Careers Programme
Careers, Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG)
‘The Government’s careers strategy sets out a long term plan to build a world class careers system that will help young people and adults choose the career that is right for them. To achieve this aim, the careers strategy sets out that every school providing secondary educations should use the Gatsby Charitable Foundation Benchmarks to develop and improve their careers provision…The Gatsby Benchmarks are not a statutory framework but by adopting them, schools can be confident that they are fulfilling their legal duties.’ - DfE January 2018 (Careers guidance and access for education and training providers) |
The careers provision at Dedworth Middle School aims to provide all pupils with the knowledge, skills, inspiration and positive attitude to take ownership of their own learning and career pathways. The programme ensures that all pupils are equipped with the necessary information, advice and guidance in order to be successful in their futures. By using the Gatsby benchmarks, we are committed to ensuring that our pupils have clear goals and that our pupils are well informed to make decisions regarding their future by the time they leave for their next stage of education. Throughout our programme, we encourage pupils to look beyond their current environment and help them investigate new and exciting career possibilities.
All pupils at Dedworth Middle School are entitled to receive a programme of careers education, advice, information and guidance. The careers provision will help all of our pupils to:
- Understand how their skills, knowledge and interests can be used in the workplace;
- Continue to develop the skills needed for working life;
- Understand the different education and careers options that are available;
- Understand how to apply for a job and to consider the attributes and qualities employers may look for;
- Develop a plan of action for future- making sure they understand the qualifications and skills they may need to follow those aspirations.
At Dedworth Middle School, our careers provision is delivered throughout the curriculum during PSHE lessons, Tutor times, Assemblies and through enrichment activities throughout the year run by external providers, such as The Talent Foundry.
We use the Compass Careers Benchmark tool to help the school to devise a coherent offer for our pupils. The Benchmarks are as follows:
Benchmark 1 - A Stable Careers Programme |
DMS Careers Policy (Including Provider Access Policy Statement)
There are some links below with further information and guidance for parents and pupils:
Careers advise
icould - Career ideas and information for your future - Over 1,000 short videos about different jobs and lots of career articles.
Explore careers | National Careers Service - Website with hundreds of job profiles.
Careers Advice | Apprenticeships and Jobs Advice | UCAS – Allows you to search different careers
Personality and Aptitude Assessments
Buzz Test – A short quiz that analyses your personality and suggests which jobs might suit you (suitable for years 7-9)
Choosing GCSE Options
eCLIPS – Within the Education section there is advice and information on GCSEs and options after year 8/9
icould – A short guide to help you choose your GCSE options
BBC Bitesize – A short informative article and video on GCSE options
How2Become - UK's Leading Career, Recruitment & Educational Specialist
How to Make a Career Choice When You Are Undecided (thebalancecareers.com)
Careers - IET Education (theiet.org)
Apprentice Stories - Amazing Apprenticeships
NHS careers AtoZ (stepintothenhs.nhs.uk)
Careerpilot : Plan your future work & study
Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service
Advice For Parents | Career Options Information For Your Children (parentadviser.co.uk)
CIAG Leader
Our careers leader is Mr Eugene O’Donnell.
He can be contacted through the school office. Please see contact details below:
Dedworth Middle School
Smiths Lane, Windsor, SL4 5PE
Tel: 01753 860561
Email: Office@dedworthmiddle.co.uk
If you are an employer and have an opportunity to assist us with the careers provision at DMS please contact Mr Eugene O’Donnell.
Date of last Careers Provision Review - 18th February 2026
Date of next Careers Provision Review - 17th February 2027
Date of last Compass Plus Review - 26th March 2026
Date of next Compass Plus Review - 15th July 2026
Check out “National Careers Week 2020: A Film About HOPE HD 1080p NCW 2020” from National Careers Week on Vimeo.
The video is available for your viewing pleasure at https://vimeo.com/393837020
Check out “NCW - Believe Final Video” from National Careers Week on Vimeo.
The video is available for your viewing pleasure at https://vimeo.com/516434672
National Careers Week Assembly - 2026
2026 Careers Week Highlights
During Careers Week, pupils across the school took part in a wide range of activities designed to help them develop an understanding of the world of work and the skills needed for future success. The programme introduced pupils to different career pathways while highlighting the importance of transferable skills such as communication, creativity, teamwork and resilience. Through assemblies, tutor time activities, external workshops and curriculum-linked events, pupils had meaningful opportunities to explore careers-related learning.
Careers Assembly
The week began with career assemblies delivered by the Junior Leadership Team (JLT) for pupils in Years 5–8. The assembly introduced the purpose of Careers Week and encouraged pupils to start thinking about the skills and interests that may shape their future career choices. JLT members shared examples of different career pathways and spoke about how habits developed at school including teamwork, organisation, perseverance and curiosity, can support future aspirations. This pupil-led assembly helped set a positive tone for the week, promoting ambition and encouraging pupils to reflect on their own strengths and interests.
Tutor Time Activities
Throughout the week, tutor time sessions reinforced key careers themes and encouraged pupils to reflect on their developing skills. Pupils explored different job roles, the qualities employers value and how school subjects can link to future opportunities. These short, structured discussions allowed tutors to guide pupils in recognising their personal strengths, teamwork abilities and communication skills.
Year 8 Enterprise Advisor Sessions
Year 8 pupils took part in dedicated sessions with the school’s Enterprise Advisor, delivered in conjunction with Berkshire Careers Hub. The sessions focused on employability and communication skills and how these support success both in the workplace and in everyday life. Pupils explored topics including listening, leadership, citizenship and the importance of understanding equality, equity and discrimination. They were encouraged to reflect on how these ideas apply in practice and why they matter, including how everyday behaviours such as punctuality demonstrate respect, responsibility and professionalism.
A further activity explored communication in greater depth, highlighting the importance of not only what we say but how we say it. Pupils considered how tone, expression and clarity influence effective communication and took part in an exercise that demonstrated how easily misunderstandings can occur when messages are unclear. They concluded by identifying their top five tips for clear communication and completing a worksheet to consolidate their learning.
Year 7 – Talent Foundry (Barclays LifeSkills Programme)
Year 7 pupils participated in a four-hour programme delivered across four days by The Talent Foundry as part of the Barclays LifeSkills initiative. These interactive sessions were designed to help pupils build confidence and develop essential workplace skills.
Through practical activities and real-life scenarios, pupils explored key employability skills including communication, teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability. The sessions helped pupils recognise the transferable skills they are already developing through their education and everyday experiences.
Across the four sessions, there was clear evidence of growing confidence among the Year 7 cohort. Many pupils demonstrated enthusiasm and creative thinking when tackling challenges, and the programme provided an excellent opportunity to practise collaboration while developing a positive mindset for future career success.
World Book Day Author Visit
As part of World Book Day, which falls during Careers Week, Mr Edwards delivered an assembly built around the message “Readers Are Leaders.” The assembly highlighted how reading helps develop knowledge, confidence and habits that contribute to future leadership and career success. Pupils were encouraged to see reading not only as a source of enjoyment but also as a powerful tool for personal and professional development.
The day also included a visit from local author Philip Kavadias, who spoke to Key Stage 2 pupils about the journey from a creative idea to a published book. His talk gave pupils an insight into the real-world process of writing and publishing. Following the assembly, a group of pupils took part in a smaller creative writing workshop with the author. During this session, pupils practised skills highly valued in the workplace, including imagination, collaboration, storytelling, resilience and effective communication. The experience helped pupils recognise that the skills developed through reading and writing can be applied across many future careers.
STEM Theatre Workshop – Engineering the Future
Year 7 and 8 pupils also took part in the STEM theatre workshop titled Material World: Engineering the Future, an in-school production designed to inspire young people to explore careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Delivered in partnership with BAE Systems, the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy, and performed by professional actors, the interactive show followed characters creating a live television programme about materials science. Through demonstrations and audience participation, pupils explored how everyday materials connect to advanced technologies used in industries such as aerospace and marine engineering.
The performance supported the science and design technology curriculum while also linking directly to careers education by highlighting the wide range of opportunities within STEM fields. It encouraged pupils to consider how curiosity, creativity and problem-solving can lead to exciting future careers.
A Week of Inspiration
Careers Week provided a varied and engaging programme that ensured our pupils experienced a broad range of careers-related activities. Through assemblies, tutor discussions, external partnerships and workshops, pupils developed a stronger understanding of the skills needed for future employment and were encouraged to reflect on their own interests and potential pathways.
