The Careers Department at Comberton Village College and Sixth Form aims to inspire pupils and students to make informed, ambitious choices about their future. Our programme is built around the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks, ensuring high‑quality careers education for every year group.
A stable careers programme
We deliver a structured careers programme across all year groups, including:
- Careers events and fairs
- One‑to‑one guidance meetings
- Encounters with employers, colleges and universities
- Work experience
- Careers education through PSHE
Our programme is reviewed termly using the Compass Careers Benchmark tool, supported by an Enterprise Co‑ordinator and Enterprise Advisor from The Careers and Enterprise Company.
The Careers Leader is based in the library careers office and can be contacted at [email protected]. Pupils can drop in at break or lunch, and a Careers Advisor from Form the Future visits monthly for additional guidance.
We welcome feedback from pupils, parents, staff and employers. After each event, pupils complete an online feedback form to help us improve.
Learning from career and labour market information
Cambridgeshire offers a wide range of employment opportunities, with key sectors including health, education, retail, life sciences, digital, advanced manufacturing and agri‑tech.
We work closely with local employers, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers who attend our events to share insights into careers and pathways.
Labour market information is available via the link on our website and on the Sixth Form careers Padlet.
Our library also holds a well‑stocked careers section with resources on higher and further education, apprenticeships, gap years and employment routes.
Addressing the needs of each pupil
We aim to inspire every pupil to reach their full potential, offering impartial guidance on all pathways including university, apprenticeships, employment and vocational routes.
The Careers Department works closely with the Cabin, The Centre and KS3/4/5 support teams to ensure pupils with additional needs receive tailored support. For example, during Year 10 work experience, Mrs Fay Lawson works directly with pupils in specialist units alongside their support staff.
Linking curriculum learning to careers
Careers education is delivered through PSHE, with age‑appropriate content for each year group and a separate Sixth Form programme.
We collaborate with curriculum leaders to embed careers links into subjects. Departments display posters showing career pathways related to their subject, and employers contribute to curriculum‑linked activities—for example, RG Carter’s mentoring programme for GCSE Construction pupils.
We welcome further employer involvement via our Parent, Carer and Alumni Network form.
Encounters with employers and employees
Every pupil has at least one careers event each year, including information on technical pathways and apprenticeships in line with Provider Access Legislation (PAL). Key decision‑making years (9, 11 and 13) have events scheduled before the end of February.
Events include:
- Large‑scale careers fairs
- Career carousels
- Apprenticeship talks
We work with Form the Future to deliver these events and actively involve parents, carers, alumni and local employers.
Experiences of workplaces
Year 10 pupils and Year 12 students complete a one‑week work experience placement in July. This includes researching industries, contacting employers, attending interviews and completing the placement.
Work experience helps pupils:
- Understand workplace expectations
- Explore industries of interest
- Develop skills and confidence
- Strengthen future applications
We also work with employers throughout the year to offer additional opportunities, such as the NHS work experience programme at Addenbrooke’s and Papworth.
Further information is available on the Year 10 and Sixth Form careers Padlets.
Encounters with further and higher education
Encounters with colleges, universities and training providers are built into our careers events. Recent fairs have included Cambridge Regional College, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge Military Preparation College and alumni from Falmouth University.
Our Post‑16 Manager arranges visits to colleges and universities, and we provide guidance for early‑entry applicants, including Oxbridge.
We also host talks on specialist pathways, such as applying to Ivy League universities.
Personal guidance
Pupils can book a careers meeting with the Careers Officer at any time. In key decision‑making years (Year 9 options and Post‑16 choices), additional guidance is provided by the Senior Leadership Team.
A Careers Advisor from Form the Future also visits monthly to offer independent advice.