Career curriculum plan

Blackpool Aspire Academy – Careers Programme 2026-2027

Our careers curriculum aligns closely with the CDI Framework and the updated 2025 Gatsby Benchmarks, while also integrating seamlessly with the "Living in the Wider World" component of our PSHE curriculum. To ensure students are thoroughly prepared for the modern workplace and life beyond Year 11, we proactively embed financial, economic, and digital literacy into our careers and PSHE education.

Blackpool Aspire Academy is dedicated to inspiring and equipping every student to make confident, well-informed choices about their future. Our Careers Programme is structured to help you discover your unique strengths, explore diverse professional opportunities, and build the essential skills required for success after graduation. It is also intrinsically linked to our new Unifrog platform, allowing you to search various career pathways, post 16 destinations and subject-linked jobs all from one dedicated website.

Guided by the Career Development Institute (CDI) Framework, we focus on the core knowledge and skills necessary for effective career management. This involves structured self-reflection, exploring various professions and educational routes, making strategic choices, and planning for transitions. Our ultimate goal is to ensure careers education is practical, engaging, and highly relevant for every individual.

Furthermore, our guidance adheres strictly to the national standards set by the Gatsby Benchmarks. This guarantees that you benefit from direct employer engagements, hands-on workplace experiences, comprehensive pathway information, and tailored, one-on-one guidance to support your decision-making at every stage of your school journey.

Objectives for the 2026-2027 Academic Year

• Boost engagement with the careers programme among both students and parents/carers.
• Raise awareness of local apprenticeship and post 16 pathways.
• Build on the ever increasing number of students successfully securing placement in apprenticeships, T-Levels, A Levels and BTECs at local providers and beyond.
• Expand the variety of workplace experiences and employer interactions available to our students.

For further details, please contact our Deputy Headteacher and Careers Lead, Mr. D. Ewart, at d.ewart@aspire.fcat.org.uk.

The Career curriculum is mapped to the CDI Framework and the updated Gatsby Benchmarks.

The Career curriculum links with the Living in the Wider World strand of the PSHE curriculum. Within in this strand, the following are covered which also compliment content delivered through dedicated careers lessons:

• Economic Wellbeing & Finance: Learning how to budget money, save responsibly, and understand basic economic principles and career paths.
• Citizenship & Rights: Exploring human rights, British values, democracy, and community responsibilities.
• The Environment: Understanding sustainability, protecting the planet, and local environmental impact.
• Media Literacy: Evaluating online content, recognising fake news, and understanding media influence.

To supplement this strand of the PSHE curriculum and prepare our students for life beyond Year 11 and the world of work, the Career curriculum also includes aspects of Financial, Economic and Digital education

At Blackpool Aspire Academy, we believe that understanding money, the economy, and digital technology is essential for every student’s future. In today’s world, personal finance, economic issues and digital systems are increasingly connected — from online banking and digital payments to global trade, cryptocurrencies and data-driven decision making.

The aim is to give every student the knowledge, skills, and confidence to manage their personal finances and understand their role in the wider economy and their digital responsibility. By Year 11, students will be equipped to make informed choices about their future — whether that’s work, further education, or training — and to participate actively as financially capable citizens.

Our approach follows is mapped to the CDI Framework, ensuring that students receive clear, age-appropriate financial education as part of their personal development sessions. We also link financial learning to careers, maths, citizenship, and real-world experiences, preparing for life beyond school.

The 2026/2027 Careers Curriculum at a glance:

Year 7: Building Awareness

In Year 7, the focus is on self-discovery and understanding that a career is an ongoing journey.

CDI Framework Focus	What You'll Learn & Do	Lesson Theme	Gatsby Benchmarks
Grow throughout life	Being aware of sources of help and support Responding positively to feedback Recording achievements Awareness of heritage, identity, and values	Who am I?	1, 3
Explore Possibilities	Awareness of the range of possible jobs Awareness of different sectors and organisations	Exploring possibilities: dream jobs	1, 2, 3
Manage Career	Understanding career as a journey through life Looking forward to the future Imagining career possibilities Awareness of challenges and rewards	What is a career?	1, 2, 3
Create Opportunities	Taking initiative in learning and life Identifying role models and the value of leadership Awareness of entrepreneurialism and self-employment	What is an entrepreneur?	1, 3
Balance Life and Work	Concepts of work-life balance and mental wellbeing Involvement in family and community Rights and responsibilities in the workplace Recognising injustices from prejudice and discrimination	What is a work-life balance?	1, 2, 3
See the Big Picture	Awareness of media viewpoints and info sources Tech and science implications for careers Relationship between career, politics, and the economy	Careers and the future	1, 2, 5

 

Year 8: Developing Interests

Year 8 encourages you to narrow down your interests and learn how modern recruitment works.

CDI Framework Focus	What You'll Learn & Do	Lesson Theme	Gatsby Benchmarks
Grow throughout life	Accessing help and support and responding to feedback Willingness to challenge themselves and try new things Recording achievements	What are my interests?	1, 2, 3
Explore Possibilities	Identifying sources of labour market information Awareness of recruitment and selection processes	Job applications: superhero CVs	1, 2
Manage Career	Awareness of different job challenges and rewards Learning from setbacks and challenges	Challenges and rewards of work	1, 2, 5
Create Opportunities	Developing friendships and relationships Taking initiative in learning and life Being imaginative and flexible in career building	Creating the life you want: making a vision board	1, 3
Balance Life and Work	Awareness of work-life balance and wellbeing Involvement in family and community Awareness of different life stages and roles	What does success mean to me?	1, 2, 3
See the Big Picture	Awareness of media viewpoints and tech trends Relationship between career and the natural environment	Careers and the climate	1, 2

 

Year 9: Making Choices

This is a pivotal year! You will learn how your qualifications link to your goals and make smart choices for your KS4 pathways.

CDI Framework Focus	What You'll Learn & Do	Lesson Theme	Gatsby Benchmarks
Grow throughout life	Responding to feedback and support Understanding how learning and qualifications impact careers Recording achievements	What are my skills?	1, 3
Explore Possibilities	Identifying labour market information sources Awareness of main learning pathways (Uni, College, Apprenticeships) Awareness of minimum qualifications required for jobs	What comes after school: the main learning pathways	1, 3
Manage Career	Looking forward to the future Managing the transition to secondary school and choosing GCSEs Learning from setbacks	Decision making: choosing what to study at KS4	1, 2, 3, 8
Create Opportunities	Taking initiative in learning and life Being imaginative and flexible Developing the ability to communicate needs and wants	Taking control of your career journey	1, 3
Balance Life and Work	Awareness of money and managing personal finances Involvement in family and community Awareness of life stages and roles	Working and earning: managing your money	1, 3
See the Big Picture	Awareness of trends in local and national labour markets Career’s relationship with community, society, and politics	What is the labour market and why is it important?	1, 2

 

Year 10: Exploring the Workplace (2026/2027)

As you enter Key Stage 4, we shift the focus to professional standards, workplace rights, and reflecting on where you are heading.

CDI Framework Focus	What You'll Learn & Do	Lesson Theme	Gatsby Benchmarks
Grow throughout life	Responding positively to help and feedback Taking action to achieve good outcomes Recognition of the value of challenging themselves Reflecting on heritage, identity, and values	Reflecting on my career journey past, present and future	1, 2, 3, 8
Explore Possibilities	Researching the labour market and education system Researching qualification requirements for specific careers Understanding recruitment and selection processes	Exploring employer profiles	1, 2, 5
Manage Career	Reflecting on the meaning of career talk to them personally Building confidence and optimism about the future Considering risks and rewards of different pathways	What type of career is best for me?	1, 2, 3
Create Opportunities	Developing workplace relationships Starting to take responsibility for making things happen Discussing role models and reflecting on leadership	Preparing to go on work experience	1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Balance Life and Work	Reflecting on different ways people balance work and life Physical and mental wellbeing improvement Knowledge of rights and responsibilities in the workplace Challenging prejudice and discrimination	Wellbeing in the workplace	1, 3
See the Big Picture	Evaluating different media and viewpoints Exploring local and national labour market trends Relationship between career, environment, and the economy	In person, hybrid and remote: what works best?	1, 2

 

Year 11: Post-16 Transitions (2026/2027)

In your final year, it is all about setting your Post-16 plans in motion, building employability, and understanding finance and technology.

CDI Framework Focus	What You'll Learn & Do	Lesson Theme	Gatsby Benchmarks
Grow throughout life	Responding positively to feedback and support Recognising the value of challenging themselves Reflecting on and recording achievements	What are my employability skills?	1, 3
Explore Possibilities	Researching the labour market and education system Recognising main learning pathways and how to succeed in them	Post 16 - Choices, Choices	1, 2, 3, 7
Manage Career	Building confidence and making future plans Taking steps to achieve GCSEs and finalise Post-16 pathways Dealing with and learning from challenges	Decision making: choosing your post-16 pathway	1, 2, 3, 8
Create Opportunities	Developing friendships and relationships regarding career Reflecting on career ideas and strategies to achieve them Researching entrepreneurialism and self-employment	Researching volunteering and paid work	1, 2, 3, 5, 6
Balance Life and Work	Recognising the role of money and finances in career decisions Role in family and community and how this shapes career Managing different life stages and roles	Money talks: apprenticeships vs. higher education	1, 3
See the Big Picture	Evaluating media viewpoints and information sources Exploring trends in technology and science (e.g., AI) Career relationship with politics and the economy	Is AI a threat to our jobs?	1, 2