Uniworks Lesson Plans - Context

• These lesson plans are aimed at raising the aspirations of young people from Y9 - 12 and increasing their awareness of Higher Education opportunities and benefits:

• Y9 lesson plans introduce HE and link with the process for choosing Key Stage 4 options
• Y10 looks at Labour Market Information and employability, developing careers exploration skills and links with work experience
• Y11 looks at Post 16 option choices and routes and the implications for HE, the range of HE opportunities, and entry requirements
• Y12 considers factors to consider for course and institution choice, researching opportunities, developing skills for employability and student life

• They are designed to be adaptable for use in a variety of ways and settings, according to the needs of individual learning environments, time and resource availability. The suggested timings for activities are just that - you can judge whether they are appropriate for your learners and timetabling.

• As with any lesson, the ways in which the lessons are delivered are as important as the content. Consider ways of making delivery ‘punchy’ or ‘snappy’ such as using a bell or whistle to start or stop short activities, and vary the pace. Making sessions interactive and allowing learners to learn from each other as well as ‘experts’ often helps to engage them.

• The lessons for Y11 and 12 at least would be better delivered to those with the potential for HE rather than the entire cohort.

• They are not a complete careers programme or scheme of work, but can be used to enhance the planned programme of Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance from Y 7 – 13, which should take account of national statutory requirements and non-statutory guidance outlined below.

• As such, some obviously important topics, including student finance and the application process, have not been included. However there is an abundance of material available to draw on elsewhere

• Current national requirements and guidelines include:

• Careers Education and Guidance in England: A National Framework 11-19 (DfES 2003) The Framework details learning outcomes for each Key Stage covering:
  
  
  • Self Development
  • Career exploration
  • Career Management
    
    
• PSHE: Economic wellbeing and financial capability programme of study (QCA 2007)
• Quality Standards for Young People’s Information, Advice and Guidance (DCSF 2007)
  The DCSF is currently working towards publishing statutory guidance for schools on principles for CEIAG provision later this year.

• Further support on good practice in planning careers education programmes can be found on www.cegnet.co.uk – the website of the careers education and IAG support programme – and from Better Practice: A guide to delivering effective career learning 11-19 (published jointly by the Careers Education Support Programme, Association for Careers Education and Guidance and Advisers and Inspectors of Careers Education) and downloadable from CEGNET).

• Your local Connexions provider will also be able to offer help in planning and developing careers programmes, and may offer a local quality award to accredit and recognise good practice.