Header Image 1

Careers

Mrs Sharon Smith - Careers Leader | Sharon.Smith@thomasclarksonacademy.org

 

At Thomas Clarkson Academy (TCA), we are unwavering in our commitment to enhancing the life chances of every student. Through a comprehensive and aspirational Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) programme, we inspire and empower students to explore their potential and take confident steps toward their futures.

Our Commitment

TCA recognises its statutory duty to provide independent, high-quality careers guidance to students across all year groups, in line with The Education Act 2011 and Careers Guidance and Access for Education and Training Providers (May 2025). We understand that effective careers guidance plays a vital role in supporting young people to make informed, realistic decisions about their future—decisions that are shaped around their skills, interests, and aspirations.

At the heart of our mission is the belief that every student deserves to realise their full potential.

Our CEIAG programme works hand-in-hand with key school policies, including:

  • Careers Strategy

  • Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) Education

  • Work Experience

  • Provider Access Legislation

  • Safeguarding

All of this aligns with our school’s motto: Transform, Challenge, Aspire—a guiding principle in helping students prepare for life beyond the Academy, whether that’s further or higher education, employment, or training.

Preparing for the Future

In today’s fast-changing educational and employment landscape, high-quality careers education has never been more important. By providing accurate, up-to-date information and introducing students to the world of work, we aim to:

  • Support students through key decision-making stages

  • Help them manage transitions effectively

  • Encourage ambition and resilience in pursuit of their goals

A Structured and Evolving Programme

From ages 11 to 19, students at TCA benefit from a planned, progressive careers curriculum. Our Careers Development Plan and Framework outlines a year-by-year roadmap designed to:

  • Inspire ownership of individual career paths

  • Build employability skills

  • Encourage reflective action planning

We map our provision against:

  • The Gatsby Benchmarks

  • The DfE Careers Guidance Statutory Framework

  • The CDI Framework for Careers, Employability and Enterprise Education

We continually evaluate our programme through feedback from students, teachers, parents, and employers—ensuring we adapt and improve each year to meet the needs of our community.

 

Year 10/Year 11
Year 12/Year 13
All students
Parents/Carers

Parents and carers, please see the following information: 

Work Experience Timeline

  • Year 10 – One full week in February.

  • Year 12 – One full week in the June/July.

Securing a Placement

Students are encouraged to take an active role in finding their placements:

  • Independent Placements – Students receive their own Student Placement Form, which they can use to approach employers and arrange a placement aligned with their interests or career aspirations.

  • Pre-arranged Options – Alternatively, there will be a limited list of employers who have previously offered placements, that students can choose from.

Important Attendance Guidelines

Work placements are a valuable experience, and students are expected to attend regularly. However, in cases of absence (e.g., illness):

  • Students must inform both their employer and TCA.

  • Employers must notify TCA if a student does not attend.

Employer Engagement at Thomas Clarkson Academy

At Thomas Clarkson Academy, we recognise the vital role that employers play in preparing young people for life beyond education. By connecting our students to the world of work, we aim to raise aspirations, broaden horizons, and build the skills and confidence needed to make informed choices about their futures.

Real-World Experiences That Inspire

We’re committed to offering meaningful encounters with employers through a wide range of activities, including:

  • Careers events and apprenticeship fairs

  • Work experience placements

  • Talks from industry professionals

  • Workplace visits and immersive experiences

These opportunities help our students to understand the breadth of career pathways available to them—locally, nationally, and even globally. Whether their next step is university, college, or an apprenticeship, these real-world insights are invaluable in shaping their ambitions.

 A Collaborative Approach

Our careers programme thrives on collaboration, and we are always eager to build new partnerships with employers across a variety of sectors. Your time and expertise can make a lasting difference.

There are several flexible ways to get involved:

  • Host a stand at our Careers Event or Apprenticeship Fair for Year 10 and/or Year 12

  • Offer work experience placements to give students hands-on exposure to your industry

  • Deliver a talk about your profession, career journey or sector trends

  • Engage in employability activities, such as setting challenges, leading group tasks, or mentoring student teams

  • Conduct mock interviews to help students practice key interview techniques

  • Welcome students to your workplace so they can observe and experience a professional environment firsthand

Get Involved

We understand that your time is valuable, and we’re happy to work with you to tailor your involvement. Whether you can offer a single session or a longer-term opportunity, every contribution counts.

If you’d like to help shape the future workforce and support the ambitions of our students, we would love to hear from you.  Please contact Sharon Smith, Careers Leader at sharon.smith@thomasclarksonacademy.org

The Gatsby Benchmarks

The Government’s careers strategy, published on 4 December 2017, 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 and academy providing secondary education should use the Gatsby Charitable Foundation’s Benchmarks to develop and improve their careers provision. 

The 8 benchmarks are set out below: 

PAL Access policy

Please see the link below to our updated Provider Access policy statement 2025

TCA: Provider Access policy

Careers Hubs

Since October 2015, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, in partnership with the Careers and Enterprise Company, has also been running a Careers Hub in East Cambs and Fenland Enterprise Partnership area. This Careers Hub was put in place to build on the support provided through the Enterprise Adviser Networks to achieve benchmarks 5 and 6 and support schools / colleges to achieve all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks. 

What is a Careers Hub?

A Careers Hub is a group of secondary schools / colleges / SEN Schools located in the same geographical area, working with universities, other education and training providers, employers and career guidance professionals to ensure that ALL the Gatsby Benchmarks are delivered in each school and college within the Hub and that career outcomes are improved for all young people. Schools and colleges within the Hub should have a shared vision of how they will work together to improve outcomes for the young people in their area. TCA is supported by Alvina Morey (Senior Enterprise Co-ordinator) and Kieren Cross (Enterprise Advisor). The role of the Enterprise Co-ordinator and Advisor is to work directly with the school  careers leader to support their careers programme. They combine their passion for raising the aspirations of young people with their strategic skills to help put opportunities with local employers at the heart of a young person’s education. 

Useful Links

  • University and Apprenticeships

  • UCAS –Click here for information on degree apprenticeships.

  • OpenDays.com – A directory of university and college open days. Visit: https://www.opendays.com/

  • Career Advice & Guidance

  • National Careers Service – Students can speak to advisers via telephone, webchat, email, or text from Monday to Saturday. The website also offers valuable information about careers and job roles. https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/ 

  • HelpYouChoose – Information, advice, and careers guidance for young people in Norfolk. Visit: https://www.helpyouchoose.org/

  • Career Exploration & Apprenticeships

  • Unifrog – A useful platform for career exploration and opportunities. Visit: https://www.unifrog.org/

  • iCould – Provides insights into career paths through case studies, articles, and videos. Visit: www.icould.com.

  • Amazing Apprenticeships – A hub for apprenticeship opportunities and guidance. Visit: https://amazingapprenticeships.com/

  • Labour Market Information

  • Nomis – Provides official labour market statistics. Visit: www.nomisweb.co.uk

Further Information

For full details, please review the TCA Work Experience Protocol: Click here to view the document.