Doucecroft school has a strong ethos on the preparation for adult life and ensuring that our pupils have the very best opportunities to lead fulfilled adult lives.  

The link below is a presentation for parents explaining the process for Preparing for Adulthood.  

Moving into Adulthood Information for Parents

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Careers

Jim Ketley-O'Donel (Careers Leader) & Lindsay Hansford (Careers Assistant)

OPEN EVENTS 2023-2024

Colleges run open events at various times throughout the year. These are free and an excellent way to find more about the courses available at a specific college. It is also an opportunity to ask about the type of support your young person could receive.

Although these events are free, you usually need to book a place online first so here are links to the various open events coming up –

SUFFOLK

West Suffolk College, Bury St Edmunds

https://www.wsc.ac.uk/about-the-college/open-events

• Thursday 1^st February 2024 5.30pm- 7.30pm
• Saturday 22^nd June 2024 9.30am- 12.30pm

Please select your preferred arrival time on the form. If you're looking for Supported Learning (SEND) courses and would like to visit and meet their team, please fill in the form for Supported Learning (SEND).

 

Suffolk New College, including Suffolk Rural ( formerly Otley College)

https://www.suffolk.ac.uk/college-life/events/open-events/

·         Suffolk Rural campus (formerly Otley College) Saturday 9^th March 2024 09:30-12:00

·         Ipswich campus – Saturday 2^nd March 09:30-12:00.

 

Suffolk One

https://www.suffolkone.ac.uk/news-dates/open-events  

Tuesday 6 February 2024 5pm to 7.30pm

New Skill Centre

Please contact New Skill Centre direct to arrange a visit -

https://www.newskillcentre.com/

ESSEX

 

Colchester Institute in Colchester

Main campus is in Colchester town centre but they have a smaller campus in Braintree as well.

 https://www.colchester.ac.uk/events/#open-events

Chelmsford college

https://www.chelmsford.ac.uk/news-events/showcase-information-events.asp

      Wednesday 07th February 2024 (6pm to 8.30pm)

·         Wednesday 12th June 2024 | Full-Time, Part-Time & Apprenticeships (6pm to 8.30pm)

 

USP college (SEEVIC)

https://www.uspcollege.ac.uk/courses-apprenticeships/open-evenings-events/

 

Harlow College

https://www.harlow-college.ac.uk/about/upcoming-events

· 

·         Tuesday 13 February 2024

·         Wednesday 24 April 2024

 

Colchester Sixth Form college

https://www.colchsfc.ac.uk/admissionsevents/

 

Since last updating this section, we have taken some of our Transition Hub pupils to visit Chelmsford College, Colchester Institute (both their Colchester and Braintree campuses) and Suffolk New College’s Rural campus. These visits help our pupils to experience a larger, busier environment as well as finding out about the courses available to them.

 

Our young people often need more support from parents and carers than those in mainstream which is why it is so important for parents and carers to be well informed about opportunities but also about how their young person’s rights and responsibilities change as they become adults. For this reason, Emma Mitchell, our Family Liaison Officer and myself worked with Barbara Greer from Essex Family to Family Network to arrange a series of workshops for parents using the “Thinking Ahead” guide. The feedback from those who attended was overwhelmingly positive.

 

Each day, at least one pupil from the Transition Hub is going out on work experience with Wednesdays being particularly busy. We have some new providers – Kingsland Church café in Colchester and Re-Create in Ipswich. Jim and I continue to source new providers and hope to announce more after Easter.

 

The Spring term has been busy with both National Apprenticeship week and National Careers week falling in this term. National Careers week saw us having visitors to deliver a day on the theme of Renewable Energy and Essex Young Farmers delivered an amazing Farming Day including bringing a combine harvester, various tractors and some lambs into school. The weather was kind to us and all the pupils (and staff!) had a fantastic day.

Since September, more opportunities have opened up for our pupils to gain experiences of workplaces, plus the chance to develop their transferrable skills. I have been joined in careers work by my colleague, Jim, who is helping to source bespoke, individual placements which match pupils’ aspirations.

We recently invited some of our former pupils back to school for a reunion. This gave our current Transition Hub pupils the opportunity to ask questions and find out more about life beyond Doucecroft. It was really inspiring to see how well our former pupils are getting on – we’re very proud of them all!

 

 

After October half term, we will start to take Transition Hub pupils on visits to local colleges as carrying on in education is one of the options available to them after Doucecroft.

 

I have also revised our Careers Policy and Programme, both of which were recently approved by our Governors. There is also a pupil-friendly version of the policy in this section of the website.

As always, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions please contact us on [email protected] or [email protected] 

A guide to our careers programme is available here for students

A guide to our careers programme is available here for parents

Students' Destinations Upon Leaving Doucecroft School

Positive Career Outcomes For SEND Students

Responses To Our Consultation With Parents On Our Careers Programme

Responses To Our Consultation With Employers On Our Careers Programme

Our Provider Access Policy can be viewed here

The websites listed below can assist you to explore possibilities for the future with your son/daughter.

Information for all students, parents and carers

National Careers Service website, free to use	https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
Apprenticeship website	https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/
Apprenticeship Parents Newsletters - See Post 16 Options for students with SEND sections	July 2021 April 2021 December 2020 November 2020
Government website explaining when students can leave school	https://www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school
Government website which helps students to find traineeships. These, in turn can lead onto an apprenticeship	https://www.gov.uk/find-traineeship
Useful website explaining how to find an apprenticeship	https://amazingapprenticeships.com/app/uploads/2020/03/Find-an-apprenticeship_LAH.pdf
Tips on finding a good apprenticeship	https://amazingapprenticeships.com/app/uploads/2019/09/Parent-Pack-June-Pg7-Good-Apprenticeship.pdf
Good explanation of how apprenticeships are structured	https://amazingapprenticeships.com/app/uploads/2019/09/Parent-Pack-June-Pg6-off-the-job-training.pdf
How to get additional help to access work if you have a disability of any kind	https://www.gov.uk/access-to-work
This lists all organisations that have signed up to the Disability Confident scheme	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-confident-employers-that-have-signed-up
Information about financial support for students and their families	https://workingfamilies.org.uk/publications/from-child-to-adult/
Information about financial assistance for students in education	www.gov.uk/1619-bursary-fund
Young people focused site with career information on jobs within the NHS	www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk
Free online library of careers related film, news and information	https://www.careersbox.co.uk/
Information about university courses	www.ucas.com
Post 16 Child Benefit Information	www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19
DOSH Financial Advocacy	https://www.dosh.org/

 

Information for Essex students, parents and carers

The local offer from Essex: this is your starting point	http://www.essexlocaloffer.org.uk/
Essex Opportunities Portal	www.essexopportunities.co.uk
A parents guide to services in North East Essex	Click Here To View
Adult Community Learning, supported learning	http://www.aclessex.com/
Colchester Institute	https://www.colchester.ac.uk/
Chelmsford College	https://www.chelmsford.ac.uk/
Seevic College	www.uspcollege.ac.uk
Thriftwood College	https://www.thriftwoodschool.com/college
Writtle University College	https://writtle.ac.uk/
To find out about opportunities to do voluntary work	http://www.volunteeressex.org/
Independent parent carer forum for the whole of Essex	https://essexfamilyforum.org/about/meet-the-team/
Specific support aimed at people with autism, from Essex County Council	https://www.essex.gov.uk/autism/Support-for-people-with-autism
Local groups in Essex for people with autism	https://www.essex.gov.uk/autism/local-groups-for-people-with-autism
Designed to give you an understanding of your personality and the career areas that you would be best suited to.	https://www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk/Develop/CareersQuiz.aspx
Careers and labour market information for Essex	Click Here

Information for Suffolk students, parents and carers 

The Local Offer for Suffolk: this is your starting point	Click Here
Suffolk Parent And Carer Network	https://spcn.org.uk/
Suffolk New College ( this now includes what used to be Otley College)	https://www.suffolk.ac.uk/
West Suffolk College	https://www.wsc.ac.uk/
Suffolk One	https://www.suffolkone.ac.uk/
Lapwing Education	https://lapwingeducation.co.uk/
A quiz to generate a few ideas	https://www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk/Develop/CareersQuiz.aspx
Find a job or career in Suffolk based on your specific interests	https://www.icanbea.org.uk/
Suffolk County Council’s Post 16 travel policy	https://www.suffolkonboard.com/school-travel/send-travel/
Organisations offering volunteering opportunities within Suffolk	www.communityactionsuffolk.org.uk     https://volunteersuffolk.org.uk/
Careers and labour market information for Suffolk	Click Here
Fairview Farm – Care farm just outside Ipswich for 16 to 30 year olds	www.fairviewfarm.org
Indigo Opportunities – quite a new provision started by a lady who worked for Leading Lives	www.indigo-opportunities.org.uk
Inclusive Opportunities	Only on Facebook and no website. Started by two ladies who worked at the Bridge School, they seem to be offering after school and holiday provision at Stonham Barns
Leaps Suffolk – provides Holiday, Saturday, Out Not In and Residential opportunities for young people in Suffolk.	https://www.leapssuffolk.org.uk/