Students and staff at Sawtry Village Academy, part of Meridian Trust, are thrilled to be awarded the highly regarded Quality in Careers Standard, the national quality award for careers.
The award, which was certified through the local awarding body, Cambridgeshire County Council, celebrates the school’s high-quality careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG).
In the report, presented to the school, assessors praised leaders for their “effective, leadership, promotion and management” of their careers programme. The assessor also recognised that “the careers programme was well written, and it was good to see how evaluation of the programme is a key part of the strategy.”
The way in which individual student needs are identified and supported was highlighted as a key strength in the report. Assessors commented that “the academy uses a targeted approach to include all students who need support. Parents input is also encouraged, and parents are welcome to refer their children to extra help if needed.”
Embedding careers in subject learning was also highlighted as a strength by the assessors. The assessor said “there is a range of evidence to show that careers input in subject areas is current and ongoing.” Within each subject area, there is a ‘Careers Lead’, who is the head of the department. Students can arrange meetings with Career Leads when needed and they will provide informal support.
Simon Parsons, Principal of Sawtry Village Academy, said, “We are delighted that following a rigorous assessment process we have been awarded the nationally recognised Quality in Careers Standard. I’d like to share a particular thank you to our Assistant Principal, Ashley Yeomans, and our Careers Advisor, Alison Tanton-Smith, who have worked incredibly hard over the past few years to ensure we meet this standard and will continue to do so.
“We understand the value in not only giving our students a high-quality learning environment but also a high-quality careers programme and education. We always seek ways to extend the boundaries of learning at Sawtry Village Academy and this plays an important part in ensuring our students are confident and motivated individuals with big aspirations for the future.”
To achieve this award, Sawtry Village Academy followed an extensive assessment process where standards had to be consistently met. This culminated in the careers department of the academy providing vast amounts of evidence, ready for assessment. There was then an evaluation by an external assessor, followed by a moderation to confirm the judgements made.
With a duration of three years, the award provides Sawtry Village Academy with signed certification from Cambridgeshire County Council, which will serve as a reminder of the academy’s unwavering commitment to careers education.
For more information about Sawtry Village Academy, please visit: https://www.sawtryva.org/