Careers Education at CFS
At CFS, we believe it is never too early for pupils to begin thinking about their future pathways and career aspirations. Careers education is embedded across all key stages, offering pupils positive, meaningful experiences through high quality resources, engaging encounters and informed conversations. Our aim is to bring to life the wide range of opportunities available to pupils, both now and in the future.
We are fully committed to ensuring all pupils receive impartial, highquality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) to support them in making informed choices about their next steps.
Post 16 – destinations and local College and Sixth Form Open Events.
Please find here the slide deck from our recent Year 11 Futures Fair day and evening event where all things A Level, T Level, V Level, BTEC and Apprenticeships were discussed. Do contact Mr Angell should you want to discuss your child’s options next year further, or if you think they would benefit from a further 1-1 Careers Guidance meeting at school.
Independent Careers Guidance
To support this, we employ an independent, qualified Careers Adviser who:
- Delivers small group guidance to pupils in Year 9 during Summer Term
- Meets individually with every pupil in Year 10 during Autumn and Spring Term
- Offers additional appointments for pupils in Year 11, where appropriate
Alongside this, we have strong and growing links with local employers and post 16 providers, including Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Vitacress, Chichester College Group, and a range of A Level, vocational and apprenticeship providers, to name just a few.
Our popular Thursday Lunch Live (TLL) sessions bring career journeys to life through visiting speakers from a wide range of industries. Previous speakers have included the Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt, author Tom Petch, cosmetic scientist Barbara Brockway, and explorer James Ketchell.
Gatsby Benchmarks and Policy Information
Our careers programme is aligned with the revised Gatsby Benchmarks (2025).
- Our Provider Access Policy can be found in the Other Documents section of the Policies page link here.
- Our Careers Education and Guidance (CEIAG) Policy can be found in the main Policies section link here
Unifrog Careers Platform
In addition to inschool guidance, CFS uses the Unifrog online careers platform. All pupils receive a login when they join the secondary phase. This is usually given to them in Year 8 during PSHE lessons. Unifrog enables pupils to:
- Explore thousands of careers and the qualifications needed for each
- Record careers activities, experiences and skills development during their time at school
- Compare post 16 and post 18 pathways
- Compare every UK undergraduate course
- Explore further education, higher education and apprenticeship opportunities
Unifrog also supports pupils in tracking their progress towards the CFS Passport Award, which has three levels to it- Bronze (Year 7), Silver (Year 9) and Gold (Year 11). Further information on this can be found [here]
Partnerships and Employer Engagement
CFS works closely with the West Sussex Careers Team, supported by a local Enterprise Coordinator. An Enterprise Advisor has also been appointed to help the school strengthen employer engagement and continue to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, currently the Careers and Employability Manager at Chichester University.
The Senior Leadership Team and all staff are fully committed to raising the profile of careers education and ensuring pupils are well prepared for life beyond school.
Careers Education – Pupil Statement:
As a pupil at CFS, we will inspire you to explore possible future careers (recognising that you may have more than one throughout your life) and support you in developing a plan to achieve your goals. You will be helped to develop essential employability skills, resilience and self reflection, enabling you to make the most of future opportunities.
In return, we ask that you:
- Engage fully in careers activities and opportunities
- Attend employer talks, workplace visits and speaker sessions
- Record your experiences and skills development on Unifrog
- Complete your annual Future Skills Survey
Taking ownership of your careers journey will help you make confident, informed decisions about your future.
Careers Education Parent Statement:
As a parent or carer, your child’s exploration of the world of work is vital and should begin early. We strongly encourage you to discuss careers, aspirations and pathways at home.
You may find it helpful to:
- Ask your child to share their Unifrog profile, which links interests and personal attributes to potential careers
- Discuss the careers activities they have taken part in, both in and out of school
- Support your child in securing a Year 10 work experience placement
- Attend our careers focused parent evenings in Years 8–11
Parental engagement plays an invaluable role in helping pupils make informed post16 decisions.
Careers Education – Employer Statement:
We warmly welcome engagement with employers from the local and wider business community. Partnering with CFS supports both our pupils and employers’ Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) objectives.
We currently work with a range of employers, including RollsRoyce Motor Cars, John Lewis & Partners, Vitacress, Q Hair & Beauty and Lodge Court HR. Employers can support our careers programme by:
- Delivering TLL lunchtime talks
- Supporting assemblies or workshops
- Offering work experience placements
- Promoting post 16 and post 18 pathways, including apprenticeships
- Participating in STEM, careers or open events
Please contact the school if you would like to be involved in this important work.
Careers Education in Primary
Careers education in the Primary phase focuses on helping pupils develop an awareness of the wide variety of jobs and roles that exist. Through:
- A halfterm of PSHE lessons in each year group
- Exciting assemblies with visiting speakers
- Curriculum based skill development
Pupils begin to form early ideas about the world of work before transitioning into the Secondary phase. A detailed overview of Primary careers experiences can be found in the Careers Education and Guidance Policy.
Careers Education in Secondary
Careers Education and Guidance in Secondary provides pupils with a structured and progressive programme of experiences designed to support post16 decisionmaking and longterm aspirations.
By the end of Key Stage 4, all pupils will:
- Have clarity around their post 16 destination
- Understand the range of pathways available to them
- Recognise and reflect on their employability skills
Further details on:
- Careers in the PSHE curriculum
- Work experience
- Post16 and apprenticeship opportunities
- Onetoone guidance
- Support for disadvantaged or potentially NEET pupils
- Employer partnerships and external speakers
can be found in the Careers Education & Guidance Policy.
Top Three Helpful Links
| Website | Description | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Unifrog | Each secondary pupil has an account, and it is an incredible tool. Do ask your child to show you want they can do on this website | http://www.unifrog.org |
| Get Career Confident | West Sussex funded resource to help pupils get inspired, get qualified, get a job and get support | https://www.getcareerconfident.co.uk/ |
| National Apprenticeship Database | Government directory of all funded Apprenticeships opportunities- do keep checking this as application deadlines differ for different companies | https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship |