Careers
Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance
At The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School, we are committed to ensuring that every student receives high-quality, impartial careers education, information, advice and guidance.
Our careers programme supports students to develop ambition, recognise their strengths and interests, understand the opportunities available to them and make informed decisions about their future.
Careers education is an important part of a student's journey through JHN. From Year 7 onwards, students are encouraged to explore the world of work and the wide range of academic, technical and vocational pathways available to them. As students progress through the school, the programme supports them at key transition points, including GCSE options, post-16 choices and post-18 pathways.
Our aim is that every student leaves JHN equipped with the knowledge, skills, experiences and confidence they need to take their next steps successfully.
Careers Leadership
Mrs J Crump – Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Careers
Email: crumpj@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Mrs Crump has strategic responsibility for careers education, information, advice and guidance across the school and oversees the delivery and development of the school's careers programme.
She is the main point of contact for students, parents and carers, employers, education and training providers and other organisations wishing to engage with or support careers education at JHN.
Students can access careers information, advice and guidance throughout their time at school. All Year 11 students are offered careers guidance, with additional support available to students in other year groups at key transition points or where individual guidance would be beneficial.
Mrs S Taylor – Teacher I/C Careers in the Curriculum
Mrs Taylor leads on embedding careers education across the curriculum, working with subject areas to ensure students understand how their learning connects to future education, training and employment opportunities. She supports departments in highlighting career pathways, employability skills and links to the world of work within their curriculum.
Through this role, Mrs Taylor helps to ensure that careers education is not seen as a standalone programme, but is an integral part of students’ learning across the school. This supports students to recognise the relevance of their subjects, broaden their understanding of future opportunities and make informed choices about their next steps.
Our Careers Programme
Careers education is delivered through a combination of curriculum learning, personal development, guidance and encounters with employers, workplaces and further and higher education.
Throughout their time at JHN, students have opportunities to take part in activities such as:
- careers and employability learning through the curriculum;
- careers fairs and careers events;
- encounters with employers and employees;
- workplace and university visits;
- apprenticeship and technical education information;
- talks from employers, professionals and former JHN students;
- careers and employability workshops;
- work-related learning and workplace experiences;
- mock interviews;
- individual careers guidance;
- support with GCSE, post-16 and post-18 choices;
- information about university, apprenticeships, further education and employment;
- leadership, enrichment and volunteering opportunities.
Careers learning is also embedded within subject areas so that students can understand how the knowledge and skills they develop in school relate to future study, employment and the wider world.
Our careers programme is reviewed regularly to ensure that it meets the needs of our students and reflects current opportunities and pathways.
Careers Through the School
Years 7–9: Exploring Opportunities
During Key Stage 3, students begin to explore their interests, strengths and aspirations. They are introduced to a broad range of careers and pathways and encouraged to understand the relationship between their learning in school and future opportunities.
As students approach their GCSE options, careers education supports them to make informed choices while keeping future pathways open.
Years 10–11: Preparing for the Next Step
At Key Stage 4, students develop their understanding of post-16 options, including:
- Sixth Form and A Levels;
- further education and vocational courses;
- technical qualifications;
- apprenticeships and training;
- employment pathways.
Students have opportunities to develop employability skills, encounter employers and explore different workplaces and sectors.
All Year 11 students receive support in considering their post-16 destination and are offered careers guidance to help them make informed decisions.
Years 12–13: Preparing for Life Beyond JHN
Careers education continues throughout Sixth Form and supports students to explore the full range of post-18 opportunities.
This includes:
- university and higher education;
- degree and higher apprenticeships;
- employment and training;
- gap years and volunteering;
- careers and labour market information;
- CVs, applications and interview preparation;
- opportunities to engage with employers, universities, apprenticeship providers and former students.
Our aim is for every Sixth Form student to leave JHN with a clear and well-informed plan for their next step.
Unifrog
JHN uses Unifrog to support students in exploring careers and planning their next steps.
Unifrog brings together information about careers, universities, apprenticeships and other pathways within one platform. Students can use it to:
- explore careers and different employment sectors;
- research university courses and apprenticeships;
- investigate further education and training opportunities;
- record activities, skills and achievements;
- build CVs and applications;
- prepare for future education, training and employment.
Students are encouraged to use Unifrog regularly throughout their time at JHN.
Parents and carers can also access Unifrog resources to help them support conversations about future choices at home.
Supporting Parents and Carers
Parents and carers have an important role in helping young people make decisions about their future.
We support families by providing information about academic, vocational, technical and apprenticeship pathways; information at key transition points; access to careers resources through Unifrog; and signposting to reliable careers and labour market information.
Parents and carers who would like further information about careers education at JHN should contact Mrs Crump.
Employers and Alumni
We value the contribution that employers and former JHN students make to our careers programme.
Employers and alumni can support our students through careers talks, careers events, workplace visits and experiences, mock interviews, employability activities and curriculum-based activities which demonstrate how learning in school connects to the world of work.
We are also keen to hear from former JHN students who would be willing to share their education, training or career journey with current students.
If you are an employer or former student interested in supporting our careers programme, please contact Mrs Crump at crumpj@jhn.herts.sch.uk.
Education and Training Providers
The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School is committed to ensuring that students understand the full range of education and training opportunities available to them, including technical education and apprenticeships.
We welcome appropriate opportunities for further education colleges, apprenticeship providers, training providers and other organisations to engage with our students as part of the school's careers programme.
Providers wishing to request access to students should contact:
Mrs J Crump
Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Careers
crumpj@jhn.herts.sch.uk
Further details can be found in the school's Provider Access Policy/Statement.
Careers Policy and Programme
Our Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Policy sets out our approach to careers education across the school.
Our careers programme is reviewed regularly and takes account of the Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance and statutory careers guidance for schools.
Living in the wider world 2025-2026
Useful Careers Resources
- Unifrog – careers, university and apprenticeship exploration
- National Careers Service – careers information, advice and guidance
- UCAS – university, higher education and apprenticeship information
- Amazing Apprenticeships – information about apprenticeships and technical pathways
- The Careers & Enterprise Company – careers information and resources
For careers enquiries, please contact:
Mrs J Crump
Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for Careers
The Saint John Henry Newman Catholic School
crumpj@jhn.herts.sch.uk
UNIFROG
This outstanding careers tool brings together all the available information about higher education and training into one single, impartial, user-friendly platform. In here, you will find everything you need to prepare yourself for making decisions about what you want to do. There are also tools to help you with your personal statement, CV and application forms.
How to sign up to Unifrog
How to sign up to Unifrog - Students
How to sign up to Unifrog - Parents
Parent code is now: JOAEParents
Useful Resources
Activities Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the Activities tool.
Competencies Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the Competencies tool.
Intentions Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the Intentions tool.
CV Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the CV tool.
Apprenticeship Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the Apprenticeship tool.
University Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the UK University tool.
College and Sixth Form Tool
This PowerPoint takes you through how to use the College and Sixth Form tool.
The Eight Gatsby Benchmarks
The eight Gatsby Benchmarks are:
|
Benchmark |
Description |
|
1. A stable careers programme |
Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers and employers. |
|
2. Learning from career and labour market information |
Every pupil, and their parents, should have access to good-quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information. |
|
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil |
Pupils have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout. |
|
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers |
All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. For example, STEM subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths. |
|
5. Encounters with employers and employees |
Every pupil should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes. |
|
6. Experiences of workplaces |
Every pupil should have first-hand experiences* of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks. |
|
7. Encounters with further and higher education |
All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace. |
|
8. Personal guidance |
Every pupil should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a careers adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all pupils but should be timed to meet their individual needs. |
