Careers education

At Dixons McMillan academy, careers education is a core part of ensuring all students are well prepared for their future. Please see our Careers Information, Advice and Guidance (CIAG) policy below for full details of our approach, statutory duties and provider access arrangements. 
 

Our careers programme supports all students to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills needed to make informed decisions about their next steps. We aim to raise aspirations, challenge stereotypes and ensure every student understands the full range of pathways available, including academic, technical and apprenticeship routes. 

Our careers programme 
 

Students access a structured and progressive careers programme from Year 7 onwards. This includes: 
 

• Careers learning through the curriculum 
• Dedicated careers sessions, assemblies and events 
• Employability days each cycle
• Practise interviews ready for post 16
• Encounters with employers and workplaces 
• Information about further education, higher education and apprenticeships 
• Access to impartial careers guidance at key transition points 

Our programme is aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks and is designed to support all students, including those with SEND and those at risk of becoming NEET, to achieve positive and sustained destinations. Please see our academy Careers Programme for more details. 

We regularly review and evaluate our careers programme to ensure it is effective, inclusive and meets the needs of our students. This includes feedback from students, parents and staff, alongside destination data and national benchmarking tools. 

Contact our careers lead

For further information about careers provision at our academy, please contact: 

Careers lead: Paul Murray

Email: pmurray@dixonsma.com

Phone: 01274 089880

Useful resources for students  

Unifrog: explore careers, compare pathways (A levels, apprenticeships, university) and build a personal progression plan] 

https://www.unifrog.org/sign-in 

Sign In - Unifrog 

National Careers Service: up-to-date job profiles, skills information and careers quizzes 

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/  

Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service 

BBC Bitesize Careers: clear, student-friendly guidance on options and next steps 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/careers  

Careers - BBC Bitesize 

Apprenticeships (GOV.UK): search and apply for live apprenticeship opportunities 

https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/apprentices 

Become an apprentice 

UCAS: information on university courses, applications and higher education pathways 

https://www.ucas.com/  

Choose your future | UCAS 

Speakers for Schools – A platform for Virtual Work Experience opportunities at any stage through the Academy. This is a fantastic resource to support our annual careers fairs in being able to have meaningful webinars with employers and businesses.

Useful resources for parents and carers

Unifrog (parent access): support young people with researching options and making informed decisions 

https://www.unifrog.org/parent  

Parent - Unifrog 

National Careers Service: impartial advice to help support conversations about future pathways 

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/  

Careers advice - job profiles, information and resources | National Careers Service 

Amazing Apprenticeships: guidance on apprenticeships, pathways and employer opportunities 

https://www.amazingapprenticeships.com/  

Amazing Apprenticeships | Explore Technical Education & Apprenticeship Opportunities 

UCAS parents’ guide: clear explanations of university routes, finance and applications 

https://www.ucas.com/discover/advice-for-parents-guardians-and-carers  

Advice for parents, guardians and carers | UCAS 

Information for employers

We are always looking to invite employers from different sectors to come in and work with our students. If you are interested in hearing more about the opportunities that you could get involved in, please get in touch with our careers leader at pmurray@dixonsma.com

Dixons McMillan Destinations

We are committed to supporting all of our students, not only during their time with us at Dixons McMillan, but also in their Post-16 options and beyond. We are so fortunate that many of our previous students come back to Dixons McMillan to share their experiences of their next steps and this is an invaluable message for our current students. If you are an alumni of Dixons McMillan and would like to come back to share your story, please get in touch with Miss Jenkins by email at pmurray@dixonsma.com we would love to hear from you and arrange for you to come back and speak to our current students.

Careers Education Review:

The careers education programme at Dixons McMillan Academy is constantly under review and refinement. A formal, annual review takes place each August when we publish the Careers policy which sets out the intended careers programme for the academic year ahead.

The next annual review is scheduled for August 2026.