This week the Personal Development Team received news, officially confirming that we have gained the prestigious Quality in Careers Standard Award. This award is valid for two years following our assessment in January 2025. Please see below the comments written by the assessor on the final report:

 

Summary and Judgement

This is the first assessment for Netherthorpe School, which has provided a very comprehensive submission against the Quality in Careers Standard criteria and the Gatsby benchmarks. It described in detail the management, delivery, and evaluation structures in place to support students and this was underpinned by relevant supporting evidence.

 

The experienced and well qualified careers team were able to demonstrate that they work well together, sharing good practice and are able to offer their experience to the other partner schools in the MAT. The school has a strong commitment to career learning, and the school undertakes termly Compass self assessment which is quality assured by their local enterprise coordinator and swiftly and systematically addresses any shortcomings identified. The careers governor has termly strategic meetings with the careers team and regularly reports to the board of governors.

 

The school has a clearly defined management structure and delivers relevant and timely training for staff. With the school’s career programme being comprehensive, covering all post 16 and post 18 options and which has been mapped against both the Gatsby benchmarks and the CDI framework.

 

Netherthorpe School is pro active in engaging parents and carers including a provision for parents and carers on the school website. SEND students have been instrumental in contributing to a review of provision which is an exemplary example of student voice.

 

The assessor was impressed by the passion, knowledge and organisational skills of the careers team and the active hands on role of the careers leader and is confident that they will continue to work in partnership with relevant stakeholders to ensure that the careers programme at the school meets, not only the statutory requirements, but goes above and beyond to support all learners at the school.

 

A huge thank you goes out to all those who helped me along the way. A special thanks in particular to Carmel Haughey, Liz Eastwood, Natalie Connolley, Debs Taylor, Yvonne Wright and Rachel Cracknell.

 

Nick Green (School’s Careers Lead)