Birchwood Careers Vision
At Birchwood, our purpose is to work collaboratively with students to create a safe, inclusive and engaging educational environment.
We will help to develop students' confidence and self-esteem by encouraging a culture of ambitious goal setting and the celebration of individual achievements.
Birchwood will support students to attain their very best in a range of qualifications, as well as developing skills and attributes necessary for a successful future.
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​This personal portfolio of accomplishments will enable students to go on to make positive changes in their local communities and live fulfilled lives.
Careers Programme
The Careers Programme is developed annually in accordance with statutory guidance from the Department for Education, last updated in May 2025:
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https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/careers-guidance-provision-for-young-people-in-schools
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and with the aim of meeting the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks listed below:
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A stable careers programme
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Learning from career and labour market information
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Addressing the needs of individual pupils
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Linking curriculum learning to careers
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Encounters with employers and employees
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Experiences of workplaces
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Encounters with further and higher education
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Personal Guidance
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The careers programme is reviewed and evaluated with the support of The Kent & Medway Careers Hub and the Compass tool. Reviews take place three times per year in Terms 2, 4 and 6.
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​Contact​
If you would like to support or contribute to the careers programme at Birchwood, please contact: ​
Careers Leader - Emma Rouse:
Careers Adviser - Amy Tranter:
Impact
We measure the impact of the careers programme using the Compass evaluation tool: We regularly meet with the Careers Enterprise Company to review and develop our provision of CEIAG. At our school, we believe every young person deserves to feel excited and prepared for their future. Our small-school environment means we really get to know each student — their interests, talents, and ambitions — and can support them every step of the way.
From Year 7 to Year 11, students take part in a wide range of career-related activities: visits from employers, workplace experiences, college taster days, and one-to-one careers interviews. We help them understand how their learning connects to real jobs, develop key
skills for life, and make confident decisions about what comes next.
By the time they leave us, every student has a clear plan for their future and the confidence to follow it — whether that’s moving on to sixth form, college, or an apprenticeship. Our goal is simple: to raise aspirations, open doors, and help every student discover what success means for them.​
Enterprise Advisor
David Chalcroft is now working with Birchwood as an Enterprise Advisor.
Birchwood is very lucky to have this support as David has extensive experience working with apprentices and managing young people at the start of their careers. David has also worked with a wide number of employers and schools and supported links between students and employment.
David Chalcroft is now working with Birchwood as an Enterprise Advisor.
Birchwood is very lucky to have this support as David has extensive experience working with apprentices and managing young people at the start of their careers. David has also worked with a wide number of employers and schools and supported links between students and employment.
For more information relating to Careers, please click the links below.
The information on our careers page(s) will be reviewed in October 2026.