Encounters with further and higher education
All learners should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them, including academic, technical and vocational routes. This should incorporate learning in schools, colleges, independent training providers (ITPs), universities and in the workplace.
What good looks like
Schools
- By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful encounters with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including sixth forms, colleges, universities and ITPs.
- By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying to higher education should have had at least two visits to higher education providers to meet staff and learners.
Further Education
- By the end of their programme of study, every learner should have had a meaningful encounter with a range of providers of learning and training that may form the next stages of their career. This should include as appropriate, further education colleges, universities and ITPs. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and learners.
Gatsby have provided a definition of what constitutes a meaningful experience:
A meaningful experience is one in which the learner has an opportunity to explore what it is like to work in that environment, the skills valued in the workplace, recruitment processes or what it takes to be successful.
A meaningful experience will:
- Have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the learner.
- Be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the learner.
- Involve an extensive two-way interaction between learners and employees.
- Include opportunities for learners to meet a range of different people from the workplace
- Include opportunities for learners to perform a task set by the employer or produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace.
- Include feedback from the employer to learners on their work.
- Be followed by opportunities for learners to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through their experience.
Schools, colleges and ITPs can take into account any part-time work a young person may have, if it genuinely offers them a meaningful experience.
The resources below are designed to support you with Gatsby Benchmark 7. To explore all of the Gatsby Benchmarks in greater depth, download the toolkit that best aligns with your setting.
Ensure learners are supported to consider the full range of pathways with equity, including academic, technical and vocational routes. Access the Understanding how to embed a progressive approach to encounters with further and higher education resource.
Find and contact delivery organisations to support encounters with further and higher education via the CEC Provider Directory. For SEND learners, the local offer (specific to geographical region) can support with relevant options alongside multi-agency links through the EHCP process.
Encourage all staff to complete the free online course Teachers Part 1: Understanding Career Pathways via The Careers & Enterprise Academy. Signpost parents and carers to CEC resources and activities to enable effective careers conversations at home. Use the checklist in the Understanding how to embed a progressive approach to encounters with further and higher education resource.
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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What’s Next? - Free online course
The University of London Careers Service have developed a new free, impartial and accurate online careers course resource for school and college students (aged 16-18), to help them learn more and make good, well-informed career decisions about their post-18 careers options.
Vocational Profiling
Supporting delivery of the Gatsby Benchmark and CDI Careers Framework.
University Guide Brochures from UniTasterDays.com for Parents, Careers Colleagues and Teachers
Featuring expert editorial content from expert practitioners and a finance guide from Martin Lewis!
Unifish Website
Unifish is your guide to higher education in London when you need a little more support, brought to you by Aimhigher London. It is a fully searchable and filterable website in multiple ways including by type of support and location.
Understanding how to embed progressive encounters with further and higher education
This resource supports Careers Leaders to embed encounters with providers of all routes available to students at key transitions within a progressive and impactful careers programme. The guidance will support meaningful achievement of relevant Gatsby Benchmarks and of Provider Access Legislation. To support a meaningful approach to Benchmark 7 and to Provider Access Legislation (PAL), this resource is underpinned by the following guiding principles:
- Start early to develop a progressive approach that allows for multiple experiences across all key stages
- Be intent and outcome lead
- Be responsive to learner need, evaluation data and regional/labour market context
- Commit to true advocacy and ensure equity of access to information and understanding
- Challenge misconceptions, stereotypes and assumptions head on
Unbox Your Future resource
These resources are taken from the Leicester and Leicestershire Business and Skills Partnership’s Unbox Your Future programme, a reimagined workplace experience model.
UCAS virtual tours
Give students a clear insight into what university life might look like, with these immersive virtual tours.
Transition Guide from Primary to Secondary: enhancing careers education and supporting parental engagement
This resource is designed to support Careers Leaders and other staff involved in the transition process from Key Stage 2 into Key Stage 3, exploring opportunities to embed careers activities and parental engagement across the full range of transition opportunities.
It takes you through the three phases:
- Decision making (Y4,5,6) while children and parents /carers are still considering their options
- Decision made (Y6) once the children have been allocated their secondary school
- Started (Y7) once the children have started their secondary school.
The SEND in Mainstream Toolkit
A toolkit for careers leaders, teachers and inclusion leaders to support students with SEND in mainstream settings.
The Provider Access Legislation (PAL) in SEND Settings
All pupils should have the same opportunities for meaningful provider encounters and the overwhelming majority of pupils with SEND, including those with high levels of needs, can access fulfilling jobs and careers with the right preparation and support.
However, where learners future pathways are limited due to the nature of their specific learning needs and/or physical ability - for example where they are highly likely to proceed into adult social care - it is recognised that it may be necessary for additional flexibility in how these encounters are delivered.
The National School & College Leaver Festival
Get ready for amazing experiences at these careers festivals in both London and Birmingham!
We’re bringing you and your students all the exciting opportunities out there—think Apprenticeships, Further & Higher Education, entry-level jobs, and so much more. This is your chance to connect face-to-face with the coolest employers, colleges, universities, and training providers in England! Dive into an interactive atmosphere where your students future possibilities are just waiting to be discovered.
The National Apprenticeship Shows
These FREE to attend events showcase all levels of Apprenticeships, from entry level all the way through to Higher and Degree. This offers visitors the opportunity to engage with each region’s top Employers, Colleges, Universities, and Training Providers in a face-to-face, interactive environment.