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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Get Ahead and Disabled Apprentice Network
Get Ahead is a toolkit and resource co-produced with and for disabled young people. The newsletters and magazines will help you navigate the wide range of information and resources that are available in post-16 education, training, and work. It is a platform where young people can have their voice heard and share the many talents they have.
Imagen experience
This resource provides 16-25-year-olds with valuable insight into the marketing world – along with opportunities to gain paid work experience.
PMLD World of Work Lesson Ideas
Developed by Black Country Careers Hub.
A sensory pack of career lesson ideas for PMLD Learners for them to explore the world of work. The suite of lesson ideas focuses on the experience gained through completing activities as opposed to the “end product” that is produced. It focuses upon developing children’s communication, engagement and experiences of the world of work.
Primary Career Resources
Career-related learning in primary schools includes activities designed to give pupils a wide range of experiences of education, transitions and the world of work.
Qdos App
The free ‘One Stop’ resource for career planning and exploration...
The Qdos Careers App is a 'one stop' research resource, bringing together expert, national information on education pathways, career choices and career options, together with tools, career advice and preparation for apprenticeships, university, and employment.
Research your future Activity SEND
This resource has been developed by the team at Inspiring Worcestershire and contains an activity for SEND students around researching their future.
Research-based curricula
Access and assign these short tutorial courses to promote intellectual curiosity through exposure to academic research – and start building the skills needed for university.
Resource 1: The Careers Landscape
This is the first resource in our Supporting Employers: Working with Young People with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) collection.
It will take you through what the SEND education and Careers Landscape look like and give you an understanding around the world of SEND.
Resource 3: Engaging with a School, Special School or College
This is the third resource in our Supporting Employers: Working with Young People with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) collection.
This resource looks at how to engage with a School, Special School or College and the steps you might take. It includes some tips to ensure the engagement is effective.
Same and Different
Learn more about the various aspects of early career development for 18-year olds with SEND and provide more targeted support with this model.
School Destination Report 19/20 Example
This report is an example of how destination data can be sourced, analysed and reported to inform strategic planning and impact evaluation of careers.
Schools Get LinkedIn
Developed by the team in Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership this resource contains a link to a webinar, savvy tips and employer engagement guide.