The Department for Education has published statutory guidance (most recently updated in July 2021) for secondary schools and colleges to provide careers guidance. The guidance builds upon the Government’s careers strategy published in December 2017, which aims to ensure that young people get a programme of careers education, information, advice and guidance that is stable, structured and delivered by individuals with the right skills and experience.
Page 3 ‘“Careers guidance” is understood in this document to be the full range of activity delivered under the eight Gatsby Benchmarks.’ ‘We use the terms “must” and “should” throughout the guidance. We use the term “must” when the person in question is legally required to do something and “should” when the advice set out should be followed unless there is good reason not to.’
Page 7 On the Baker Clause: ‘schools and colleges must act impartially, in line with their statutory duty or contractual requirement, and not show bias towards any route, be that academic or technical. They should promote a full range of technical options.’ ‘Schools must open their doors to other education and training providers, in line with their statutory responsibilities under the ‘Baker Clause’’
Page 8 On support to include hubs and Career Leader training ‘The white paper confirms that the department will continue to roll out Careers Hubs, Careers Leader training, digital support and the Enterprise Adviser Network, to extend the support that is proven to accelerate progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks to more schools and colleges.’ ‘Schools and colleges must comply with their statutory careers duties and equivalent funding agreement requirements. They should continue to make every effort to improve their performance against the Gatsby Benchmarks recommended by the Independent Review of Post-18 Funding.’
Page 9 On the Gatsby benchmarks ‘The department expects all schools and colleges to use the internationally recognised Gatsby Benchmarks to develop a careers programme that increases opportunities for students to access everything from experiences of the workplace and personal guidance with a careers adviser, to engagement with employers, colleges, training providers and universities’
Page 10 On support and protected time for Careers Leaders ‘Schools and colleges are expected to appoint a Careers Leader who has the skills, commitment and backing from their senior leadership team, including protected time that enables the Careers Leader to carry out the role effectively.’ ‘Schools and colleges must name the Careers Leader and publish their contact details on their website.’
Page 12 On destinations ‘A successful careers guidance programme will also be reflected in higher numbers of students progressing to positive and sustained destinations such as apprenticeships, technical routes, school sixth forms, sixth form colleges, further education colleges, universities or employment.’
We strongly recommend that all schools and colleges work towards the single national Quality in Careers Standard to support the development of their careers programme.’
‘We require colleges to hold the matrix Standard if they are in receipt of funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency adult education budget.’
Page 13 On the Governing Body ‘The governing body must make sure that independent careers guidance is provided to all 12- to18-year-olds and students aged up to 25 with an education, health and care plan, and that it is:
• presented in an impartial manner, showing no bias or favouritism towards a particular institution, education or work option.
• includes information on the range of education or training options, including apprenticeships and technical education routes.
• guidance that the person giving it considers will promote the best interests of the students to whom it is given.
In schools, ‘the governing body must also make sure that arrangements are in place to allow a range of education and training providers to access all students in years 8 to 13 to inform them about approved technical education qualifications and apprenticeships, and that a policy statement setting out these arrangements is published (the legal requirements of the ‘Baker Clause’).’
Page 16 On Career Leader training ‘The department is funding The Careers & Enterprise Company to develop the Careers Leader role through training, resources, peer learning, business connections and wider networks’ ‘the careers adviser (or college careers services) who provide personal guidance to students and offer specific expertise on the labour market, educational pathways and progression routes and career decision-making’
Page 17 On school and colleges website requirements ‘The department requires maintained schools and expects academies and colleges to publish the following information about their careers programme on their websites:
• The name, email address and telephone number of the Careers Leader.
• A summary of the careers programme, including details of how students, parents, teachers and employers may access information about the careers programme.
• How the school or college measures and assesses the impact of the careers programme on students.
• The date of the school’s or college’s next review of the information published.’
Page 19 LMI ‘Careers advisers are expert at interpreting LMI and using this with students to enable them to make effective career decisions.’
Page 15 On the CDI and learning outcomes ‘Schools and colleges should identify and agree learning outcomes for students taking part in the activities organised under the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Schools and colleges can consider using the Career Development Framework, published by the Career Development Institute, to shape career learning outcomes within the careers programme.’
Page 25 On data to the local authority ‘Under section 72 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, schools and colleges are under a statutory duty to provide information to local authority services in order for them to deliver their relevant duties, and to track and maintain contact with these young people. For example:
• basic information such as the students name, address and date of birth.
• other information that the local authority needs in order to support the young person to participate in education or training and to track their progress. This includes for example: students’ contact details including phone numbers, information to help identify those at risk of becoming NEET post-16, students’ post-16 and post-18 plans and the offers they receive of places in post-16 or higher education.’
‘Schools and colleges (including academies and other state-funded educational institutions) must also notify local authorities whenever a 16- or 17-year-old leaves an education or training programme before completion as per section 13 of the Education and Skills Act 2008’
Page 32 On experiences of the workplace ‘Schools and colleges must decide whether adults working with pre-16 work experience students need to obtain a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) certificate by consulting page 54 in the statutory guidance, Keeping children safe in education.’
Page 34 On raising the participation age ‘Schools must make sure that students are clear about this requirement and what it means for them. In particular, they must be clear that students are not required to stay in school. They can choose how to participate which might be through:
• full time study in a school, college or training provider.
• an apprenticeship, traineeship or supported internship.
• full time work or volunteering (20 hours or more) combined with part time accredited study.’
‘In consultation with a careers adviser, schools and colleges may recommend good quality websites and apps, whether national or local in scope, provided they present the full range of opportunities in an objective way’
Page 35 On the Baker Clause ‘the Secretary of State has the authority to make provision as to who is to be given access to students, which students they will be given access to, how this will happen and when. The department will consult on policy proposals and, subject to the outcome of the consultation, plans to change the law from January 2022. An update to this section of the statutory guidance would be published in September 2021, giving schools time to prepare.’
‘In the meantime, schools must continue to comply with the terms of the current duty. We expect the school to provide opportunities for visits from a range of providers of key stage 4, post-16 options and post-18 options, including T Levels, apprenticeships, traineeships, technical and vocational qualifications, applied qualifications and higher technical skills courses. Visiting providers should include Further Education Colleges, Studio Schools, 36 University Technical Colleges, Institutes of Technology and a range of providers of apprenticeships and technical options, including Independent Training Providers (ITPs).’ ‘The school must make provider visits available to all students in the relevant year group. The school should not do anything which might limit the ability of students to attend. Unacceptable behaviour would include restricting invitations to selected groups of students or holding events outside of normal school hours.’
Page 36 On Baker Clause policy statement (there is an example as an appendix in the statutory guidance) ‘We expect a policy statement to be published for each academy within a multi-academy trust. The school may revise the policy statement from time to time and we recommend that this is done annually, by the Careers Leader, and agreed with the governing body. The policy statement must be published and should be made available on the school website. The purpose of the statement is to set out opportunities for providers to visit and to explain how requests from providers will be handled. The policy statement must include:
• any procedural requirements in relation to requests for access e.g., the main point of contact at the school to whom requests should be directed.
• grounds for granting and refusing requests for access e.g., details of timetabled careers lessons, assemblies, or careers events which providers may attend; and should include the safeguarding policy.
• details of premises or facilities to be provided to a person who is given access e.g., rooms and resources to be made available in support of a provider visit.’
Page 39 on Personal Guidance ‘The CDI guidance recommends that at least 45 minutes are allowed for every personal career guidance interview.’ ‘Schools and colleges should make sure that careers advisers (internal and external) providing personal careers guidance to students are trained to the appropriate level. The main Level 6 and 7 qualifications for careers advisers are the Qualification in Career Development (QCD) at Level 7, (which replaces the earlier Qualification in Career Guidance (QCG) and Diploma in Career Guidance), the Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development and the Level 6 Higher Apprenticeship: Career Development Professional.’
‘The department recommends that schools and colleges view the UK Register of Career Development Professionals, held by the CDI, to search for a careers adviser who can deliver a particular service or activity. Registration shows that a careers adviser is qualified to at least Level 6 in a career development subject, abides by the CDI Code of Ethics and undertakes regular professional development.’