A SECONDARY school in Caernarfon is celebrating after winning the prestigious Careers Wales Mark for the first time.

The award, which recognises a commitment to continuously improve standards within an educational institute, was given to Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen for its dedication and enthusiasm in preparing and supporting young people who are entering the world of work or continuing with their education.

Working with the Careers Wales team, the school carried out an audit of its careers and world of work curriculum, and identified areas for improvement, which led to the creation of a development plan.

The plan will help the school prepare and support pupils to successfully transition into work, training or further education, and will possibly reduce the number of young people who could be out of work.

Rhian Parry Jones, the School’s Headteacher, said: “Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen is delighted to have won the Careers Wales Mark, which recognises our dedication to support each individual pupil in one way or another.

"We are extremely grateful to Careers Wales for their support throughout the accreditation process, as well as the invaluable work which was done one-to-one and in groups throughout the year.

"We as a school look forward to working in partnership with Careers Wales in the future.”

Amie Field, Regional Manager for Careers Wales, added: “This is a great result and clearly shows that Ysgol Syr Hugh Owen’s young people get the necessary support they need to help them get information about the world of work and help them prepare for it.

"They are also helping them make informed and realistic decisions about their future."