Careers Information

Why Is Being Informed About Careers & Apprenticeships so Important?

The Government policy called the Raising Participation Age (RPA) means that you have to be in some form of education until you are 18. This will be through studying at 6th Form, or college or in an apprenticeship or traineeship. You have to do this so you must know all the options that are open to you!

Who Should I Go to in School for More Advice

Every teacher in the school wants you to do well and fulfil your ambitions. If we don’t know the answer to your careers question we will find someone who does! You can also explore issues more using the Unifrog Careers platform you will have access to whilst you are a student in school. So, if you have a careers question you should ask:

Careers – It’s Your Future – Be Prepared

Some Examples of Careers Opportunities We Offer at DCHS Sixth Form:

Lower School


How we measure and assess the impact of the careers programme on pupils

The Duchess's Community High School works with The North East Local Enterprise Partnership, our Independent Careers Advisor, A local enterprise advisor and the Careers and Enterprise company. These are external organisations that supports our schools to ensure they are following the DFE Careers Guidance for Education. The following information is an extract taken from this guidance.


'High quality careers education and guidance in school or college is critical to young people’s futures. It helps to prepare them for the workplace by providing a clear understanding of the world of work including the routes to jobs and careers that they might find engaging and rewarding. It supports them to acquire the self-development and career management skills they need to achieve positive employment destinations. This helps students to choose their pathways, improve their life opportunities and contribute to a productive and successful economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the economy, education and the opportunities open to students. Research has shown that school and college leaders recognise that careers guidance has become more important than ever as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The department urges senior leaders to back their careers team, especially their Careers Leader, and to invest in personal guidance provided by a qualified careers adviser. This will allow the continued delivery of high-quality, progressive careers programmes that support all students to acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence to fulfil their potential.


As an education establishment we ensure we use the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks as a foundation when planning our Careers Strategy and use the Unifrog platform as a way to deliver activities. The effectiveness of our provision is inspected and audited by the Careers and Enterprise Company using the Compass Careers Benchmark Tool and evaluated annually by the senior leader and independent careers advisor. The Compass Careers Benchmark tool is used by schools and colleges in England to support the analysis and evaluation of careers activity against the eight benchmarks of best practice (known as the Gatsby Benchmarks). The NELEP & Careers and Enterprise Company coordinate the Audit deadlines. This ensures the development of our careers strategy is ongoing to ensure best practice. The Duchess's High School is a member of the North East Local Enterprise partnership Careers Hub (NELEP).