What good looks like
Young people have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each pupil. A school’s or college’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.
- A school’s or college’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.
- Schools and colleges should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each student, and subsequent agreed decisions. All students should have access to these records to support their career development.
- The records of advice given should be integrated with those given at the previous stage of the student’s education (including their secondary school) where these are made available. Records should begin to be kept from the first point of contact or from the point of transition.
- Schools should collect and maintain accurate data for each pupil on their education, training or employment destinations for at least three years after they leave school. This data should be used to review a school or college’s careers provision and inform development and continuous improvement.
- Colleges should collect and maintain accurate data for each student on their education, training or employment destinations. This data should be used to review a school or college’s careers provision and inform development and continuous improvement.
Why this matters
- 26% of young people who received free school meals (FSM) in year 11 are not in education or employment (NEET) aged 18-24, compared to 13% of non-FSM students
- High achieving students from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to apply to higher education, attend a high-status university, or access high status professional jobs than similarly qualified peers from more affluent backgrounds
- FSM students make up only 16.7% of students in KS5 (16-18 years) academic pathways in comparison to 28% on vocational pathways
- 1,400 more students per year in post-16 EET during 2018/19 connected to schools’ reported Gatsby Benchmark provision.
The benefits of Gatsby benchmark achievement for Post 16 destinations report click here.
Webinar series:
- Exploring approaches to the collection and maintenance of destination data and student records >Webinar (Jan/Feb 2022)
- Making effective use of destinations data >Webinar (Jan/Feb 2022)
- Inclusion and developing careers provision to meet the needs of all students > Webinar (March 2022)
Careers Leaders:
Getting started with BM3
- Refer to the CDI Framework and Skills Builder to ensure that your progressive careers programme scaffolds student knowledge and understanding linked to allow students to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.
- Explore how Compass+ can support you with collection and visualisation of Destination Data.
- Consider how you can engage students and track actual and intended destinations. The DfE will soon be releasing updated Destinations Data Good Practice Guide.
- Refer to resource and support from Benchmark 1 relating to strategic planning and evaluation to inform best practice on making effective use of Destination Data.
Training
All Careers Leaders require Outstanding training
For further support with Benchmark 1 register for our fully funded Careers Leader training.
Download our Training Catalogue which includes all the information you need and a helpful comparison guide on the 11 high-quality Training Providers we work with. Here you will be able to choose the right course to suit you and your development, so that you can embed a successful careers programme in your school/college.
Once you have chosen the right course and Training Provider for you, you are all set to register!
Careers in Context: Can Do Approaches
Young people will have had very different experiences during the pandemic and may require different or enhanced support
Opportunity:
- Prioritise working with colleagues from senior leadership team and other key staff to ensure that the careers programme is responsive and effective in supporting and tracking positive destination outcomes for all students.
How:
- Establish systems and processes to track, record and respond to intended and actual destinations ensuring that vulnerable students and those at risk of not making positive transitions are identified and supported.
- Support existing and newly identified vulnerable groups by providing tailored opportunities for advice and support, particularly for newly identified vulnerable groups may include those disproportionately or unexpectedly impacted by Covid-19.
- You can support the most vulnerable students by: Aligning your careers programme to whole school or college initiatives on student engagement and NEET prevention.
- Work with colleagues to understand key groups of students who are most at risk of NEET or not making a positive transition to ensure that your progressive careers programme explicitly meets the needs of these students.
- Analysing destination data and knowledge of local labour market to inform and shape your careers programme.
- Compass+ can support you with tracking and recording student level intended and actual destinations. You can also create custom groups so you can target relevant careers interventions for students with highest need.
- Refer to resource and support from Benchmark 1 relating to strategic planning and evaluation to inform best practice on making effective use of Destination Data.
Education Leaders and Governors:
Education Leaders and Governors: For further information on each Benchmark, to support you in your role, please see the Education Leader, Secondary and College Governor Guides.
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Support students and key stakeholders to understand all pathways
We have collated key resource and support for you to ensure that all students, staff and parents/carers are informed about and understand all pathways at 16/18. Access these key resources for ‘at a glance’ overviews of key pathways, including technical and vocational routes post 16 and post 18.
Passport to Retail
Developed by Inspiring Worcestershire. Passport to Retail has been designed with the student’s progression at the forefront. This brilliant project will take students on a tour around the Retail industry, learning about key areas from customer services to stock rotation to build their knowledge and skill in preparation for the workplace.
Panjango Trumps: Future Jobs
Engage the imagination and offer a fun and exciting way to learn about the future world of work with this much-loved game format.
Panjango Trumps
Panjango Trumps is the fun way to explore the world of work!
Our unique twist on the classic Top Trumps game pits 50 different careers against each other in a battle of stats.
North East Regional Progression Framework
The framework is designed primarily as a tool to support practitioners from across a range of institutions and sectors wishing to develop a programme of activity to increase knowledge and understanding, as well as support progression to higher education.
New CDI Framework
The CDI’s Career Development Framework describes the six career development skills that people need to have positive careers. The new Framework was launched on April 21st 2021.
NatWest Dream Bigger Webinars
A series of three webinars aimed at developing entrepreneurial skills in young females aged 16 – 18 yrs.
Morrisons opportunities
Developed by Catcote Academy this resource is part of the My Skills My Future programme. It contains a slide deck to showcase the opportunities available at Morrisons and is aimed at both SEND groups and AP/PRU.
Mencap Factsheet
The Equality Act 2010 legally protects people from being discriminated both at work and in wider society. This fact sheet details the responsibility on employers.
Meaningful Learning Experiences
Developed by Forum Talent potential. Create meaningful learning experiences in partnership with local employers. This valuable toolkit is designed to help students make better choices about their futures.
Making it Meaningful: Benchmark 7
This resource supports Careers Leaders to embed encounters with providers of all routes available to students at key transitions within a progressive careers programme.
The following guiding principles will support an approach to Benchmark 7 and to Provider Access Legislation, whilst being aligned to Benchmarks 1 and 3 including setting aims, planning meaningful delivery and impact evaluation of activity.
To accompany this resource, watch the film to hear from educators, providers and young people about the impact these principles can have in a range of settings.
Aspire - Information and advice to help sixth formers
Launched by the social mobility charity upReach, Aspire was created to encourage state school students all over the UK to aim high and broaden their career horizons. Aimed at Year 12 and 13 students, these resources provide detailed information about a wide range of career options that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds may have limited exposure to through existing networks.