Careers & Enterprise

Careers education is about inspiration and aspiration as much as advice.

The world has changed greatly in the last 20 years with many people working in jobs today that simply didn’t exist when their parents left education. The idea of a ‘job for life’ has disappeared. What’s important is to recognise these exciting new opportunities that are available and to gain the knowledge, skills and expertise that will enable you to work in those areas.

Read the latest careers news from Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich.

The Gatsby benchmarks are at the heart of the careers programme at Harris Boys’ Academy East Dulwich. These are eight benchmarks covering different areas of quality career curriculum (see below).

Our lead person for careers at Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich is Khasruz Zaman K.Zaman@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk, tel 020 8299 5300. Download our Personal Development (Careers Education Guidance, Enterprise) Policy from our Teaching and Learning page.

Virtual work experience opportunities

Work experience is what will make you stand out from the crowd and will help you land your dream career. It can help to build you CV and helping you discover which career could be right for you.

Click on the links below for some fantastic virtual work experience opportunities:

• Speakers For Schools - Virtual Work Experience
• SpringPod - Virtual Work Experience

Please speak to Mr Zaman or the 6th Form pastoral team if you want to find out more about any of these opportunities. 

Pupils receive extensive preparation for their future, through meaningful opportunities to work with employers and to visit schools, colleges and universities." Ofsted, November 2023

Future Pathways

We make sure all students can access careers information so they can make informed decisions about their future pathways.

All students in years 11 and 13 will receive an annual appointment with our Careers Advisor but any student at the Academy can request an appointment by contacting Khasruz Zaman K.Zaman@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk.

All students at the Academy also have a Unifrog account which allows them to access labour market information, create post-16 and post-18 destinations short-lists and access their personal careers records.

Year 10 options

During Year 9, students will have the opportunity to select their options from our broad and balanced curriculum to continue their education with us. However, there are other options available that students may wish to consider. Options locally include Mulberry UTC and The Brit School. See the table below for more information.

Post-16 options

You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you'll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. You must then do one of the following:

• stay in full-time education, for example at school, sixth form college or further education college
• start an apprenticeship or traineeship
• spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering while also doing part-time education or training

Please see here for more information https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/career-choices-at-16

Post-18 options

There are a lot of options to choose from at 18. What’s right for you will depend on your situation and the career or job you have in mind. Please see here for more information https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/career-choices-at-18

Future Pathways table

Click HERE to download our Year 11 Higher Education programme booklet. 

Download our guide to Unifrog

Unifrog is a careers platform where you can easily explore your interests, then find and successfully apply for your best next step after school.

Download our Guide to Unifrog, including how to log in and an introduction to how it works. Unifrog will help you to explore your key interests and what career paths you can take to reach your goals. Sign in to Unifrog at www.unifrog.org/sign-in.

Gatsby 1 - A stable careers programme

We are committed to providing a varied programme of activities for all students from Year 7 to 13 and beyond. Various careers-related opportunities are provided via a number of different methods such as assemblies, tutor time programme, theme days, careers interviews, career-based interest guides and websites, trips to employers and universities, and visiting speakers.

Our students also benefit from attending careers fairs, having direct support with university/sixth form applications, student finance, CV advice, and we offer particular support for DSEN students. The focus is to provide activities and events that meet the needs of the individual students and thus will incorporate independent and impartial careers guidance to support career and option choices, raising the aspirations of individual students and equipping them with the necessary skills, attitudes, knowledge and understanding.

Harris Boys' Academy utilises the expertise of the Harris Federation Careers Advisor who works in the Academy in G.34 each Monday and supports students on a regular basis either during drop in sessions as well as for booked appointments. These sessions can be either 1-2-1, or completed in a group.

We evaluate the impact of our careers programme through the use of student and parent voice alongside feedback from key stakeholders such as The Careers and Enterprise Company, Investors in Careers and the Harris Federation Careers Team.  Through our commitment to achieving the Quality in Careers Standard, we are constantly evaluating the impact of our careers programme in order to achieve the best outcomes for our students.

We also recognise that parents/carers come from many different work backgrounds and can also contribute to helping our students make informed decisions. Therefore, if you are able to offer some time to deliver an occupational talk, host a stand at our annual careers fair, or are able to take a student for a work experience placement we would really welcome you contacting us at info@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk.

Provider Access Policy. This policy statement sets out the school’s arrangements for managing the access of providers to pupils at the school for the purpose of giving them information about the provider’s education or training offer. This complies with the school’s legal obligations under Section 42B of the Education Act 1997. The Provider Access Policy can be downloaded from the Teaching & Learning page.

In line with the Baker clause, our academy gives students access to other FE colleges and training providers from years 8-13 to discuss non-academic routes that are available; this includes main Harris Federation events like Next Steps, where colleges and training providers are encouraged to attend, as well as academy initiatives guided by the careers link and the careers adviser.

In addition to this, the Harris Careers Website outlines all of the Post 16 options. Students also have individual and guided access to Unifrog from Year 7 which offers additional impartial information on an ad hoc basis. This outlines all educational routes that they may wish to consider.

Pupil entitlement. All pupils in years 8-13 are entitled:  

• to find out about technical education qualifications and apprenticeships opportunities, as part of a careers programme which provides information on the full range of education and training options available at each transition point  
• to hear from a range of local providers about the opportunities they offer, including technical education and apprenticeships – through options events, assemblies and group discussions and taster events 
• to understand how to make applications for the full range of academic and technical courses.

Management of provider access requests. A provider wishing to request access should contact Khasruz Zaman, Associate Assistant Principal, Telephone: 020 8299 5300, Email: K.Zaman@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk

Premises. The school will make the main hall, classrooms or private meeting rooms available for discussions between the provider and students, as appropriate to the activity. The school will also make available AV and other specialist equipment to support provider presentations. This will all be discussed and agreed in advance of the visit with the Careers Leader or a member of their team. Providers are welcome to leave a copy of their prospectus or other relevant course literature at the Careers Resource Centre, which is managed by the school librarian. The Resource Centre is available to all students at lunch and break times.

Opportunities for access. A number of events, integrated into the school careers programme, will offer providers an opportunity to come into school to speak to pupils and/or their parents/carers:  

Below is an overview of our careers programme for Years 7-13.

Gatsby 2 - Learning from career and labour market information 

We understand that all students need to prepare themselves for progression through learning and education into adulthood. We aim to prepare students for life after school along with providing information on the ever-changing future, occupations and progression routes to sixth form, college, university or work/apprenticeships, as appropriate. All Year 8 -13 students can access the latest labour market information through their Unifrog account. Students also have access to https://www.harriscareerseducation.org.uk/ to access the latest career and labour market information.

We produce regular labour market reports which provide students with the information they need to make informed choices. The reports look at, for example, current employment rates, possible future trends for job growth and average salaries. You can download our latest labour market and economic information report at the bottom of this page.

Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich understands that all students need to prepare themselves for progression through learning and education into adulthood. We aim to prepare students for life after school along with providing information on the ever-changing future, occupations and progression routes to sixth form, college, university or work/apprenticeships, as appropriate.

Gatsby 3 - Addressing the needs of each pupil

At Harris Boys Academy East Dulwich we support students to explore different careers pathways and options through our Careers Launchpad programme. Careers Launchpad is delivered through our PSHE programme and our students benefit from frequent visits from employers, employees and entrepreneurs who lead the sessions.

At Key Stage 3, Careers Launchpad seeks to help our students explore a variety of different Career Paths, helping students to understand their options as well as challenge any misconceptions they may hold about different employment options. You can see links to some of our Careers Launchpad PSHE and Assembly sessions below.

At Key Stage 4, students have increased opportunities to engage directly with employees and employers through our PSHE programme as well as careers-focused Personal Development Days.

All Year 11-13 students also have one-to-one careers interviews with an independent Careers Advisor. Students also receive Careers Guidance in Year 9 prior to picking their options choices in Year 10.

Students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) are given extended appointments with our Careers Advisor, the SEN team and parents, to help ensure successful progression onto the next steps.

In addition, all Year 8-13 students will have their own careers portfolio on their Unifrog account where they can access their careers record and track the advice they have been given.

Gatsby 4 - Linking curriculum to careers

At Harris Boys Academy East Dulwich, we believe it is vital that students can connect what they have learnt in school with the knowledge and skills required in the workplace. 

Teachers in their lessons frequently connect the topic being studied to the knowledge and skills required by employers.  Through our extended curriculum, which includes form time, assemblies, extra-curricular clubs as well as trips and visits, students have been able to hear from and meet local employers.  Please see below for some examples of ways in which our students have been able to connect their subject knowledge with the world of work.

ICT careers trip to Met Police Cyber Crime Unit

Art careers trip to South London Gallery

Music careers trip to the Guildhall

Dance careers trip to the Barbican

Science careers trip to Microsoft

Entrepreneur Mark Segal explains connections between curriculum and world of work

Entrepreneur Mark Jenner highlights skills required for the workplace

Gatsby 5 - Encounters with employers and employees

In addition to trips to businesses we also organise careers talks at the school covering, for example, careers in technology, literature, hospitality, acting, publishing and graphic design.

We welcome outside speakers and organisations to contribute to our careers programme. Other examples of opportunities that our boys have to meet professionals from different sectors include:

• 2022 Careers Evening (see below)
• Career Ready mentoring programme for Year 12
• Careers in publishing - visit to Harper Collins
• Careers in creative writing - meeting author Phil Earle

An organisation wishing to request access should contact Khasruz Zaman, Associate Assistant Principal, on 020 8299 5300 or K.Zaman@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk. Requests will be considered in line with our visiting speaker procedure within our safeguarding policy. Please speak to our Careers Leader, Khasruz Zaman, to identify the most suitable opportunity for you.

Careers Evening 2022. Volunteer speakers from medicine, law, the arts, the civil service, finance, banking, the media and many more were among the business people who came to HBAED for our annual Careers Evening.

Sectors covered by our business volunteers on the night included marketing, banking, human resources, medicine, journalism, construction, government, computing, law and the arts.

The boys chose who to meet at the event, based on their interests, and had 20 minute sessions so they could learn in-depth how people chose their careers, what's involved, the skills you need, and what people like and dislike about their jobs.

Gatsby 6 - Experiences of workplace

Plan for all students in Year 10 to have work place visits and Year 12 to have Work Experience placements in Summer 2020.

• HBAED Boys Design Pavilion for COP26
• ICT careers trip to Met Police Cyber Crime Unit
• Art careers trip to South London Gallery
• Music careers trip to Guildhall
• Dance careers trip to the Barbican Centre
• Science careers trip to Microsoft
• Maths Careers trip to DG Cities
• Business Enterprise careers trip to Mitsubishi
• Design and Technology careers trip to the City Centre Point
• Sixth Form careers trip to Skills London
• Creative careers trip to Christie's Auction House
• Engineering and architecture careers explored with Grimshaws Architects

This short film was produced by our Performing Arts students during a trip to the Barbican. What does a theatre department do? What sort of jobs are available? What sort of people are likely to enjoy working there. How to get started. They showed great initiative, skill and creativity in producing this clip.

Gatsby 7 - Encounters with further and higher education

We provide opportunities for students to experience what further and higher education are like, in order to inspire and excite them about future possibilities. Places visited recently include:

• Guildhall School of Music and Drama
• Goldsmiths University London
• Cambridge University
• University College London
• Kingston University
• Southwark College

Year 10 trip to Imperial College London.

Gatsby 8 - Personal guidance

All Year 11s, 12s and 13s students have one-to-one careers interviews. Pictured below: Careers Adviser Caroline Jackson arranges a careers desk in the school canteen to answer careers-related questions from boys in all year groups. The idea was to make sure every student knows there is a careers adviser they can come and talk to at any time.

Destinations

As a result of the bespoke information, advice and guidance that our students receive the transition from Year 11 to Post 16 is exceptionally successful. The majority of our Year 11 students opt to remain at Harris Boys' Academy, seeking to continue their Post 16 education in traditional A levels, BTECs or a blend of the two.

Destinations data for 2017 is based on DfE statistics and is the most recent available. The data shown for 2018, 2019 and 2020 is based on internal audits of pupil destinations and can therefore be subject to change if pupils do not complete at least two terms of study at their chosen destination.

Enterprise

Being an enterprise academy brings unique opportunities for the Academy to develop a culture and learning ethos that will bring innovation in teaching and learning to the heart of its philosophy.

We want our students to be “business like” and enterprising in their approach to work and how they deal with each other, teachers and visitors to the Academy.

We are also committed to ensuring that all students leave Harris Boys' Academy East Dulwich with entrepreneurship relevant to the world of work, attractive to employers, and that they are well prepared to use these skills in further study and their everyday lives.

Success in a complex world

Our key aim is to have highly confident and enterprising students and teachers. Our students will be fully prepared for life’s challenges and have the drive, resourcefulness and employability skills needed to succeed in an ever-changing and complex world.

Enterprise opportunities for students

• Active Citizens Day in Year 7 focused on developing students' Enterprise Skills
• Two different after-school Enterprise Clubs- one for KS3 and KS4
• Financial Literacy Club at KS5
• Annual KS5 Economics essay competition with the Worshipful Company of International Bankers
• 'Meet an Entrepreneur' talks.  Recent past speakers have included Meryvn Lyn, Mark Jenner, Tom Quilter and Matt Segal
• Access to Careers talks through our work with Speakers for Schools and Inspiring the Future
• Harris Federation Careers Fair 
• Harris Boys Academy East Dulwich Summer Careers Fair
• 'I want to be a.......' talks in conjunction with our partners SSLP
• BTEC Enterprise and GCSE Business KS4 options
• CTEC Business and A-level Economics KS5 options