upwards have a personal log-in to Unifrog to access the wide range of careers resources, subjects libraries and universities.  

Leventhorpe careers information and programme is reviewed every year in the summer term.
 

Useful Further Education and Career Websites

Which University? Information about what and where to study. You can also click below to see where our last Sixth Form leavers have gone on to.Destinations 2024The Uni Guide

Perhaps becoming a teacher may be something you are interested in.  We work in partnership with the Bishop's Stortford Educational Trust School Centered Initial Teacher Training to equip you with the knowledge and skills to become an excellent teacher. Click on the link below for further information on our SCITT programme.

Bishop's Stortford Educational Trust School Centered Initial Teacher Training

Careers Governor Link

Ololade Sanusi & Lucy Johnson