Careers Education

At Nightingale Community Academy (NCA), our careers education and guidance programme is designed to equip every learner – from Primary through to Sixth Form – with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed decisions about their future.

Our approach is inclusive, practical, and embedded across the curriculum, ensuring that all pupils, including those with additional needs, have access to meaningful experiences of the world of work. Our provision is fully aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks and the Careers & Enterprise Compass framework.

We believe that career development begins early. From the Primary phase, pupils start exploring personal strengths, teamwork, and aspirations through the SHINE and Personal Development programmes. As pupils move into Key Stage 3, they participate in an onsite vocational carousel—rotating through Construction, Farm, Hair & Beauty, Music, Art, and Design Technology—allowing them to experience different industries within a supported setting.

Our careers provision develops progressively through each Key Stage:

Primary and Key Stage 3

• Early exposure to work-related learning through SHINE and PSHE.
• Onsite work placements within the school farm, kitchen, and office.
• Structured vocational carousel to build curiosity, teamwork, and employability.
• 1:1 discussions on strengths and career interests within SHINE sessions.

Key Stage 4

• Personalised Careers Action Plans developed through 1:1 meetings with our Careers Advisor.
• Access to external work experience placements, college visits, and apprenticeship workshops.
• Dedicated sessions on CV writing, interview techniques, and application preparation.
• Engagement with employers and providers such as the ASK Programme, Timpson’s, and London South East Colleges.

Key Stage 5

• Tailored transition and progression support towards college, apprenticeships, and supported internships.
• Regular careers fairs and industry-specific events (e.g. MACE Job Fair, Wimbledon Championships, SupaJam Music Industry placements).
• Opportunities for driving lessons, employability qualifications, and extended work placements.

• Strong progress across the Gatsby Benchmarks, with NCA achieving 94% for a stable careers programme and 100% for labour market information.
• Expanding partnerships with local employers, colleges, and organisations including Shaw Trust, Wilmott Dixon Construction, Towards Employment Merton, and London Learning Consortium.
• A growing number of students successfully transitioning to college courses, apprenticeships, supported internships, and employment.

We are committed to ensuring that every student:

• Has access to high-quality careers guidance from Key Stage 2 onwards.
• Experiences meaningful encounters with employers and workplaces each year.
• Leaves NCA with a clear, supported plan for their next steps.

For further information about our Careers Programme or to get involved as an employer partner, please contact our Careers Lead, Ranjan Chopra, at:
📧 RChopra@nightingaleca.org
📞 020 8874 9096