Careers

At Oakfield Academy, we are passionate about supporting students at the start of their career path and into the world of work. We aim to provide impartial guidance and advice on further education, training or employment across KS2 and KS3 and involve many outside agencies such as employers and education providers.

Our Careers Leaders are Kate Bryan (Assistant Head Teacher Intervention) & Adam Reynolds (Head of Humanities). Link Trustee - Christopher Salmon. If you have any queries about career paths and HE or FE please contact via the school office on 01373 462539 or email oakfield@oakfieldacademy.co.uk

Kate Bryan Adam Reynolds

We are in the process of updating and expanding our careers webpage and are looking for examples of different careers and pathways to that career.

We would love to include some profiles of what our parents do for a living if you feel this is something you would be happy to contribute to. We would require a photograph of yourself in the workplace or wearing your work uniform with a short description of your role and how you got there.

If this is something you feel you could support us with and you are happy for the profile to go onto our website, then we would be delighted to hear from you.

In addition, if you once attended the Academy or you have an older child who is now in the work place we would love to be able to add you to our alumni page.

Please contact us via the school email address above.

Careers Learning Grid

Updated: 10/02/2022 261 KB

Future goals

Where can different subjects take you?

https://arthurterry.bham.sch.uk/students/careers/where-can-x-take-you/

Build a career in the minerals industry to help shape the world around you.

https://minerals-matter.co.uk/#

Education & Training advice, click on picture.

Skillsometer

You can use Skillsometer to help you discover what job you'd like to do in future:

Careerometer

Careerometer can be used to explore & compare key information about occupations:

The Careers Source

Free-of-charge, expert-led careers content to help your students build successful futures

We are delighted to share our brand-new hub for careers content, tailor-made for ages 12-18. The Careers Source offers a range of highly-relevant guidance and advice from some of our top industry professionals. With dozens of blogs and videos to choose from, there is something for everyone: get advice on how to break into medicine, how to launch an eco-friendly career, experience a day in the life of a fashion designer, and much much more!

The Careers Source offers a range of highly-relevant guidance and advice from some of our top industry professionals. With dozens of blogs and videos to choose from, there is something for everyone: get advice on how to break into medicine, how to launch an eco-friendly career, experience a day in the life of a fashion designer, and much much more!

Summer Career Opportunities

Our life-changing summer career experiences for ages 12-18 are more than 80% full! Register now for immersive work experience activities under the guidance of successful professionals at top industry locations around London. Shadow doctors in a London hospital, argue a case in the Supreme Court and much much more.

Visit & register Ages 12-14

Recommended resources for helping students and parents with career choices

Careerpilot : Get information : Your choices at 14 : Choosing GCSEs: compulsory and optional

Articles Archive - icould- lots of videos and career resources

Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service

Success at School: Career Zones

Different places you can study Home - Mendip Studio School

Get ready for your career Video (4 mins)

Information for parents on GCSE's Start (startprofile.com)

Start – Careers Information (startprofile.com)

Top UK Universities Russell Group | Home

Careers - BBC Bitesize

Find out about T-Levels, Apprenticeships and Traineeships Amazing Apprenticeships

The Careers Source

Free-of-charge, expert-led careers content to help your students build successful futures

We are delighted to share our brand-new hub for careers content, tailor-made for ages 12-18. The Careers Source offers a range of highly-relevant guidance and advice from some of our top industry professionals. With dozens of blogs and videos to choose from, there is something for everyone: get advice on how to break into medicine, how to launch an eco-friendly career, experience a day in the life of a fashion designer, and much much more!

The Careers Source is completely free-of-charge. Please share this email with relevant students; a PDF can be found here.

Visit The Careers Source

Summer Career Opportunities

Our life-changing summer career experiences for ages 12-18 are more than 80% full! Register now for immersive work experience activities under the guidance of successful professionals at top industry locations around London. Shadow doctors in a London hospital, argue a case in the Supreme Court and much much more.

View & Register: Ages 15-18

View & Register: Ages 12-14

Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama

Information for pupils & Parents

Careers documents

Careers Guidance Policy

Updated: 06/11/2023 229 KB

Top 10 Employability skills

Updated: 05/05/2022 646 KB

Careers & Pathways

Updated: 10/02/2022 368 KB

Our PSHE / Careers and Citizenship Curriculum, ensures that the key skills and essential knowledge we have identified permeate our curriculum from year 5 to year 8, allowing our pupils to make links in their learning as well as develop the ability to think more deeply about what they are learning. In this respect, pupils’ learning is meaningful and purposeful, and designed in a range of contexts, which offer breadth and variety to their learning.

New A level alternative qualification

The government introduced a new qualification in 2020 to be taken after GCSEs as an alternative to A levels.

If you would like more information on this, please go to.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-t-levels/introduction-of-t-levels

Gatsby Benchmarks

Updated: 18/11/2022 454 KB

Students & Parents/Carers

Information for students & parents /carers relating to careers

Somerset Careers Hub Parents Careers

Somerset Careers Hub Careers opportunities

Careers Pathway Planner

Pathway Planner

Updated: 29/01/2022 123 KB

The Future of Careers - click here

What are T Levels- click here

Maths Interactive quiz

On National Numeracy Day, the Children’s Commissioner for England launched ‘Where can I go with maths?’, an interactive quiz for children featuring over 50 career profiles of role models using maths or maths skills in their work.

Employers & Training Providers

At Oakfield Academy we are busy growing your employees of the future. We welcome the help of local businesses to raise their career aspirations, develop their employability skills and learn more about the exciting industries in Somerset.

We welcome Training Providers and employers to come into school and talk to our students. Please click on our

Provider Access Policy

Updated: 13/11/2023 252 KB

A provider wishing to request access should contact Careers leaders Adam Reynolds or Kate Bryan through the main Academy office.

Oakfield Academy has the benefit of a key business volunteer who works with us on a strategic level, encouraging the development of our careers programme and connecting us to the business community across the county. This role is recognised nationally as an Enterprise Adviser Recruitment (EA) and they are part of the Somerset Careers Hub community of support driving the connection between careers education and the business sector.

Our Enterprise Adviser is Pippa Birch from Pipster Solutions

Careers Staff

The Careers Leads are Adam Reynolds (KS3) and Kate Bryan (KS2)

They can be contacted via oakfield@oakfieldacademy.co.uk or by telephoning the school office on 01373 462539.

We work in partnership with the Somerset Careers Hub and Oakfield Academy are implementing and evaluated on the Gatsby Foundation’s eight Career Benchmarks of good practice:

Teachers/ Curriculum

All teachers include careers into the curriculum, and are encouraged to implement the below:

Develop prominent displays that links subject learning and skill development to different careers.
Develop links with businesses and organisations
Invite alumni and other external speakers to come into school (virtually where an actual visit is not feasible).
Where appropriate to organise external visits by students to local businesses/organisations.
Record careers learning opportunities for students in schemes of learning.
Take part in school ‘Careers sessions’ where teachers start their lesson with a careers focus, such as talking about their career pathway or showing a short film where people in a range of job roles explain the relevance of skills developed in a particular subject area to their role.
Explore the possibility of developing real projects/challenges for students with a local business or organisation enterprise.
Consider the needs and interests of all students and ensure that information challenges stereotyping including gender and disability.
Teach pupils about money and financial planning and the links between money and work.

Bath College Activities week

As part of activity week and our careers programme, Bath College came into the school to talk to our year 8s about some of the courses they offer.

These included

Hair and Beauty

Vehicle Maintenance

Theatre Make

Animal care and Student Welfare.

Pupils were able to gain some practical experiences in stage makeup and aromatherapy and learnt what it takes to work with animals and as a mechanic.

A big thank you to the staff of Bath College who really engaged with our pupils and gave us all a very informative and interesting session.

Visit From Frome College

On Thursday, Mr Hood from Frome college came in to introduce post 16 options as part of our careers programme. We were impressed with the year 7s listening skills and the intelligent questions they asked.

Careers Success at Oakfield - Written by Louise Friend – Heart of the South West Careers Hub

Gatsby Benchmark

Yesterday I had the pleasure of presenting Oakfield Academy with an award for achieving 100% on all of the Government’s Gatsby Benchmarks.
Ms Kate Bryan and Ms Kate Stewart, as Careers Leaders were awarded the certificate and have been an absolute pleasure to work with. Both have worked tirelessly, to ensure a high-quality careers programme is in place; which gives pupils access to a wide range of employer career talks, helps the development of key employability skills and gives pupils exposure to start learning about exciting future paths they could take.

The programme includes a visit to Bath University, starting to understand what T Levels, Apprenticeships and Traineeships are, and a workshop has also been booked for Year 8 pupils to taste some vocational subjects from Bath College, all of which will give
information pitched at the right level for this age group, to help ensure the
options they are choosing for GCSE, will take them towards routes and careers of
interest.

Special mention must also go to Mr Chris Salmon as the school’s careers link Trustee and to
Mr Mickey Green, Managing Director of Somerset Waste who is the school’s Enterprise Adviser. Oakfield Academy is currently ranking top of all the middle schools in Somerset against the Governments careers benchmarks, which clearly denotes the
excellent careers provision in place at the academy.

Careers Education

Careers education is being embedded within each curriculum area, including displays around the academy, to help pupils see where studying a particular subject can take them in the future.

Curriculum careers posters

Airbus

On Thursday Micheal Bristowe from Airbus came in to talk to year 7 and 8 about jobs in space and aviation. This included explaining the many alternative educational routes and opportunities available in starting a career in this exciting industry.

Tourism Industry

Dawn Denton kindly came in to talk to our year 7s about careers in the tourism industry and her life as a tour guide. It was fascinating to find out more about tourism and to learn just how many jobs and career paths are linked to the industry overall.

Futures Day

On Wednesday, 25 year 7 pupils ( along with pupils from other schools in the area) visited Frome college for a futures day run by Bath University. Pupils engaged in various activities that encouraged them to think about their future, their various learning styles and the different types of career and job opportunities they may want to pursue. They also met student ambassadors who told them all about life at University and what to expect if they go there.

Futures day

Enterprise Week

Year 6 Enterprise week

Pupils worked in teams in their tutor groups to make and market their own choice of products or services. These were sold during the day at school at the end of the week with the opportunity for parents to come and get involved after school. Pupils also had a say as to how profits will be used (a portion being donated to nominated charities and some to be used in school).

During the week, pupils learnt a variety of business skills including: budgeting, pitching ideas, marketing, advertising, production, health and safety, finance, problem solving and teamwork.

Enterprise week

Careers programme 22/23

Elaine Cox from Yeovil district hospital, gave year 8 pupils a talk on careers in the NHS. She also introduced an exciting new project for 15 pupils ( interested in working in healthcare) to work with her and her team over the coming year.

As part of our careers programme for 22/23 Capt Polly Marsh delivered an inspirational speech to the 8s about future aspirations linked to personal strengths and ambitions.

The Mendip School

On Monday all of the Year 8s were given a talk from the Mendip Studio School (which specialises in STEM subjects) about exciting opportunities that are available to them from Year 10.

For more information, please go to https://www.mendipstudioschool.org.uk/

Griffith's Civil Engineering & Construction

Year 6 and 7 were visited by Paul Nethercott from Griffith’s Civil engineering and construction to learn about careerpaths and opportunities in the construction industry as well as safety in the workplace and why certain jobs need rules and uniforms to keep safe.

Year 5 had a visit from author Joanna Nadin who inspired pupils to become authors by talking about where she gets her inspiration from. They also learnt what it took to be an illustrator with Rikin Parekh and had a go at putting this in practise by illustrating the book themselves.

During activity week, local ceramicist Kim Birchall came and gave clay workshops to all of year 7. She used this opportunity to talk to pupils about her career path and the route she took to becoming a potter and a teacher of ceramics.

Kim Birchill - clay

Careers 1

Speaker KS3

Sophie Hart from the Robins Foundation at Bristol City Football club came in and delivered a fascinating talk to the year 7s and 8s about opportunities for post 16 education in sports and E gaming. If your child was interested in knowing more, then please go to the following website for further details.

https://www.bcfc.co.uk/robins-foundation/

Bath University Trip

Bath University Trip Mar 22

On Wednesday A group of year 8s went to Bath University for an inspirational futures day. The rain didn't prevent us from having an exciting look around the campus including halls of residence, sports and social areas .Back in the lecture hall pupils learnt about the amazing number of opportunities in further and higher education and looked at how to develop skills and natural personality strengths to think about what they would like to study in the future.

National Careers Week

National Careers Week Mar 22

During National careers week pupils researched jobs and careers that require studying the subjects they are being taught in school. They then started to plan and prepare information and visuals to create a display in their classrooms, to show all the jobs that having an interest in that subject can lead too. Finished displays will be published soon.

Careers - diversity

Trinity First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College.

After my A levels at Frome College I started my apprenticeship as a glazier at Cornwall Glass & Glazing Ltd. I love it because I get to be hands on and complete my jobs to the customer’s satisfaction.

The memories I have from Oakfield are playing football for the school team and being in the school production of Romeo and Juliet.

My favourite teacher was Mr McGrath because he is funny, a great role model and someone I have always looked up to.

Portugal / Oakfield School / Frome Community College & Bath Dance College.

At Oakfield I really enjoyed taking part in the Drama Department’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Miss Richards made it a lot of fun.

Since school, I have taken my drama and dance training forward and I now have an agent. I was lucky enough to get a role in the Samsung Christmas advert, on TV in December 2016. Since then I have been in a YouTube sitcom, called Moving In and I’ve recently been to the premiere of my next venture – a film called Ann Rolls Green, which will be on Amazon Prime in February 2019.

I am very excited about my acting career, which keeps me very busy. Somehow, alongside my acting,

I’m finding time to study for an Open University degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics.

St John’s First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College.

Hi, I’m Olivia! I went to Oakfield and then went onto Frome College afterwards. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do growing up, so I decided to study the things I enjoyed the most: art-based subjects, although I also studied Biology and English Lit.

I then went on to do an art and design foundation course at the City of Bath College. I was able to try a variety of different artistic mediums which allowed me to decided what I really wanted to study – 3D Games Art. With this in mind, I went to the University of Hertfordshire.

When I was at the Creative Assembly, I worked as an Environment Artist on Halo Wars 2. I now work for Splash Damage.

St. John’s First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College.

I very much enjoyed my time at Oakfield, both academic and extra-curricular. While my favourite subjects were PE, science and maths, I mainly took part in sports outside of the main school hours. I was able to try many new sports at Oakfield – Golf, Rock-It-Ball, and Tag Rugby – as well as develop my skills in my main sport of football, and other sports including basketball and hockey. This allowed me to build the confidence to go on to play for Frome Town Ladies when I started A levels at Frome College. As well as taking part in sport I also began learning the drums at Oakfield. This led me to become part of the percussion group ‘Shotgun Marimba’ at College, which I really enjoyed, and I performed at ‘Later… With Frome Community College’ as part of this group.

At College, I studied Maths, Biology and Chemistry at A level, and Further Maths at AS level, and I am currently at the University of Cambridge going into the third year of my Natural Sciences degree. This year I am specialising in psychology, with the hope of becoming a clinical psychologist later in life.

Trinity First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College

Oakfield school was somewhere I had lots of good memories, particularly with sport. I was always someone that took part in all sporting teams and fixtures. One of my fondest memories of PE in Oakfield was when I was a part of the Gifted & Talented PE group, this allowed me to get extra PE sessions during lunchtimes and allowed us to go to big sporting events at schools such as Millfield. Oakfield was a huge part of my development as a sportsperson and that love of sport has stayed with me, so much so I chose to do a degree in it.

I completed my ‘A’ Levels at Frome College in 2015. I then went on to Cardiff Metropolitan University, where graduated with a 2.1 in Sport and Exercise Science in July 2018. In September 2018 I will be back at Cardiff Met to study a Masters in Sport Coaching and Pedagogy.

Trinity First School / Oakfield School / Norton Hill

Oakfield was a short time of my life but during it I truly found those who would stick with me throughout everything, I knew that the deep friendships I made in those years were as true as could be. During the time I was there I learnt that I would be able to overcome any obstacles I set my mind to in my future.

After my A levels, I began an apprenticeship in Bath, to learn how to be a hairdresser. I found my love for men’s grooming and moved to study at London School of Barbering. Just under a year after becoming qualified I studied to become a master barber where I was approached to help set up a new men’s salon in a city called Bodø, in northern Norway. I am a long way from home but I love my job and I have made many new friends – I’m even in the process of learning Norwegian!

To find out about the shop you can visit thelondonbarber.no or our instagram @the_london_barber

St John’s First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College

Hi, I’m Harry! I joined Oakfield in 2005 and left in 2009 for Frome Community College; I’m now in my second year studying International Relations at the University of Cambridge. In my spare time I row, get involved with widening access to the university through tours and talks, as well as finding plenty of time to hang around with friends.

At Oakfield I competed in public speaking championships and ran short-distance (100m, 4x100m) for the school. Afterwards, for my GCSEs, I made sure to do a language, which I’d definitely recommend. When I eventually applied to university, I found the first time round I wasn’t totally happy with the course I’d applied for and my offers, and so decided to do a gap year and find the perfect place for me. This is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and so I’d always advise that you make sure you’re doing what you love!

Trinity First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College /

City of Bath College / University of Salford

I was a pupil back in 1985 – 1989. My days at Oakfield were happy and productive days. Form tutors included Mrs Gregory, Mr Hicks, Miss Turnbull and Mr Davis. The four years spent at Oakfield included some great memories such as Charterhouse, a French Trip to Normandy, Bastille Day celebrations and using modern technology such as the cutting edge BBC B micro computers in the computer room. I joined in on school productions with minor parts as one of Fagins boys in Oliver, and a father to the bride in Peer Gynt. Other highlights include dressing as a Vicar in the RE room on a hot summer day and then passing out!

Following Oakfield, I ventured on to Frome Community College and achieved an average set of GCSE results consisting of a number of B and C grades.

Whilst looking to take on some A Levels, I also wanted to learn about Surveying, as I wanted to have an outdoor type career. As a back-up, I applied and successfully gained a place on a BTEC National Diploma in Construction. During the 2 year course I became more interested in Construction Technology and, due to being a keen drawer, I found preparing technical drawings of buildings hugely rewarding. I then opted to undertake a Building Surveying degree at the University of Salford and achieved a 2:1.

During the degree, I spent a year in industry assisting McDonald’s Restaurants Project Managers with the development programme of opening 100 restaurants in a year and building restaurants in 48 hours and then 24 hours.

Following completion of the degree, I was focused to gain a Building Surveying role and was successful in gaining a graduate role at a Private Practice in Epping, Essex with Stace LLP. I successfully gained sufficient experience and passed on my first attempt the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Assessment of Professional Competence in 2000. Whilst having worked at a number of practices in Essex, I am now a Senior Associate at Stace LLP. My work is varied and fulfilling including recent roles of managing and undertaking a building survey programme for the Royal Household which included surveys of Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle. Other surveys undertaken during my career include Silverstone Race Circuit, convenience stores, public houses, old peoples homes, industrial buildings and residential properties. As a Building Surveyor, I also manage construction projects in the role of Employers Agent. In the role of Employers Agent I have worked with a team of other professionals in the construction of a new campus for the City of Westminster College and other large developments schemes ranging from £2m to £60m. Other professional work I undertake includes defect analysis, neighbourly matters and the role of Surveyor in accordance with the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.

I am lucky to have a rewarding 20 year long (to date) career and am extremely grateful for the support that Oakfield provided me whilst I was a pupil.

Trinity First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College

The memories I have from Oakfield are some of the best that I can remember. I loved taking part in the school musical of Grease where I was able to dance and sing to my heart’s content, which was amazing; Miss Parsons was one of my favourite teachers as she was always so lovely and caring. There were also some great trips like Charterhouse where I learned how to do archery and was helped to overcome my fear of caving. However, the fun my friends and I had while helping at open evening in year 7 is my best memory of them all and one that I will never forget.

I couldn’t have asked for a better time at Oakfield; although it had its ups and downs.

I had Mr Gough as my year 7&8 tutor and he was very caring if you were upset and willing to help if there was an issue. I was pushed to do my best by some great teachers at Oakfield and made amazing friends along the way that I will know for many years to come.

I completed my A Levels at Frome College last summer and was accepted into my first choice university, the University of Westminster, to study History.

Trinity First School / Oakfield School / Frome Community College

I enjoyed my time at Oakfield and made some good friends there. I was encouraged to work hard by the merit system and always strived to do my best. I wanted to be the star pupil or get on the role of honour! At Oakfield you get an introduction to new subjects and build your knowledge in different areas. My favourite teacher was Mr Davies. He made us laugh and made history interesting. Miss Parsons always cared about her students and she put me forward for a music workshop at Jackdaws which was great. Miss Barratt inspired me and encouraged me in my art. When I was in year 8, she predicted I would get A* in GCSE Art, and I did! I also remember Charterhouse very well – all the boys crowding round the TV with Mr Lewis to watch England play in Euro 2004.

I completed my A levels at Frome College, went on to do an Art Foundation course in Bath and a degree in Graphic Design at University College Falmouth. I graduated with a 2:1 in July 2013 and now I work for brand design consultancy, Dew Gibbons, in London.

Take Your Child to Work Day

June 2023

This week we gave pupils the chance to go to work with their parent as part of the ‘ take your child to work ‘ scheme. This gave pupils a valuable opportunity to experience the world of work and to understand what their parents doing for a living. We hope to repeat the day in July for those pupils unable to participate this time around. Thank you to all parents who took part.

TYCTWD- Piano shop

Dax working with his Dad in the Piano shop.

TAYCTWD- St Johns

Sonny Coates had a great day at St Johns First School. Photo with Deputy Head .

Take Your Child to Work Day - Southwest tyres Bruton

Southwest Tyres LTD Bruton- Austin working in the office taking emergency breakdowns and stock taking tractor tyres.

Take Your Child to Work Day - St Pauls Junior School

St Pauls Junior School - Harvey helped with the children and was very popular.

Take Your Child to Work Day - Vallis First School

Vallis First School - Isabelle helping out in the playground and cooling off with the hose.

Take Your Child to Work Day - Evri Parcel Delivery

Leon Helping to deliver the Evri parcels

Take Your Child to Work Day-Bristol Rovers Football Club

Baillie helped me answer emails and saw how a DBS was done and how we save that on our system, as well as updating the reminder calendar of when they need to be renewed. He spoke with one of the academy players and the CEO and asked them questions. Had a full tour of the stadium and held the Watney Cup from 1972