Elevate Bracknell Forest careers guidance
Elevate Bracknell Forest offers careers guidance to:
- young people in school years 9, 10 and 11 who are at risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)
- young people aged 16 to 18 years who are NEET
- young people up to 25 years old where they are care leavers or have an Education and Health Care Plan (EHCP)
Referrals are made to Elevate Bracknell Forest. They are reviewed weekly.
The following support is also available:
- termly Personalised Education Plans (PEP) for all children looked after and care leavers up to the end of year 13, whether they are in education, training, employment or are NEET
- regular careers and education advice for all children looked after in year 9 and year 10, increasing sessions as necessary in year 11 until a destination has been identified
- yearly careers and education advice for:
- children looked after in years 12 and 13
- care leavers in year 13 if they are in education or training
- an intensive service for NEET children looked after and care leavers providing 1:1 support for a period of 6 to 10 weeks.
September guarantee
Elevate has statutory reporting duties to the Department for Education for the participation of the cohort aged 16 to 17 through the September Guarantee.
The September Guarantee is a guarantee of an offer, made by the end of September, of an appropriate place in post-16 education or training for every young person completing compulsory education.
This includes young people who are not on a school roll, are in alternative provision, home educated, or are in a custodial or residential institution. It is the young person’s age, not their year group, that determines whether or not they are entitled to an offer.
The offer of a place in education or training must meet the young person's needs. Education and training places that are dependent on GCSE attainment may count as an offer, but should be reviewed when the results are known.
It is expected that most of this information will be collected and recorded before the young person completes year 11 or year 12 so that those who have not received an offer can be identified and supported throughout the summer. Early recruitment is particularly important for young people with SEND, or low prior attainment, to give the post-16 provider time to put a tailored programme and any necessary support in place.
The September Guarantee must be completed and submitted to the Department for Education by 31 October each year.
Annual activity survey
The purpose of the Annual Activity Survey is to establish young people’s destinations, on 1 November, in the year they completed compulsory education.
The Annual Activity Survey covers all young people who reached the compulsory school leaving age in the summer term who were:
- educated in schools or other institutions in the area on 31 May of each year
- young people resident in the area who are not enrolled at a school, including those receiving home tuition
This is the same as the cohort covered by the year 11 September Guarantee. Services are expected to make sure that the data they provide under the Annual Activity Survey is consistent with both intended destinations and the year 11 September Guarantee.
The Annual Activity Survey needs to be completed and submitted to the Department of Education by 31 January each year.
Additional reporting duties throughout the year include:
- monthly tracking and reporting of the NEET cohort (years 12 to 13)
- tracking and reporting on young people who have left education (years 12 to 13)
- reporting on the destinations of the SEND cohort until the age of 25 or their EHCP has ceased
- tracking of young people on apprenticeships or in employment with or without training
Raising the participation age
Raising the participation age legislation came into effect in 2015.
The Virtual School works with Elevate and supports staff working with young people and families to make sure they are clear about the requirements to stay in learning until the age of 18 as well as the range of options that are available to them.
Re-engagement in education, employment and training
Bracknell Forest care leavers who wish to re-engage with education or training can apply for support from the Leaving Care Service to help with courses and training.
This service is for 21 to 25 year olds, where services have been closed.