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Year 6 D.I.V.A. programme

We have the highest aspirations for all children, students and staff who are able to enjoy learning in a safe and inclusive environment.  We recognise our duty to contribute to a society in which there is a common vision and sense of belonging and the diversity of our multicultural community is appreciated, celebrated and valued.  - Taken from Preston Manor School – whole school strategic plan.

Objectives:

1.    Inspire

  • To offer real-life contact with employers to allow the students to understand where different choices could possibly take them in the future. 

2.    Educate

  • Raise awareness and support the understanding of different careers.
  • To understand and challenge stereotypes.

3.   Develop skills

  • Broaden skills and knowledge to support the transition on to the next stage of school.

4.    Build confidence

  • Motivate and inspire the pupils to push beyond their comfort zones.
  • To build self-confidence and support the students to be the best version of themselves.

Raising aspirations, supporting young people to achieve their full potential, promoting equality, diversity and challenging stereotypes are some of the key foundations of the Preston Manor Careers programme.

The purpose of the Key stage 2 D.I.V.A. programme is to attain the objectives stated above and to also strengthen the student’s engagement in learning by promoting keys skills that are used in both education and the working world.

The programme also aims to build on the girl’s confidence and support the students to start thinking about their future and careers.

Objective

Output

Outcome

Impact

  • Inspire: To offer real-life contact with employers to allow the students to understand where different choices could possibly take them in the future. 
  • Depending on availability, the students will have interaction and talks from Alumni, members of the PTA, Honorary D.I.V.A.s and women from different professions and employers.
  • The students will gain an insight and knowledge into different career paths.
  • Allow students to start thinking about the career they may want to undertake. 
  • Allows students to better understand different roles and skills.

Educate:

  • Raise awareness and support the understanding of different careers in the world of work.

 

  • To understand and challenge stereotypes.
  • Group talks

 

  •  Depending on availability, the students will have interaction and talks from Alumni, members of the PTA, honorary D.I.V.A.s and women from different professions and employers.

 

 

  • The students will attain a broader understanding of the careers.

 

  • They will be aware of the different local businesses and the products and services offered.

 

  • Identify the harm caused by stereotyping and discrimination and the significance of treating people fairly.
  • Recognise the stereotyping and discrimination and say how people should be treated and know who to talk to if something is wrong.

 

 Develop skills: 

  • Broaden skills and knowledge to support the transition on to the next stage of school.
  • Groups talks
  • Identify skills that employers look for
  • Group activity to promote team work. 
  • Building on of employability skills such as communication, listening and organisation skills.
  • Increase in praise point.

 

Build confidence:

  • Motivate and inspire the pupils to push beyond comfort zones
  • To build self-confidence and support the students to be the best version of themselves.

• Enterprise: Running book fair.

• Fund raising. 

• Group activity to promote team work and communication.  

  • A more a positive attitude towards their peers and staff.
  • More positive attitude towards their school activities. 
  • Able to address adults and confidant speech.
  • Interacting with different students.
  • Volunteering to help in the classroom more.

 

 

 

 

 

There are four modules to the programme, each module supports the development of each objective and meets a number of learning area from the Careers Development Institution framework, CDI. The modules also meets several of the Gatsby Benchmarks.

 

Determination

Through set activities based on establishing the student’s understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Students will develop self-awareness, with the ability to describe what they are good at and what they enjoy doing, this will give the students a chance to start thinking about the types of roles that they are interested.

By completing the ‘Determination’ module students will be able to identify personal strengths and weaknesses.

In addition to giving the girls a sense of accountability, the targets supports the ‘self-awareness’, self-determination’ and ‘self-improvements’ areas of learning in the CDI framework and also meets Gatsby Benchmark 3, addressing the needs of each pupil.

 

Independence

The girls will be asked to interview an Honorary D.I.V.A. from the Upper school, a family member or, depending on availability, visiting speakers. This module will not only challenge the students to step out their comfort zone and build on their confidence through addressing an adult.

It will give the students examples of what careers are available and what people like and dislike about the work they do.  This part of the module supports the ‘Investigating work and working life’ and ‘exploring careers and development’ areas of learning and meets the Gatsby Benchmark 5. 

Furthermore, the girls would also be building on a number of employability skills such as communication, listening and organisation skills.

 

Students will be required to describe a local business, how it is run and the products and/or services it provides. Completing this section of the module will cover the ‘Investigating jobs and labour information’ area of learning from the CDI framework and also meet the Gatsby Benchmark 2, ‘Learning from career and labour information’. The students will also get an idea on what type of businesses are in the community and the possible careers within those businesses.

 

Value

This unit aims to recognise the harm caused by stereotyping and discrimination and the importance of treating people fairly. The first activity will ask the students to show their understanding of stereotyping and discrimination, they will then be asked to read through scenarios and identify any stereotyping or discrimination that may be occurring. 

This will demonstrate understanding of the terms and the circumstances within the scenarios.

The students will then be asked to explain how people should be treated and know who to talk to if something is wrong. Depending on availability, the students will have a speaker to help them challenge the different stereotypes.    The second part of this unit identifies key qualities and skills that employers look for. By using the information form the ‘Determination’ module the students will highlight the skills they already possess and look at two other qualities and key skills employers look for.

This module supports the ‘valuing equality, diversity and inclusion CDI frame work area of learning as well as the ‘preparing for employability’ area of learning.

 

Aspiration

By completing the Aspiration session, students will strengthen their engagement in learning by promoting keys skills that were developed during the programme, skill such team work and communications and planning. 

 

Through completing the ‘showing initiative and enterprise’ area of learning, the students will exhibit, planning, working in a team and creativity skills. This will be done through running the book fair and fund raising, giving the skills to overcome challenges. 

Students will understand how to make a good impression on other people by creating a statement of intent. Parental engagement is very import as it gives the student added support with the exercise.  Therefore, we encourage parents to support their child during the process of writing the statement and commenting on the piece of writing and the programme itself. ‘Handling applications and selection’ area of learning on the CDI frame work is achieved through the statement of intent activity. 

 

The students’ progress and the monitoring of the programme will be supervised and reviewed through evaluations from both the students, staff and visitors and the monitoring of their work.

By gathering and analysing the evidence about the outcomes and impact of the programme, the data will be used to judge the effectiveness of the sessions and activities as well as assisting in planning for improvement to the programme.

Keeping in line with the Key Stage 2 Careers Development Institution framework and incorporating the Gatsby Benchmark, Sara Lannaman-Williams will be managing and delivering the programme for KS2 students with support from the Careers Coordinator.

 

As an Honorary D.I.V.A with strong links to the lower school, Mrs. Lannaman-Williams will be able to promote the expectations of the programme as well as deliver the sessions and be the link between the lower school and upper school. 

 

Proposing this as a whole school initiative, will prepare the KS2 students with careers information and key skills that will be utilised in school and in the work place.

The year 7 students that have gone through the KS2 D.I.V.A programme at the lower school, will already have some knowledge of careers information and can progress into the upper school D.I.V.A. programme which will further challenge them, build confidence and raise their aspirations.

The Careers coordinator and the lower school Honorary DIVA will work collaboratively to deliver cohesive programmes to link the programme.