Sheffield school one of best in country for career education

Firth Park Academy honoured for outstanding careers programme

Firth Park Academy was visited by Olly Newton, director of policy and research at the Edge Foundation, to celebrate its fantastic careers work.

He met with students who spoke about how the careers programme had prepared them for a range of different progression routes, from Oxbridge applications to apprenticeships, and the skills they had already acquired from working with local employers.

The school has achieved all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks for careers provision, making them one of just over 100 schools in the country to achieve this, placing the school in the top three per cent of schools in the country for the quality of its careers provision.

The director of Policy and Research at the Edge Foundation visited the school

Achieving all eight benchmarks, against a national average of three, means that Firth Park Academy students are as prepared as possible for the world of work and are able to make fully informed decisions about their futures.

Olly Newton said: “At Edge we believe above all in making education relevant and Firth Park Academy are doing exemplary work in this area.

“Not only are they one of only 100 schools in the country to fulfil all of the benchmarks of good careers guidance, but they are really making this integral to the opportunities they provide to all pupils.

“From starting a profitable business offering multicultural food to sampling University lectures and being inspired by local employers, the impact of these experiences on pupils is clear – helping them to develop their career aspirations and inspire their learning.”

Dean Jones, headteacher at Firth Park Academy, said: “We were delighted to host a visit from Olly Newton in recognition of our fantastic work in careers.

“Our team have put a tremendous amount of hard work into establishing a first-class careers education at Firth Park and we can be confident that our students are leaving school fully equipped with the knowledge and skills they will need for the next stage of their lives.”

For more on the Gatsby Benchmarks, and what they mean, visit gatsby.org.uk .