Year 6-7
The transition between primary and secondary school is a ‘rights of passage’ time where parents reflect, and children experience twinges of anxiety and sometimes fear. The transition from Year 6 to 7 is essential as it starts to embed the idea that young people are the masters of their own destiny.
This transition point is an ideal one in which to talk about the different opportunities available for your child and the aspirations they have for their future.
At the start of the secondary school journey in a Meridian Trust school, they will be encouraged to take part in a variety of team-building, communication and self-reflection activities which will provide them with the opportunity to develop skills for employment and enterprise, often known as Employability Skills.
All Meridian Trust secondary schools offer PLEDGES. This is an award system which offers your child a range of character-building opportunities that enhance their confidence, learning and development. You can find out more about PLEDGES on our Trust Website. We expect that your child will gain their PLEDGES Bronze by the end of Year 9 and tutors, school staff and our tailored curriculum will help them to achieve this. We would also very much like your child to go on to achieve their Silver and Gold during their school journey. PLEDGES help your child demonstrate their commitment and widens their outlook on life, which in turn will only benefit their future life chances.
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Careers programme
Careers-related learning in secondary education is a vital part of every school’s curriculum. There are many opportunities for your child to explore the world of work. Throughout their school life the curriculum offers them wide-ranging opportunities to challenge stereotypes, value diversity, identify and raise early career aspirations, and recognise personal strengths and goals.
In addition to PLEDGES, we also have a careers programme where visitors and role models play an important part in enabling your child to see careers and opportunities through the eyes of others. In their first year at the school they will encounter a series of activities that supports them to think about themselves, reflecting on their skills, interests and achievements to develop a positive self-image, providing a foundation for career planning. Your child will have the opportunity to understand the difference between a job and a career, gaining an appreciation of the term ‘work’, thinking about this in the context of the world around them. Finally, an introduction to Future Trends, paid and unpaid work and career exploration will also be covered. Each school in Meridian Trust has a careers programme and website landing page which evidences the work which will take place each year.
In all Meridian trust schools, there are work experience opportunities, there is an established PHSE curriculum, and all schools strive to ensure that they meet at 100% all areas of the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Your child will have a Unifrog log-in to enable them to start their careers journey from year 7. They will have an introduction that outlines the function of Unifrog and you will also be provided with information that will enable you to support your child. Your child will use Unifrog to explore careers as part of their curriculum time and it can also be accessed by them in their own time for researching options for further education and careers. As your child progresses through school, they will build their own unique profiles within Unifrog, helping to guide them with career choices, research further and higher education opportunities and document skills for future life.