Careers

Our Careers Programme 

At St Nicholas Catholic High School, our Careers Programme runs from Year 7 to Year 13 and is built around the nationally recognised Gatsby Benchmarks. Students take part in engaging lessons, workshops, employer encounters, and workplace experiences that prepare them for life beyond school. They explore a wide range of careers and pathways, challenge stereotypes, and develop practical skills such as CV writing and interview techniques. With tailored support at key transition points – from choosing GCSE options to planning for university, apprenticeships, or employment – every student is equipped to make informed, confident choices about their future. 

We aim to ensure the best possible outcomes for all our student, working proactively with the Careers and Enterprise Company and the Pledge to build a careers program that empowers our young people to develop skills and confidence in their future, and informs them about relevant careers and pathways that work for them.  

Our careers program is monitored termly against the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks (shown below). It is evaluated annually and updated using feedback from students, parents/carers, staff, and employers and our destinations data. We also gain feedback after specific events to ensure they have met our aims and to monitor impact. 

To support your child, all parents are able to access Unifrog - a one-stop platform to explore careers, courses, apprenticeships, and universities, helping your child make confident choices about their future. You can research different jobs, record skills and achievements, build a CV, and compare post-16 and post-18 options. It also gives advice on applications, interviews, and work experience, while letting teachers and careers staff support your child with tailored guidance.  

To make your account, go to unifrog.org/code and input the sign-up code NIJWparents.  

https://www.unifrog.org/know-how/for-parents-and-caregivers-what-is-unifrog  

Careers Newsletters are sent out termly, you can access our archive here:  

September 2026
January 2026

September 2025

The Gatsby Benchmarks: 

1. A stable careers programme ​ 
2. Learning from careers and labour market information  ​ 
3. Addressing the needs of each student 
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers 
5. Encounters with employers and employees  
6. Experiences of workplaces  
7. Encounters with further and higher education 
8. Personal guidance  

The main aims of our career programme as a school are: 

1. Equip every student for their future – Provide high-quality, impartial careers education that develops skills, knowledge, and confidence so all students can make informed choices about post-16 and post-18 pathways. 

1. Broaden horizons and raise aspirations – Ensure students, including disadvantaged and SEND learners, are exposed to a wide range of careers, challenge stereotypes, and are encouraged to aim high in line with their potential. 

1. Connect learning to the real world – Offer regular, meaningful encounters with employers, workplaces, and education providers, helping students understand the link between curriculum learning and future opportunities. 

If parents or carers would like more information about our careers program, you can read our full careers programme here Careers Programme (11-18).xlsx or contact Careers Leader, Mrs S Stobbs, for more information. 

Unifrog is your one-stop platform to explore careers, courses, apprenticeships, and universities, helping you make confident choices about your future. You can research different jobs, record your skills and achievements, build a CV, and compare post-16 and post-18 options. It also gives advice on applications, interviews, and work experience, while letting teachers and careers staff support you with tailored guidance. The more you use it, the more useful it becomes in planning your next steps. 

www.unifrog.org  

If you have forgotten your password, use your school email and use the ‘forgotten password’ option to reset. 

Unifrog 101 Course: https://www.unifrog.org/student/courses/featured/unifrog-101-11-14  

At our school, careers education follows the CDI careers development framework. Each year you’ll build skills to: 

•  Reflect on yourself – your background, strengths and ambitions. 
• Explore opportunities – different jobs, education and training routes.
• Manage your career – making choices, planning next steps, and understanding the world of work.
• Create opportunities – through volunteering, work experience and paid work.
• Balance life and work – thinking about wellbeing and future priorities.
• See the bigger picture – looking at how careers link to issues like climate change and artificial intelligence. 

 You’ll do this through lessons, form time pastoral curriculum, Mission Days, Celebration of the Word, and encounters with employers, universities, and alumni. 

• Learn how to use Unifrog, our careers and next steps platform. 

• Work with local employers on exciting projects. 

• Hear from our KS5 prefects about their choices and experiences. 

• Take part in breaking stereotypes sessions. 

• Work with an employer project to learn about the world of work. 

• Hear from further education providers about what’s on offer after Year 11. 

• Join a STEM challenge with real-world applications. 

• Work on a third sector voluntary project to see how charities operate. 

• Learn more about apprenticeships as a possible future pathway. 

• Talks from universities, the army, and further education providers. 

• Take part in a 5-day work experience – you’ll organise your own placement. 

• 1:1 careers adviser meeting (in Year 10 or 11, with parental consent). 

• Careers Week: employer and alumni carousel, FE talks, and CV workshop. 

• 1:1 feedback and support for your Post-16 plan. 

• Interview preparation and a “maximising your summer” workshop. 

• Extra help if you’re unsure about your next steps through: 

• Mini employer readiness programme 

• Explore programme 

• 1:1 support with Young People’s Services 

• Talks from universities and alumni about life after sixth form. 

• Learn about post-18 options (university, apprenticeships, employment). 

• Visit the UK University and Apprenticeship Fair. 

• 1:1 careers adviser meeting (in Year 12 or 13, with parental consent).  

• Sessions on apprenticeships and alumni career journeys. 

• Join the Year 13 Employer Readiness Programme including: 

• Employer and alumni carousel 

• Apprenticeship workshop 

• CV workshop (including LinkedIn) 

• Interview workshop 

• Mock interview and 1:1 CV feedback with a local employer 

• Mock assessment centre preparation and off-site practice with local employers 

If you would like some more support or information regarding your future careers, please either get in touch with your form tutor or Mrs Stobbs to arrange a careers meeting. 

LinkedIn Presentation
CV Presentation
CV guidance
Interview Prep
What is an Apprenticeship

If you are a teacher looking for more information, you can find our careers programme and resources on the Careers CPD Sway https://sway.cloud.microsoft/qLwmVVdsz3wM73tt?ref=Link or by emailing Mrs Stobbs for more advice or information. This includes previous staff CPD, careers in the curriculum plans and audits, alumni contact details, local Labour Market Information, local employer information and example careers in the curriculum sessions.  

All staff have access to Unifrog to help embed careers into the curriculum by providing ready-made resources and real-world relevance: www.unifrog.org.  

Staff training on Unifrog can be accessed here: https://cdn.unifrog.org/video/o1b4ocn3e8/720.mp4  

If you are a local employer or business who would like to support any of the events mentioned above, or would like some more information, please contact Mrs S Stobbs s.stobbs@st-nicholas.cheshire.sch.uk to get in touch.  

Special Educational Needs 

All students with an EHCP or part of the Autism Resource Centre will receive additional support with accessing careers information and guidance. For more information about support your child is receiving, please contact our SENDCo, Mrs A Senior, or Assistant SENDCo, Mrs J Milborne.  

Our Careers Programme is evaluated every year in a report to governors as well as during the year as programmes are delivered.  

We review all feedback from: 

• Gatsby Benchmarks and Statutory Guidance 

• Compass + reports completed with Cheshire & Warrington Careers Hub 

• Internal Leadership Review: a collaborative process including feedback from the Careers Lead, SLT members, Enterprise Advisor (RMG UK), Careers link governor, PHSE lead, SENDCo, pastoral and student support staff and student services. 

• Stakeholder feedback: including students, parents/carers, teachers, careers advisor and employers. 

• Destination data: evaluation of students going into further education, apprenticeships, employment or NEET (not in education, employment or training) 

• Participation and engagement numbers 

​Previous Placements.pdf​

Labour Market Information 

National Careers Service – a comprehensive careers website with job profiles, outlining: the skills required, main tasks, pay levels and career prospects for hundreds of different jobs. In addition, valuable guidance on the different stages involved in getting a job. 

 Cheshire and Warrington Job Opportunities Portal – a portal with a range of information on local labour market information, including jobs, apprenticeships, and training providers 

My Path Careers Information about a wide variety of interesting careers with job profiles and videos 

 Unifrog one-stop platform to explore careers, courses, apprenticeships, and universities, helping you make confident choices about your future 

Post 16 & 18 Pathways 

 UCAS – a very helpful website for students thinking of applying to higher education.   Also contains valuable information on different options, including apprenticeships 

 Amazing Apprenticeships - a leading organisation in the education sector, working with schools, colleges and employers, tackling misconceptions and promoting the benefits of apprenticeships and technical education.  

 Ask Apprenticeships Information about different types of apprenticeships in a variety of sectors. 

Higher Horizons Part of the Uni Connect program, offers information about higher education and how to access it 

St Nicholas Catholic Sixth Form offers a unique, personalised learning environment providing academic excellence, pastoral support and community spirit. 

Cheshire College South and West local college with campuses in Crewe, Chester, and Ellesmere Port offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses  

Warrington Royal Vale College local college in Warrington offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses  

Reaseheath College land-based college in Nantwich offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses 

Priestley College is a Sixth Form and Community College in Warrington offering post-16 education in A-Levels, T-Levels, and vocational qualifications, alongside adult courses. 

Sir John Deane's Local college in Northwich offering T Levels, A Levels, apprenticeships, and vocational courses 

Crewe Engineering & Design UTC is a state-of-the-art technical college for students aged 14-18 in Crewe, specializing in engineering and design. 

UTC Warrington is one of 44 UTCs in England, set up to deliver technical pathways combined with a corde academic offer. 

Work Experience and Volunteering Opportunities 

Cheshire East Volunteering Hub  Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area 

Cheshire West Volunteering Action  Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area 

Warrington Voluntary Action  Information on volunteering opportunities in the local area  

Springpod Free virtual online work experience 

Speakers for Schools Free virtual online work experience