Enterprise
All students are given the opportunity to access a range of vocational activities which differentiated to support inclusion. We use our own enterprise skills to support students’ enjoyment and fulfilment while identifying strengths and progression.
Enterprise forms a large part of the Catcote curriculum. It promotes creativity and acts as a stepping stone, leading into employment. Students following the yellow pathway make use of the Catcote 10 Enterprise Commandments. As the students take part in enterprising activities, their use and demonstration of the 10 enterprise commandments is recognised and promoted with the aim of developing an ‘I can’ attitude.
“CORRECT ” Enterprise Skills. These skills have been created to help our students recognise and develop the skills they will require to help them in the world of work.
Students following the blue pathway use the “CORRECT ” Enterprise skills while taking part in internal and external work placements.
These skills are directly linked to the skills required in the workplace. The recognition and recording of these skills helps each learner to identify their own strengths and areas of development, as well as the types of employment which will best suit their abilities and interests.
In developing work skills our learners have the opportunity to work in:
- Reprographics print department
- Hair and Beauty salon
- Horticulture
- Hospitality and Catering
- Retail
- Administration
Career Development
Catcote Futures are working with Talentino, a Matrix accredited career development company. Talentino is affiliated with The Career Development Institute and specialises in career development for young people with SEND.
A number of staff have been trained by Talentino to deliver the careers programme ‘Careers at Every Level’, including classroom based career coaching, work experience, employer engagement, employability skills development and business and enterprise.
In addition, we offer a wide range of careers and enterprise activities to our students. These include internal work experience placements within our Bistro, hair salon, horticulture department, and reception and administrative duties. We operate two external outlets, Catcote Metro (retail) and The Vestry Café (hospitality and catering). We also have a large network of employers with whom we work closely to prepare our students for adulthood and the ‘world of work’.
We are working in partnership with some key employers within Hartlepool, such as McDonalds, J & B Recycling, Mary Lambert’s Coffee Shop and Sweet Peas Garden Centre. Students are supported in their work placements by trained staff who are trained in Task Specific Instruction (TSI). Our network of employers also offer support with classroom based careers activities such as CV workshops, interview skills and communication skills.
External organisations such as National Careers Service and the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Support for Schools Programme are invited to the college to offer impartial advice and guidance.
We hold an annual ‘Choices’ event, where students and their parents and carers have the opportunity to speak to employers, training providers, colleges, voluntary and community sector organisations to find out more information regarding local provision.
The careers programme delivers against the 8 Gatsby benchmarks in the following way and we use the Compass tool to track our progress and help us plan for further improve.
Key staff
Our Careers Leader is Barry Currell, a member of the senior leadership team.
Jackie McGarry is our Careers and Employment Co-ordinator and is qualified to Level 6 in Careers Guidance. The named Governor for Careers is Roger Philips.
