Year 10 uses the National Talent Academy
"The National Talent Academy course reinforces our school's motto and TORCH values."
I'm an Assistant Headteacher and the named careers leader. We also have a full-time Careers Advisor. It's a team of two, but a lot of careers curriculum is delivered through our middle leaders who have responsibility for delivery of careers education through their subjects. We try to get every department to have a visit or a visitor from a business. That way, ideally, every learner would get around 10 visits or 10 visitors - one in each listed subject. Although that's ambitious, in practice.
In academic year 2022-23, around a third of our Year 10 had work experience placements, but we wanted to provide a careers activity to ALL of them. The National Talent Academy ‘Introduction to Futureproof Career Skills’ course proved very helpful.
“It gives me peace of mind to have a certificated programme in place that covers everyone.”
The forums say some inspectors really focus on careers, whereas others don't look at it all. Our inspectors were very keen on our careers provision. It gives me peace of mind to have a certificated programme in place that covers everyone.
We initially heard about the National Talent Academy by email. During the summer term we allocated lesson time in our computer suites for those learners without work experience placements and also gave the opportunity for students with work experience placements to complete the online course in their own time using their personal devices. I would recommend schools allocate three hours of lesson time to the programme, although some learners complete the course more quickly than that.
We initially heard about the National Talent Academy by email. During the summer term we allocated lesson time in our computer suites for those learners without work experience placements and also gave the opportunity for students with work experience placements to complete the online course in their own time using their personal devices. I would recommend schools allocate three hours of lesson time to the programme, although some learners complete the course more quickly than that.
“Learners genuinely engage with the course, which makes life a lot easier for staff.”
Learners genuinely engage with the course. With some other online programmes we have used, you often see kids drifting off into other programs, but with the National Talent Academy they remain on task. That makes life a lot easier for staff.
Learners appreciated the NCFE endorsed certificate. Learners printed these for themselves and we also printed them as a school and handed them out at assembly.
Learners appreciated the NCFE endorsed certificate. Learners printed these for themselves and we also printed them as a school and handed them out at assembly.
T = Teamwork - trusting each other and working together
O - Opportunity - excitement and hope for a brighter future
R - Respect - for ourselves, others and our environment
C - Community - forging strong cultural connections
H - Happiness - honest about our health and wellbeing
The National Talent Academy puts forward a positive view of the future and encourages learners to aim high. We have a strong narrative around this in our school embodied in our TORCH values, which represent the qualities we hope to nurture in our students.
We reviewed data on our learners’ attitudes to career success gathered via a quiz in the online course. 90% of our learners said 'Persistence' and/or 'Deciding to 'go for it'' are the most important factors determining their future and 99% said their future is in their own hands. It is very pleasing to see the National Talent Academy course is reinforcing our school's motto and TORCH values.
We reviewed data on our learners’ attitudes to career success gathered via a quiz in the online course. 90% of our learners said 'Persistence' and/or 'Deciding to 'go for it'' are the most important factors determining their future and 99% said their future is in their own hands. It is very pleasing to see the National Talent Academy course is reinforcing our school's motto and TORCH values.
“The National Talent Academy puts forward a positive view of the future and encourages learners to aim high.”