Careers Guidance

The school’s Careers Leader is Mr M Smith. He works with Mrs J Wise, Director of Key Stage 5, along with Mrs A-M Franks who is the school’s Associate Headteacher with responsibility for Pastoral matters including involvement in Careers Education. Enquiries regarding careers should be directed through our main school email.

 

Meet the Team

Mrs A-M Franks (Associate Headteacher, Pastoral)

anne-marie.franks@bostonhighschool.co.uk

01205 310505 

 

Mr M Smith (Careers Leader)

michael.smith@bostonhighschool.co.uk

 

Mrs J Wise (Director of KS5)

julie.wise@bostonhighschool.co.uk

 

Mrs Farley (Oxbridge, Medics and Early Entry Support)

kathy.farley@bostonhighschool.co.uk

 

Miss Lili Mitchell, Careers First (Careers Adviser)

Contactable via the School

 

 

Introduction

At Boston High School, we are committed to delivering a dynamic and inclusive careers programme that supports every student in making informed, ambitious, and confident decisions about their future.

Our careers education is embedded across the curriculum and enriched through employer engagement, digital platforms, and personal development opportunities. We follow the Gatsby Benchmarks and the CDI Framework for Careers Education, ensuring our provision is both comprehensive and progressive.

careers programme podcast

An accessible podcast which covers all of the information within this page in an audible format.


Boston High School Blueprint for Career Guidance Success Podcast - Downloadable Copy

OUR CAREERS VISION

The main objective of the CEG programme is to enable students to fulfil individual potential, to raise aspirations, to challenge gender stereotypes, and to provide equal opportunities for all students.

  • Empower students to explore their interests and aspirations
  • Provide meaningful encounters with employers and workplaces
  • Support all pathways including university, apprenticeships, and employment
  • Develop transferable skills for lifelong success

 

CAREERS PROGRAMME OVERVIEW (2025-26)

Our careers curriculum follows a spiral model, ensuring age-appropriate progression from Year 7 to Year 13. Key features include:

  • Unifrog modules tailored to each year group
  • Employer talks, alumni panels, and workplace visits
  • Mock interviews, CV and personal statement workshops
  • Work experience in Year 10 (coming 2026-27) and Year 12
  • Support for all destinations including UCAS, apprenticeships, and employment

Provided below is summary of the career education programme in school, these lessons are delivered by teaching staff, along with input from appropriate external experts.

Unifrog Spiral Curriculum

We use Unifrog to deliver structured careers education aligned with the six CDI learning areas. The infographic below shows how students engage with different modules throughout KS3 to KS5.

 

CDI Learning Areas

  • Grow Throughout Life: Develop skills and confidence over time
  • Explore Possibilities: Discover career paths and opportunities
  • Manage Career: Plan and navigate your career journey
  • Create Opportunities: Build networks and open doors
  • Balance Life and Work: Understand work-life balance and wellbeing
  • See the Big Picture: Recognize economic and societal influences

BHS Careers Summary Calendar 2025-26


DIGITAL CAREERS TOOLS

All students have access to Unifrog, our central careers platform. Through Unifrog, students can:

  • Explore careers and university courses
  • Track competencies and skills
  • Build CVs and personal statements
  • Access labour market information
  • Receive tailored guidance based on interests and goals

Parents and carers can also access Unifrog to support their child’s journey.

 

Key Dates & Events

  • National Careers Week: March 2026
  • University Visit (Year 10): April 2026
  • Work Experience Week (Year 12): June 22nd to 26th, 2026
  • UCAS Fair (Year 12): June 19th, 2026
  • Employer Talks & Alumni Panels: Throughout the year


Access to impartial and independent careers advice

Boston High School has an annual partnership and contract agreement with Lili Mitchell, Careers First. Lili provides access to independent careers support for students in transition years of 9 and 11. Some students are identified for support, details of which can be found in the school careers policy, but all students are able to request an appointment if they wish to. Requests can be made with Mrs Hawken; they do not need to explain why they are asking.

 

What will be discussed?

The types of issues that might be covered include helping students to:

  • Identify and analyse the skills already developed or would like to develop

  • Explore specific career areas

  • Access relevant labour market information

  • Identify what would be important to the student in a job – money, power, work-life balance?

  • Understand the process of job search and recruitment

  • Identify ideas for study/work and different pathways open to students

  • Set goals

 

What can students do to prepare for your interview?

Think about…

  • Current situation – what planning have they already done, if any?

  • What would they like to change?

  • Do they have some ideas, but don’t know how to move forward with them?

  • Are they worried that they have no ideas?

 

Benefits to students…

A guidance meeting will give students “time out” to explore options, look at themselves objectively and think about the implications of any decision they are contemplating.

 

How do students arrange a careers meeting?

Students in Years 9, 11 and 12 will automatically be given a time slot and they will be made aware of the appointment.

 

Provider Access Policy

Boston High School Careers Provider Access Policy

 

Evaluation

  • To continue to improve and adapt to suit students’ needs the careers education programme, content and delivery is evaluated by a sample of students in Term 6, via an electronic survey. Results are used to inform the planning of the programme for the next academic year.

  • The quality of the impartial guidance provision is evaluated by the students who have accessed the service. Feedback is provided to the service provider for future services.

  • The school complies with the logging of destinations data for Lincolnshire County Council returns annually, this data is then analysed against national averages and forms the basis for measuring the impact of careers education.

 

Top 5 University/Courses Chosen by our Students in 2023/24

Universities

  1. University of Lincoln

  2. Nottingham Trent University

  3. University of Northampton

  4. Manchester Metropolitan University

  5. York St. Johns University 

 

Courses

  1. Psychology

  2. Law

  3. English

  4. Education

  5. Sport

 

Careerometer

Careerometer can be used to explore and compare key information about occupations, help you learn about different occupations and identify potential careers.

It provides access to a selection of UK headline data relating to pay, weekly hours of work and future employment prospects for different occupations, as well as description of the occupation.

Simply type in the title of the job you are interested in and the widget provides a series of options from which you can select the most relevant to you. You can then look up another two occupations and compare. You can also select ‘display the UK average’ and compare the information with the occupation you have selected.

 

Careers Information and Resources

 

Useful Downloads

Applying through UCAS

Personal Statement Guide 2025/26

 

Information for Parents

Higher Education Parent Guide

Your Daughters Future

 

Information for Employers

BHS Careers - Information for Employers

 

BOSTON HIGH SCHOOL CAREERS GUIDANCE - USEFUL LINKS

Careers Information

www.icould.com - icould provides career inspiration and information for young people. Free access to over 1000 personal video stories, detailed job information, plus practical tips, insight and advice.

www.careersbox.co.uk - careers films on the web.

nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk - provides information, advice and guidance to help you make decisions on learning, training and work.

www.careersworld.co.uk - Careers World is your one stop website for careers advice and searching for the very best training and career opportunities within England, Scotland and Wales.

www.successatschool.org - Success at School is the place for young people to explore careers, get the lowdown on top employers, and search for the latest jobs, courses and advice.
www.ucasprogress.com - UCAS Progress provides information and advice to students, parents and teachers about different opportunities for post-GCSE education and training.

www.careerpilot.org.uk - Careerpilot.

futurelearncareers.com - Future Learn - Choosing a Career.

www.theuniguide.co.uk/a-level-explorer - A-Level Explorer.

www.womenintech.co.uk - Women in Tech.

 

Higher Education 

www.ucas.com - Higher Education information and university applications.

www.prospectusfinder.co.uk - easily find the website for any University or College.

www.whatuni.com - Whatuni helps students find universities and courses using our comprehensive data and handy University Comparison Tool.

www.medicspot.co.uk/grant - Medicspot Grant

nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund - NHS Learning Support Fund

 

Apprenticeships & Employment

www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship/ - apply for apprenticeships, get email and text alerts about new apprenticeships and your applications, track your applications.

https://www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk/ - Apprenticeships, Jobs, Reviews & Careers Advice for School & College Leavers.

https://www.lincstalentacademy.org.uk/apprenticeships/ - apprenticeships and work experience

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships

https://www.ucas.com/alternatives/apprenticeships/apprenticeships-england/what-apprenticeships-are-available/higher-apprenticeships

www.notgoingtouni.co.uk - website dedicated to helping school & college leavers make informed decisions about their future by showing the opportunities that exist outside of the traditional university route.

 

Gap Year

www.omio.com/travel/gap-year - comprehensive gap year resource

Job Search

https://www.indeed.co.uk/ - Indeed

https://www.monster.co.uk/ - Monster

https://www.totaljobs.com/ - Total Jobs

https://www.cv-library.co.uk/ - CV Library

https://www.jobsite.co.uk/ - Job Site

https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk - Civil Service Jobs

https://www.jobsgopublic.com/ - Jobs Go Public

https://www.jobs.nhs.uk/ - NHS Jobs