Personal guidance
Every learner should have opportunities for guidance meetings with a Careers Adviser, who could be internal (a member of staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These meetings should be available for all learners whenever significant study or career choices are being made. They should be expected for all learners but should be scheduled to meet their individual needs. The Careers Leader should work closely with the Careers Adviser, SEND coordinator (SENDCO and other key staff to ensure personal guidance is effective and embedded in the careers programme.
What good looks like
School
- Every pupil should have at least one personal guidance meeting with a Careers Adviser by the age of 16, and a further meeting by the age of 18. Meetings should be scheduled in the careers programme to meet the needs of pupils.
- Information about personal guidance support and how to access it should be communicated to pupils and parents and carers, including through the school website.
Further Education
- Every learner should have at least one personal guidance meeting with a Careers Adviser. Meetings should be scheduled in the careers programme to meet the needs of learners.
- Information about personal guidance support and how to access it should be communicated to learners, parents and carers and other stakeholders, including through the provider website.
The resources below are designed to support you with Gatsby Benchmark 8. To explore all of the Gatsby Benchmarks in greater depth, download the toolkit that best aligns with your setting.
Work with key colleagues to identify and consider the timing and regularity of personal guidance. Robust systems should be in place to ensure that personal guidance meetings are responsive to learner need and scheduled appropriately. This resource will support with mapping and enhancing current provision.
For best practice in commissioning independent careers guidance services, use the CDI guide and ‘Find a Registered Career Development Professional’ tool on the CDI website.
Time spent with a Careers Adviser is valuable, so ensuring all involved, including parents and carers, understand its value and purpose is crucial to maximise impact. Access the CEC resources and support for parents and carers, including the FREE Parental Engagement in Careers CPD, to ensure parents and carers add value to your approach to personal guidance
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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Personal Guidance. What Works?
This research features what works in the provision of personal guidance in schools and colleges and to identify the impact on young people.
Please note this research refers to the original Gatsby Benchmarks. To find out more about the updates to the benchmarks (live from September 2025) please click here.
Post 16 Options Directory
WhereCanIStudy.co.uk is a free online directory designed to help Year 10+, Year 11s, NEETs, and adults explore courses up to Level 3.
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.
Routing for Them
Developed by Solihull Careers Hub. This is a parent/carer’s simple guide to education, training and employment pathways.
Routing for Them - SEND
Developed by Solihull Careers Hub. This resource is parent’s/carer’s simple guide to education, training and employment pathways for those with SEND.
SEND Careers Health Checklist
This interactive checklist will support you to think about the Careers provision you have within your SEND setting.
Skills Builder: Launchpad
Skills Builder Launchpad is online resource platform for you to build your own essential skills through interactive, online modules.
Stay Nimble
Enhance the careers support you give to students with this online platform –designed to offer valuable career and work performance coaching services.
Talentino!
Talentino programmes have been helping to improve career outcomes for young people with a range of learning difficulties in a mixture of settings – special schools, mainstream schools, AP, PRU, SEMH, etc.
The two programmes, “Careers at EVERY Level” and “MORE”, for different groups of young people with SEND/additional needs, are now on a subscription model with different tiers of provision – to find out more about the programmes, click here.
The Big Inclusive SEND Careers Handbook, written by Jenny Connick. Published by Trotman Publishing. View the book and download a sample chapter here!
The ERIC App
A *completely free* career app for students and schools that gives personalised career advice about the 16 creative industries within seconds.
Age group it's available for: 16+
Cost: FREE to download for all young people, teachers, career advisors & other school contacts.
The Interview Practice Channel
Free uploaded video interview questions for careers teachers, to be used in a classroom environment or student self-study. Questions range from school leaver to general, sales, HR, teaching, retail, top tips and things to say.
The National Apprenticeship & Education Events
The National Apprenticeship & Education Events are designed to inspire school & college leavers, and other young adults, to discover more about career and further education opportunities.
Book your Free Student Places!