Outwood Academy Foxhills has worked in partnership with Progress Careers for over five years. This long-standing collaboration has played a key role in strengthening the school’s careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) provision and improving outcomes for a diverse student cohort.
Background
Outwood Academy Foxhills serves students with a wide range of additional needs, as well as those facing social and economic barriers. As a result, the school required a careers programme focused on providing access to high-quality, impartial guidance, supporting meaningful post-16 pathways, and enabling all students to achieve positive destinations in line with Gatsby Benchmark expectations.
Progress Careers has played a key role in making this happen. Since September 2024, Kim Gough, Careers Adviser at Progress Careers, has been the school’s dedicated personal adviser, building on the work previously carried out by Rachel Jones. In this role, Kim provides professional, student-centred one-to-one careers guidance interviews aligned with Gatsby Benchmark 8. These meetings help students recognise their strengths, explore realistic pathways, and build the confidence to secure positive post-16 destinations.
The Partnership
The partnership is built on a shared commitment to high-quality, student-centred careers support that has a clear impact on students’ futures.
Claire Bradbury, Careers Lead at Outwood Academy Foxhills, reflects on her experience working with Progress Careers:
“It has been a pleasure working with Kim from Progress Careers for the past two years. Her bright and calming nature always puts the students at ease for their one-to-one interviews which can feel very daunting for some. She efficiently supports and guides them to gather their ideas and will go above and beyond to support the students. Kim is always happy to support the Academy in other career related activities throughout the academic year. Progress Careers are always on hand to send career focus information and monthly career of the month information presented in a bright and engaging way to encourage students to pursue their future career goals and become excited about their futures”
Kim, also reflects on her own experience of working at Foxhills:
“It was immediately clear from day one of working with Foxhills how committed the school is to delivering a high-quality careers programme. Working one-to-one with their students has been a real pleasure – they are polite, engaged, and reflective, and consistently show a genuine interest in planning for their futures. It has been rewarding to support them in building confidence, exploring opportunities, and working towards positive destinations.”
Delivery and Activity
Over the past two years, Progress Careers has delivered more than 260 one-to-one careers guidance interviews, playing a central role in the school’s wider careers programme. Alongside these sessions, Foxhills have also benefitted from a broad range of CEIAG activities across the school, helping to create a more engaging and well-rounded offer for students.
This has included delivering careers assemblies and running lunchtime careers cafés, providing students with regular opportunities to explore different pathways in a relaxed and accessible way. Progress Careers have also participated in Year 9 mock interview day, as well as supporting with Year 9 options evenings and careers fairs. Introducing careers support at an early stage gives students the time and confidence to explore their options fully and make informed decisions about their future.
The team have also supported parents’ evenings, helping to strengthen the connection between school and home so students receive consistent guidance. Alongside this, Kim has contributed to ongoing destination tracking and data collection, ensuring the school can effectively monitor and support student progression.
In addition, Progress Careers has supported the school in gathering evidence for the Quality in Careers Standard (QiCS), which Foxhills currently holds and is working towards renewing. This has helped to further strengthen the structure and evaluation of the school’s careers programme.
Impact and Outcomes
The impact of the partnership can be clearly seen in both student outcomes and engagement with careers provision. In recent years, Foxhills has seen a reduction in the number of Year 11 students recorded as NEET, with almost all students progressing into positive post-16 destinations in the most recent cohort.
This improvement is particularly significant given the high number of students requiring additional support. A standout success has been seen among high-need SEND learners, with 42 students securing college places on their chosen courses.
Student feedback further reflects the positive impact of careers provision at the school. Evaluation shows that 100% of students reported being satisfied or very satisfied with their careers guidance meeting. In addition, 100% of students felt more confident or motivated following their meeting, with 76% agreeing and 24% strongly agreeing.
Students regularly engage positively in careers activities and one-to-one sessions, with feedback consistently highlighting the value of guidance in helping them make informed decisions about their futures.
Conclusion
The partnership between Progress Careers and Outwood Academy Foxhills has helped to build a strong, inclusive, and effective careers programme that supports all learners, particularly those facing additional barriers to progression.
What stands out is the sustained, hands-on approach. From one-to-one guidance interviews to wider engagement with families and staff, the support is embedded across the school and tailored to meet the needs of its diverse cohort. This is reflected not only in strong destination outcomes, but also in the confidence and motivation students demonstrate as they plan their next steps.
By combining the school’s commitment to its students with the expertise and consistency of Progress Careers, the partnership continues to make a meaningful difference, ensuring that all learners are well prepared for life beyond Year 11.
