Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG)
At Cobham Free School, we provide an inclusive, ambitious and aspirational careers programme designed to equip our pupils with the skills, knowledge and confidence to thrive in an ever-changing world. Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) is deeply embedded across our whole-school curriculum, with all staff playing a vital role.
Our CEIAG provision is strategically delivered through five key strands:
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The Curriculum: Linking subject learning directly to real-world career paths and future industries.
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Pastoral Support: Providing tailored, individual guidance to help pupils recognize their unique strengths and ambitions.
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Experiential Trips & Visits: Offering firsthand insight into workplaces, universities, and technical colleges.
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Employer Encounters: Connecting pupils with a diverse network of business professionals, alumni, and industry experts through careers fairs, talks and workshops.
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Future Pathways: Supporting seamless transitions at every major milestone, including GCSE selections, Post-16 options (including our own Sixth Form), and Post-18 pathways (Higher Education, Degree Apprenticeships, and employment).
Excellence and Frameworks
To ensure the highest quality of guidance, our programme is rigorously aligned with the eight Gatsby Benchmarks and the Career Development Institute (CDI) Framework.
Our Goal: To empower every CFS pupil to explore a world of possibilities, challenge stereotypes and make informed choices with confidence; ensuring that they successfully navigate the right path for their future.
Careers Contact Information:
Our dedicated and qualified Careers Leader/Advisor, Mrs Kate Allpress, supports students in their careers education, conducting one to one support for all pupils from Year 10 upwards as well as group sessions in Year 9.
Mrs Allpress is available to support pupils and students from any year group during drop-in sessions in the careers office.
Available: Tuesday and Wednesday, 8.30am - 4pm
To ask for an appointment, please email Mrs Allpress (details below):
email: kate.allpress@
phone: 0330 330 0237 Ext: 242
The Link Governor for Careers is Ashleigh Saunders.
Curriculum Overview
Five Pillars of Careers Education
Coming soon
Resources
CFS Careers Newsletter example 
University and Apprenticeship Support
Coming soon
Measuring Impact and Continuous Evaluation
At Cobham Free School, we are committed to the continuous development of our CEIAG provision. We systematically assess the impact of our careers programme to ensure it remains high-quality, relevant and fully compliant with national standards.
This is done through a variety of robust methods:
- Compass+ Evaluation: We conduct termly evaluations using the Careers & Enterprise Company’s Compass+ tool to rigorously track our progress against the eight Gatsby Benchmarks.
- Destinations Tracking: We closely monitor where our leavers go next (Post-16 and Post-18). This data is reviewed to ensure that our students transition into positive, high-aspiring education, employment, or training pathways.
- Stakeholder Feedback: We regularly gather formal and informal feedback from students, staff, governors, local employers and external education providers. This helps us to shape and adapt our offering to meet changing needs.
Working with Parents and Carers
Parents and carers play a vital role in their child’s career journey. We highly value your input and welcome your feedback to help shape our provision.
If you would like to discuss your child’s career pathways, offer feedback on our current programme, or volunteer your expertise for an employer encounter event, please contact our Careers Leader, Kate Allpress, at kate.allpress@cobhamfreeschool.org.uk.
Policy Review: In line with statutory guidance, the Cobham Free School Careers Programme and Provider Access Policy are formally reviewed and updated annually.
Support and Inspire: Join our Community
Cobham Free School welcomes support for the Careers Programme from alumni, parents, carers, local community members, employers and education providers. Our community brings a wealth of skills and experience from different industries and career pathways. There are many ways to volunteer and help broaden students’ horizons. To get involved, please contact the Careers Lead, Kate Allpress.
Email: kate.allpress@cobhamfreeschool.org.uk
Tel: 0330 330 0237 Ext: 242
(Working days: Tuesday and Wednesday)
