On 29th November 2017 Parkstone Grammar was awarded the Quality in Careers Standard via the Investor in Careers award. The Quality in Careers Standard is the new single national award for Careers and has combined the 12 previously available Careers Awards, Investors in Careers, being one of these. The award is in recognition of the excellent Careers Information, Advice and Guidance already established in the school.
The school’s strengths are:
- The school’s recent OFSTED report (Oct 17) moved the school to “outstanding” status, with Careers Education and student guidance being specifically mentioned as a strength; “Careers guidance is a strength of the school, including in the sixth form.”
- Support for students in post 16 is also a real strength, with students interviewed showing a genuine confidence in both tutors and subject staff assisting them with important choices.
- High-quality careers guidance ensures that students move on to meaningful and sustained destinations, chiefly in higher education. In 2017, all students who had been eligible for the pupil premium when they were in key stage 4 went on to university.
- A further strength is the developing role of the Careers Co-ordinator whose influence and initiatives are embedding themselves across the school; e.g. CEIAG subject audit/ whole school CPD.
Headteacher Tracy Harris said: “We are thrilled to have been given this prestigious award recognising the superb support provided by the school in preparing our young people for the next stages in their lives. Huge congratulations must go to Julia Wilkinson, our Careers Coordinator, who leads the tremendous support for our students.”