Careers
Beyond the Blue
Your career is the pathway you choose to follow through learning and work.
As a student at the Blue, Careers is here to support you through the process of deciding what direction you would like to take when you leave school, and ensure that you develop the skills needed for a successful working and fulfilling life.
Our programme of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance is progressive. From Year 7 onwards, you will be encouraged to reflect on careers choices, have meaningful encounters with employers and experiences of the workplace and research your career path in structured learning time.
In Year 11 and Sixth Form, you will get more support to be able to make decisions about Post-16 and 18 routes, including through meetings with independent careers advisors and workshops on different aspects of life and careers. We support you by hosting events which offer a full picture of opportunities in Higher Education, employment, Apprenticeships and other professional and technical qualifications.
Careers Contacts
Students in years 7 to 11 - Miss Harper
Based in the Data Office (behind First Aid). Email careers@theblueschoolwells.co.uk or by phoning 01749-678799 x421. Miss Harper works at the Blue School on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays during term-time.
Post-16 students - Miss Rolfe
Based in the Sixth Form Centre. Email at sixthform@theblueschool.somerset.sch.uk or by phoning 01749-678799 x413.
You can also call the National Careers Helpline to talk to an adviser about your career options: 0800 100 900
Mr Bilkey, Assistant Headteacher is the Leadership team member responsible for Careers and can be contacted at abilkey@theblueschool.somerset.sch.uk.
The Link Governor for Careers is Mr Darrell Frost who can be contacted via Mrs Stitch, Clerk to Governors email govsclerk@theblueschool.somerset.sch.uk.
We have a business Enterprise Adviser (EA), Mike Bristowe from Airbus, who is linked to our school and offers support from a business perspective on our careers curriculum.
Support for Parents/Carers helping your child with careers choices
If you are a parent/carer and wish to hav some advice to help your child with their careers choices or to arrange a one-to-one careers appointment for your child, please email careers@theblueschoolwells.co.uk.
Careers Programme
Click here for the 2024/25 Careers Programme - this document is updated regularly.
Our programme links to the Gatsby Benchmarks which have been accepted as best practice by the Government. They are:
1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from careers 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
We assess the school's careers provision against the Gatsby Benchmarks using the Compass+ tool, which enables us to track our students' career interests and intended destinations, actual destinations, careers activities and to keep a record of organisations that can support the school's careers provision.
We use Career Pilot to provide students with expert information and resource tools. Each student is provided with their own individual login and can use the programme to record qualifications, experiences and skills to map out their plan for the future.
Career PilotWe are also a member of the following networks and organisations designed to secure employer engagement with activities designed to encourage young people to find out and know more about local and national opportunities.
Somerset Education Business Partnership
Careers in the Curriculum
As well as facilitating careers activities in the school, teachers add careers information into their lessons to help students understand the variety of jobs on offer. Lesson content may also touch on employability skills, such as presentation, teamwork and leadership.
This co-ordinated approach ensures that key skills and knowledge about career options, progression and success are embedded in our curriculum from Years 7 to 13. This allows our students to make links in their learning as well as develop the ability to think deeply about what they are learning and how this may impact on their future, whatever they decide to do.
Please click the link below to view our Careers Statement