CMS Careers Strategy sets out details of our current career programme and future plans that are intended to further develop our provision. Mrs D McCrory, is leading development.

At Catshill Middle School, we are committed to ensuring that our pupils are offered a broad and balanced curriculum that aims to prepare them for life in modern Britain and successful employment. As part of this commitment, we want all our pupils to understand the full range of opportunities that will be available to them and to develop the transferable skills that will help them succeed in a future job market.

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
Benchmark 2  - Learning from career and labour market information
Benchmark 3  - Addressing the needs of each pupil
Benchmark 4  - Linking curriculum learning to careers
Benchmark 5  - Encounters with employers and employees
Benchmark 6  - Experiences of workplaces
Benchmark 7  - Encounters with further and higher education
Benchmark 8  - Personal Guidance

• To raise aspirations and challenge deeply rooted beliefs surrounding future training, employment and stereotypical thinking.
• Pupils have had the opportunities to develop ‘soft skills’, such as teamwork, problem-solving and resilience, that are highly valued by employers and which are transferable between job sectors.
• Pupils have had the opportunity to develop confidence and character through activities such as debating, cultural visits and volunteering.
• Pupils have enjoyed multiple opportunities to engage with a range of employers through assemblies, workshops, visits and mock interviews.
• Pupils, and their parents/carers, are aware of how up-to-date information regarding future careers and further education can be accessed.
• Statutory requirements, including Gatsby Benchmarks, are met.

• We forge links with local businesses and educational providers via Worcestershire Apprenticeships who support our various activities and events. In addition, we maintain links to a range of parents, governors and other external organisations who support career-based events.
• We work in partnership with our designated Enterprise Advisor and our local authority Careers and Enterprise Co-ordinator to identify and close gaps in provision; we regularly use the Compass Tool to monitor our progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks and evaluate the impact of our action plan on a termly basis.
• We forge and maintain links with STEM ambassadors to promote STEM careers.

Careers are promoted within both subject teaching, through subject-based display and additional learning opportunities; our discrete Life Skills programme included career focused units across both key stages.