The Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ) is a tool to measure learners’ career-readiness.
FSQ covers key aspects of knowledge, skills and attitudes that are important for successful transitions.
Future Skills Questionnaire
The Future Skills Questionnaire is a tool embedded into our free digital product Compass+, it allows you to effectively measure learners’ career-readiness. Simple data insight can support you to make targeted interventions, evaluate your careers programme and identify the impact of careers education in your setting.
The questions are mapped against the Gatsby Benchmarks, learning outcomes from the CDI framework and the Skills Builder framework for essential skills.
The questionnaires were developed in consultation with Careers Leaders and sector experts and were piloted in 2020. You can find out more about how FSQ was developed here.
There are five versions of the questionnaire, allowing schools to assess the skills and knowledge of their learners at specific points of transition.
We suggest asking learners to complete FSQ at each of these transition points, allowing you to evaluate and plan your careers programme.
The five versions of FSQ are:
Starting Secondary (Year7) - Find out learners’ baseline level of knowledge and insight at the start of secondary school. This aggregated information can then be used to design a responsive and progressive careers programme.
Transition to KS3 (Years 8 and 9) - Encourage learners to think about their strengths and preferences, to make the connection between their GCSE subjects and careers, and to highlight needs for further information, advice and guidance.
GCSE Years (Years 10 and 11) - Identify those with and without a plan or career ideas as learners prepare for Post-16 transitions, identify whether learners know where to find IAG, and their understanding of selection/recruitment/interview processes.
Post-16 Study (Years 12 and 13) - Support learners make important Post-18 transition choices.
SEND (can be used across all year groups) - Designed for learners with SEND, can be completed one-to-one with a member of staff as part of a careers conversation. The purpose of the questionnaire should be clearly explained to the learner, and they should be supported to understand and answer each question.
Support and Guidance
Head to the Future Skills Questionnaire section of the Compass+ Help Centre for guidance and resources to support you to successfully plan and deliver FSQ in your setting.
Increase awareness of and engagement with FSQ by accessing the FSQ Engagement resources.
Watch our Future Skills Questionnaire Impact Story, to hear what other practitioners have to say about FSQ.
Register for a Future Skills Questionnaire training webinar to find out more about FSQ and how it can contribute towards developing your careers provision.