Careers Advice

Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance

At Southampton Hospital School, we are committed to providing every pupil with a high-quality, personalised careers programme that supports them in preparing for their next steps, both within education and beyond. We recognise that each young person’s journey is unique, and we pride ourselves on offering a bespoke approach to careers education that reflects individual needs, interests and aspirations.

Our careers provision is rooted in our school values, placing the wellbeing, confidence and future success of our pupils at the centre of everything we do. We understand that some of our pupils may have experienced disruption to their education or may feel uncertain about their future pathways. A core aim of our work is therefore to help young people rebuild their aspirations, develop confidence, and regain a sense of hope for a positive and successful future.

Our Approach

Our careers programme is carefully designed to align with the Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance, ensuring that our provision is structured, ambitious, and impactful.

You can find out more about these benchmarks by clicking here

Through our approach, our fundamental aims are to enable our young people to:

• Develop the knowledge and skills needed for adulthood
• Understand the wide range of opportunities available to them
• Build resilience, independence and decision-making skills
• Prepare confidently for their next steps in education, employment or training

What We Offer

Our careers provision includes a wide range of meaningful and engaging opportunities, such as:

• Personalised careers guidance tailored to individual interests and needs
• Regular encounters with employers and professionals from a variety of sectors
• Structured question-and-answer sessions, where pupils can explore real-life career journeys and gain insight into the world of work
• Opportunities to develop employability skills, including communication, teamwork and problem-solving
• Support with planning next steps, including post-16 pathways

We place a strong emphasis on making careers education accessible, relevant and inspiring, particularly for pupils who may face additional barriers. As well as our own cycles of learning, we make full use of quality resources such as the National Career Service and the PSHE Association, whilst ensuring they are adapted and relevant for our students who may be experiencing health and well-being difficulties. We remain ambitious in our pledge to not let these difficulties remain or become limiting factors.

Other ways in which we aim to achieve this include the following:

• On admission all Year 10 and 11 students will be offered support and guidance with selecting and applying for appropriate post-16 education routes
• Home schools will be contacted to arrange careers interviews if one is deemed necessary
• The impact of a health condition upon chosen careers will be explored with individual students
• Year 11 students are accompanied by staff on local college visits where possible
• Lessons may be moved on site at local colleges for children who need extra support with transition
• Referrals will be made to other services such as Teen New Futures, to further support transition to post 16 education for vulnerable students or students at risk of becoming NEET
• Making connections with local Universities through school governance and education links

Aspiring Pathways Programme (2026–2027)

We are delighted to be working in partnership with the Solent Careers Hub to deliver the Aspiring Pathways Programme from September 2026 to August 2027.

This programme is part of a national £8.5 million investment by the Department for Education, designed to expand access to meaningful workplace experiences for young people in Alternative Provision.

The programme supports the government’s ambition for every young person to benefit from high-quality careers education, including at least two weeks of workplace experience between Years 7 and 11. We recognise that pupils in alternative provision can face additional challenges in accessing these opportunities, and this initiative is a vital step in addressing those barriers.

Through this programme, we will:

• Build capacity to deliver high-quality, meaningful workplace experiences (WEX)
• Work collaboratively with partners to develop and adapt provision to meet the needs of our pupils
• Design experiences that remove barriers and maximise engagement
• Ensure all activity is aligned with clear outcomes for learners using the Equalex Framework

Importantly, this programme will be tailored to our pupils, with some experiences delivered on-site to ensure accessibility, confidence and meaningful participation. Our aim is to create a flexible and inclusive model that supports all learners to succeed.

For further information about this initiative, please click here