Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
Shaftesbury School Careers is responsible for Impartial Information, Advice and Guidance (IIAG) across the school. We organise work experience, guide students with accurate careers and course information, and promote self-reflection and self-understanding. Developing cross-curricular structures to help students understand how to access careers and courses at a variety of levels is also an important part of our work.
We endeavour to help students with application and interview techniques as well as career and course research, and we actively promote the development and knowledge of transferable skills within subject areas.
We use the Gatsby Benchmarks in unison with the Compass Tool to evaluate our programme to ensure it meets the required standards. We also take feedback from students, employers, parents and teachers to improve our provision. This is completed in a number of ways such as through Future Skills knowledge tests, feedback from work experience placements, looking at destinations data and Google form feedback.
We are open to providers of apprenticeships, vocational courses, technical education and other routes. If you would like to present to students about your opportunities please contact Mrs Sarah Hunter.
Employer and Parent Engagement
Shaftesbury School is very keen to develop improved links with the employers, businesses, other organisations and parents who work within our local community. Through your involvement, support and personal experience, we feel our students will be able to gain a greater awareness and understanding about the world of work and the careers and opportunities available to them in the future, helping to broaden horizons and raise aspirations. There are also benefits for your organisation in terms of potential recruitment of our talented students as future employees, apprentices or volunteers.
Any contribution you or your organisation can make can make a significant difference. Some examples of support offered might be careers talks to students, work experience placements, help with mock interviews, workplace visits, mentoring or notifying us of upcoming opportunities within your organisation.
Who to contact
If you have any questions about the careers programme at Shaftesbury School, please contact:
The Careers Lead SLT: Mrs Sarah Hunter – Sarah.HUNTER@shaftesburyschool.co.uk
The Careers Lead: Sarah Broughton – Sarah.Broughton@shaftesburyschool.co.uk
Further Information and Links
The North Dorset Labour Market Information document above gives an overview of recent data about the jobs market in Dorset.
National Careers Week 2026 – 2nd to 7th March
Welcome – National Careers Week
During Shaftesbury School will be delivering a series of engaging assemblies and tutor time activities to help students explore future pathways, understand the world of work and feel confident about the choices ahead of them. National Careers Week is a national initiative designed to raise aspirations and support young people in discovering a wide range of career options.
This year’s theme, “Own Your Future”, encourages students to take an active role in planning their next steps, asking questions, researching industries and identifying the skills they want to develop.
Throughout the week, students will attend year-group assemblies giving them an insight into real-world careers, gaining an insight into different industries and routes into further education. Tutor time activities will include skills and strengths reflection and careers exploration challenges.
Useful Resources for Students and Parents Official National Careers Week Website
A great starting point for understanding the purpose of NCW and exploring free printable, digital and video resources. Virtual Careers Fair 2026
The NCW Virtual Careers Fair goes live on 2nd March and requires no registration. Students and parents can browse employer booths, resources and opportunities across a range of sectors.
Activities & Resources (All About STEM)
A wide range of downloadable activities, skills-builder tasks, SEND-friendly resources and more to help young people explore future jobs, skills and industries.
How Parents Can Support at Home
· Chat with your child about their interests, strengths and subjects they enjoy.
· Explore careers together using the links above.
· Encourage them to try at least one activity during NCW — such as watching a careers talk, researching a job or exploring the Virtual Careers Fair.
