364 West Derby Road, Liverpool, L13 7HQ

West Derby School

We Deliver Success

Annual Career Plans

Year 7

Transition from Primary – students will meet their new classmates, their teachers and experience a range of exciting secondary subjects

PSHE: Year 7 lessons cover the topic of ‘Living in the Wider World’, which allows pupils to explore the different types of skills that a person needs to fulfil certain roles in society.

SLT/PPL Assemblies will cover the themes of PSHE, including mental health, resilience, misogyny, labour market information, how to access Jobs Live, how to make good life choices, and how good attendance is linked to academic and career success. Assemblies will also be delivered by a range of external providers such as LFC, EFC, and employers from the Speakers for Schools and Founders for Schools programme.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, this year, students in Year 7 will take part in entrepreneurial activities in which they will create and sell products at our Christmas Fair. They will enjoy a visit to Knowsley Safari Park and learn about the animals and the employment opportunities available there.

Other Careers and Personal Growth opportunities will include:

Engaging in Stem activities delivered by the RAF
Learning about ‘Savvy Shopping’ from HSBC
Learning and practising First Aid Skills
Engaging in Mathematics challenges with Liverpool University
Taking part 4 Barclays Life Skills sessions
Taking part in our in-school careers carousel / speed-networking event
Engaging in African Drumming / Art / Dance and Beatboxing sessions with professional performers.

WRL Audits: All subject areas complete an audit on their Schemes of Work highlighting where ‘work-related’ areas are covered. Staff deliver bespoke Career Ready subject lessons. They can draw upon resources from: Speakers for Schools, Career-Ready, Founders for Schools, Careers and Enterprise Hub, etc.

Aim Higher: Trips, visits and activities are actively arranged throughout the course of the year to encourage pupils to think of career prospects outside of their usual sphere of existence. We work closely with The Talent Foundry, the Academy of Real Assets, Elevate EBP, Working Options, LJMU and Shaping Futures to provide as wide a range of career-related opportunities to our students.

Year 8

PSHE: Year 8 lessons cover the topic of ‘Careers and Finance’ which allows pupils to explore different types of careers and the financial aspects of being an adult.

SLT/PPL Assemblies will cover the themes of PSHE, including mental health, resilience, misogyny, labour market information, how to access Unifrog, knife crime, and how good attendance is linked to academic and career success. Assemblies will also be delivered by a range of external providers such as LFC, EFC, employers from the Speakers for Schools and Founders for Schools programme, the RAF and the Royal Navy.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, this year, students in Year 8 will take part in designing their own t-shirts for sale, an EFC Spiero robots coding workshop, rapping workshops with a professional artist, Capoeira, African drumming and dance sessions, Zorb Football, etc.

Other personal growth opportunities will include:

Engaging in Stem activities delivered by the RAF
Learning about their ‘Financial Well-being’ from HSBC
Developing and practising their First Aid Skills
Engaging in Mathematics challenges with Liverpool University
Visiting the theatre for a Christmas Pantomine, and them taking a tour of various Liverpool museums
Making and Launching Rockets with the Royal Navy
Taking part in our in-school careers carousel / speed-networking event
PSHE: Personal target setting, self-confidence and goals, team-work and communication
Register with Unifrog
Debate Mate
Shaping Futures assembly on Higher Education
Trip to Liverpool University
M and G Enterprise Challenge

WRL Audits: All subject areas complete an audit on their Schemes of Work highlighting where ‘work-related’ areas are covered. Staff deliver bespoke Career Ready subject resources. They can draw upon resources from: Speakers for Schools, Career-Ready, Founders for Schools, The Careers and Enterprise Hub, etc.

Year 9

PSHE: Year 9 lessons explore British values, the media, money matters, religion and ethics.

Year 9 Parents Options Evening: provided by the Senior Leader in charge of the Options Programme. A Power point will be shared with parents about the process and how to aid their son in selecting their options. A subject guide will be provided with more information for pupils and parents, together with links to future careers.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, and during special lessons, this year, students in Year 9 will:

Research their future with Unifrog
Take part in ‘I Will’ Social Action and Enterprise with LFC
Engage with Liverpool University and their STEM Outreach programme
Partake in Barclays Life Skills Sessions
Engage with The Brook on the topic of Sexual Health & Relationships
Take part in our in-school careers carousel / speed-networking event
PSHE: Work Skills, Enterprise
Aim Higher with LJMU
Research your future options with Unifrog
Options Evening
Shaping Futures assemblies on Intro to FE and LMI
Discover Your Potential with Shaping Futures visit to UoL
Sixth Form Taster Day
Team building day at an outdoor activities centre.
KMPG in-school and activity and visit to KPMG offices

Aim Higher: Trips, visits and activities are actively arranged throughout the course of the year to encourage pupils to think of career prospects outside of their usual sphere of existence. We work closely with The Talent Foundry, the Academy of Real Assets, Elevate EBP, Working Options, LJMU and Shaping Futures to provide as wide a range of career-related opportunities to our students.

Year 10

PSHE: Year 10 lessons explore: interpersonal skills, the ‘Discrimination and Equality Act’, dealing with stress, work skills, enterprise and the work environment, finances and debt, accounts, savings and loans, and employability.

SLT/PPL Assemblies will cover the themes of the PSHE curriculum and presentations by the British Army and Navy, Ask Apprenticeships and T Levels. Higher Education assemblies delivered by with Liverpool University student ambassadors in collaboration with Shaping Futures.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, and during special lessons, this year, students in Year 10 will:

Continue to develop and practise their first aid skills
Have a session with The Brook on ‘Sexual Health & Respectful Relationships’
Have three sessions with Shaping Futures on ‘Future Pathways’, Labour Market Information and accessing Higher Education.
Take part in an Army Elite Skills session
Use Unifrog to research their future career
Take part in our in-school careers carousel / speed-networking event
Social Engagement with LFC Foundation
PSHE: Employability Skills and CV Writing
Discover Your Potential with Shaping Futures visit to UoL.
Elevate Next Steps programme
Access All Areas with LJMU
Pathways to apprenticeships, FE with Unifrog
Oxford / Cambridge Aspire programme visit
LMI with Shaping Futures
Elite Skills with the British Army,
First Aid Session 2
Mock Interviews with E Y Foundation & AoRA
Work Experience prep with virtual headsets and face to face work experience
Engineering Visit
6^th Form Taster Day

Careers Connect: is a charity who are passionate about providing high quality independent careers advice, bridging the gap to learning and employment and better life chances for young people and adults. All KS4 students have access to this impartial career’s advice service and book appointments through their PPL.

Sixth Form Taster Day: During the summer term of Year 10, the timetable is collapsed for 1 day for all Year 10 students. Students select 4 subject areas they are interested in and attend A Level / Level 3 style lessons for the day. Students also have an enrichment lesson delivered by EFC ‘Esteem’. Students have full access to Café West and will wear our Sixth Form uniform. The event aims to inspire students to continue in education post-16 and to guide students when selecting A Level/Level 3 subjects in Year 11.

Work Experience June 2025: Students will undertake a one week work experience placement. West Derby School works closely with Elevate EBP to ensure that students are placed in workplaces that will not only help them to understand the requirements of the world of work, but also to meet their individual needs where possible.

Oxford/ Cambridge Aspire: The ‘Aspire’ programme will be undertaken by five boys with the desire and ability to study at Oxbridge / Cambridge. Working with mentors from Aspire and University lecturers from Oxbridge and Cambridge, the programme aims to raise aspiration, build confidence, and drive intellectual curiosity. Selected students will take part in a residential at Oxford and Cambridge in the summer holidays of 2025.

Aim Higher: Trips and activities to local universities are arranged to encourage pupils to think of their career prospects outside of their usual experience. We work closely with LJMU as part of their ‘Access all Areas’ and ‘Discover Your Potential’ programmes.

Year 11

PSHE: Year 11 lessons explore: Revision and study skills, applying to college and university, independent living, preparing for job interviews, health and safety at work, and trade unions.

SLT/PPL Assemblies will cover the themes of the PSHE curriculum and presentations by ASK Apprenticeships and T Levels. Revision, study skills and higher education assemblies delivered by with Liverpool University student ambassadors in collaboration with Shaping Futures, as well as employers from the Speakers for Schools programme.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, and during special lessons, this year, students in Year 11 will:

Continue to develop and practise their first aid skills
Have a session with The Brook on sexual health and personal responsibility
Have two sessions with Shaping Futures on revision / exam skills, and CV writing
Mock Interviews with EY Foundation
Continue to use Unifrog to research their future career, applying to college /sixth form.
Take part in LFC’s ‘Kick’ – Youth Engagement programme
Take part in our in-school careers carousel / speed-networking event
Engage with the National Citizenship Service’s programme
Discover Your Potential with Shaping Futures trips to UoL and UCL
Careers Focused Assemblies from a range of employers
One to one Meeting with external Careers Advisor
Visit to National Apprenticeship and University Fair
Mock Interviews with EY Foundation
PGD: Revision and Exam Skills

Careers Connect: is a charity who are passionate about providing high quality independent careers advice, bridging the gap to learning and employment and better life chances for young people and adults. All Year 11 students will have a one to one meeting with a Careers Connect advisor.

Year 12

PHSE: Year 12 lessons explore: Transition to 6^th Form lessons, Exploring higher education LJMU/Unifrog, work ethic and motivation.

Head of Sixth Form and External Speaker Assemblies / Presentations: In addition to assemblies that link to the PSHE curriculum, students will also hear from LJMU (access to higher education, student finance) ASK (applying for higher level apprenticeships), the Realising Opportunities team, NCS and many more.

Speaker of the Month: On a Friday each month, in conjunction with Speakers for Schools and Founders for Schools, Jobs & University Live, students will listen to a presentation by an expert in their respective industry. They will be able to ask questions and request to speak to the speaker individually.

Enrichment: As well as their weekly academic programme of study, students will also have the opportunity to take up to 4 enrichment classes per week. These will include: Sports and Fitness, Catering, Spanish, Philosophy, and Computing.

Continuing Education with Liverpool University: Students will be given (a fully funded) opportunity to study with Liverpool University as part of their Continuing Education programme. These classes will take place at the university during the evening. Students will be able to choose between a multitude of foreign Language courses, Literature, History, Archaeology, Astronomy, and many more.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, and during special lessons, this year, students in Year 12 will:

Engage in STEM days at Liverpool University
Take part in a trip to the National Apprenticeship & University Fair
Partake in the EFC’s ‘Esteem’ workshop
Engage with the National Citizenship Service
Transition to Sixth Form and thinking about Higher Education with LJMU / Unifrog
STEM day at Liverpool University
Visit to HMRC offices
PSHE: Work Ethic and Motivation
Opportunity to take part In EY Foundation summer programme
Continuing Education Short Courses in partnership with Liverpool University
Workplace day at Liverpool Hope University
3 visits to WDS Careers Carousel
Interview Skills with Shaping Futures
VR Headsets virtual work experience to prepare for the real thing

Work Experience June 2025: Students will undertake a one-week work experience placement. West Derby School works closely with Elevate EBP to ensure that students are placed in workplaces that will not only help them to understand the requirements of the world of work, but also to meet their individual needs where possible.

Year 13

PHSE: Year 13 lessons explore: Writing a personal statement, the importance of free speech, Level 3 apprenticeships, exam revision, managing stress.

Head of Sixth Form and External Speaker Assemblies / Presentations: In addition to assemblies that link to the PSHE curriculum, students will also hear from LJMU (access to higher education, student finance), ASK (applying for higher level apprenticeships), the Realising Opportunities team, NCS and many more.

Personal Growth Curriculum: Over the course of 3 personal growth days, and during special lessons, this year, students in Year 13 will:

Engage in STEM days at Liverpool University
Take part in Shaping Futures sessions on: UCAS applications, and Revision and Resilience
Take part in a trip to the National Apprenticeship & University Fair
Partake in the EFC’s ‘Esteem’ workshop
Continue to develop their first aid and lifesaving skills
Take part in a driving awareness scheme in which they will experience driving with a qualified instructor
LJMU presentation on ‘Financing Your Studies’
National Apprenticeships (ASK) talk on finding and applying for Level 3 apprenticeships
PSHE: Writing a Personal Statement
Meeting with Key Speakers from Industries that students are interested in.
Continuing Education Short Courses in partnership with Liverpool University
3 visits to WDS Careers Carousel
Experience of the Workplace day at Liverpool Hope University