Upper Site Careers Information

The aim of Careers Education is to enable young people to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to understand themselves. It supports making choices, encourages research opportunities and the ability to manage transitions from education into training or employment. It is in place to foster independent learning, develop employability skills and explore how to use information advice and guidance. In short, it is about developing the skill set to enable the take-up of experiences or opportunities to enrich lives. 

Our vision statement and core values ensure that empathy, articulation, positive relationships, resilience, praise and evaluation are rooted into our curriculum and that our learners and their families know our story. This ‘prepare’ agenda embeds the values needed for adulthood, employability and success. 

We focus on helping learners develop a strong sense of self-awareness, explore a range of career opportunities, and successfully navigate transitions from education into training or employment. By fostering independent learning and cultivating essential employability skills, we ensure that our learners are equipped to take full advantage of opportunities that will enrich their lives.

At Trinity Academy Newcastle, we aim to develop young people who can independently research, make informed choices, and successfully transition from education into the next stages of their lives. All learners participate in at least one lesson per week of dedicated Careers Education as part of our PSHE program, mapped to the Career Development Institute’s framework for careers, employability, and enterprise education. Year 10 and 11 learners benefit from an additional lesson per week to support their transition to post-16 opportunities.

A balanced work experience programme also forms part of the Careers provision at Trinity Academy Newcastle. Working alongside local businesses, some with direct links to our learners, we endeavour to introduce learners to real world work experience opportunities where they have access to professionals within their chosen sector.

From September 2022 all schools must secure independent careers guidance for learners from years 7 to 13. At Trinity Academy Newcastle, our careers curriculum aims to ensure that learners experience at least 6 opportunities with a range of providers of approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships. In support of appropriate provision, Trinity Academy Newcastle work alongside the North-East Local Enterprise Partnership, Careers Adviser’s from Newcastle City Council’s Careers and Guidance Team and are part of the North-East Ambition Careers hub. This is a government strategy to strengthen local community involvement in the implementation of the National Careers strategy. Trinity Academy Newcastle

The Gatsby Benchmarks for careers education updates come into effect in September 2025, with changes focusing on meaningful, tailored experiences, expanded personal guidance, and a greater emphasis on inclusion for all young people, especially those with SEND. Key changes include a broader definition of "meaningful" for work and employer experiences, a move from "interview" to "meeting" for personal guidance sessions, and increased collaboration between different school staff to fully embed the Gatsby benchmarks across all year groups. 

The key themes of the Gatsby Benchmark updates are built around five main themes: 

• Careers at the heart of education and leadership . 
• Inclusion and impact for each and every young person . 
• Meaningful and varied encounters and experiences . 
• Focus on the use of information and data . 
• Engagement of parents and carers . 

Specific Changes to the Gatsby Benchmarks for 2025

Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees

The definition of "meaningful" has been expanded to emphasize the importance of variety in encounters and opportunities for young people to prepare and reflect on their experiences. 

Benchmark 6: Experiences of workplaces

This benchmark now puts a stronger emphasis on offering tailored, relevant work experiences that align with a young person's interests and strengths, rather than generic placements. 

Benchmark 8: Personal guidance

The term "interview" has been replaced with "meeting" to better reflect the collaborative nature of these sessions. All young people should have at least one meeting by age 16 and the opportunity for a further meeting by age 18. 

Inclusion for Young People with SEND

There's a greater focus on ensuring the benchmarks address the needs of all learners, including those with SEND. This includes tailored support and the use of job coaches for workplace experiences. 

Key Takeaways that form part of the Careers provision at Trinity Academy Newcastle.

Tailored experiences: are central to the updated benchmarks. 

Variety and reflection: are important for both employer encounters and work experiences. 

Personal guidance is key: and needs to be embedded in the school's overall careers programme. 

Collaboration: between careers leaders, advisers, SEND coordinators, and other staff is encouraged. 

Careers Event information will be shared on Trinity Academy Newcastle's website and social media platforms throughout the year.

For further information please contact our Careers Lead: Chris Hudson

Phone: 0191 298 6950 Option 1

Email: chrishudson@tanmat.org

This information will be reviewed in January 2026.