Hartlepool school wins prestigious accolade at the national Careers Excellence Awards

Hartlepool’s Catcote Academy has been recognised nationally for its outstanding work in careers by providing young people with special needs with skills and opportunities in the workplace.
Catcote Academy staff Amanda Metcalf and Jackie McGarry with students Abbey Dowson and Chloe Arnett.Catcote Academy staff Amanda Metcalf and Jackie McGarry with students Abbey Dowson and Chloe Arnett.
Catcote Academy staff Amanda Metcalf and Jackie McGarry with students Abbey Dowson and Chloe Arnett.

It has been named Special Educational Needs Champion at the Careers Excellence Awards in London for their whole school approach to careers education.

The awards held by The Careers and Enterprise Company, in partnership with the Gatsby Foundation, celebrate the work of schools, colleges, businesses, career professionals.

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Over 200 nominations were accepted for the 12 categories and the winners were chosen by a panel of independent judges.

Catcote Academy say the award is a testament to the visionary leadership of their CEO Alan Chapman and hard work and commitment of all staff, employers and students who have contributed to the continuous development of its careers programme for many years.

The award citation read: “Catcote Academy have demonstrated extensive employment engagement operating in a disadvantaged community and also made a serious contribution to the creation of the Gatsby benchmarks.”

Representing Catcote at the awards ceremony was Careers Leader Jackie McGarry, Work Related Learning lead Amanda Metcalf, and students Abbey Dowson and Chloe Arnett.

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Jackie said: “Receiving the award on behalf of Catcote Academy is a real honour and reflects the hard work and commitment of all staff, students and employers to develop a structured careers programme across the Trust.

“Careers and enterprise is at the heart of everything we do, it is embedded within all key stage areas of the curriculum and across all learning pathways, in order to prepare our students for adulthood and ‘the world of work’.

“Our ultimate aim is to increase the amount of young people with special educational needs in obtaining paid employment.”

Catcote Academy and Catcote Futures thanked their partners including Enterprise Adviser Mark Rycraft, Enterprise Co-ordinator Philip Todd, Tees Valley Combined Authority, Talentino Career Development Company and their large network of employers who enhance their careers offer.

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Amanda added: “The personalised programmes of each young person is tailored to their needs, which offers our young people ‘real life’ work experience.

“These meaningful encounters with employers lead to work placements and supported internships raising aspirations and a sense of self-worth.

“The girls really enjoyed the experience of going to London and were a fabulous representation of Catcote Academy.”