Achievement of each benchmark for schools and colleges
A stable careers programme
21
79 1
Learning from career and labour market information
45
Addressing the needs of each pupil
51
20
80
38
Linking curriculum learning to careers
58
52
Encounters with employers and employees
4
77
57
0
Achieved
10
49
21
Encounters with further and higher education
4
38
47
Experience of workplaces
Personal guidance
4
Partially achieved
35
1
9
Not achieved
Source: State of the Nation 2019, The Careers & Enterprise Company
Leaving no one behind
As the State of the Nation report makes clear,
there is still much to be done across the board
to support young people’s future careers. The
average number of Gatsby Benchmarks
schools and colleges have achieved this year
is only three out of eight; 10% of schools are
still failing to achieve any of the benchmarks.
The highest proportion of non-achievement
has been for benchmark 5 – for 10% of schools
and colleges completing Compass, none of
their students has an employer encounter
every year that they are at school or college.
Similarly, for 9% of schools and colleges, none
of their students is receiving an interview with
a qualified careers adviser.
For these schools, the stick of motivation
may be Ofsted’s new inspection framework,
launched in 2019, setting out the expectation
that schools provide an “effective careers
programme” that offers pupils careers advice,
experience of work and contact with employers
to promote aspiration, good choices and
understanding of how to succeed.
However, the carrot of support will extend
to 20 further careers hubs over the next year,
building on the learning of the first wave.
Overall, the survey shows that careers
leaders find the Gatsby Benchmarks a valuable
structural support, particularly when it comes
to involving employers and universities, offering
students first-hand experience of workplaces
and linking careers to the curriculum.
18 // STRATEGY SPOTLIGHT
There are a lot
of schools who
go to employers
and take,
take, take
Among those surveyed almost all (94%)
think the benchmarks have helped to improve
careers guidance in secondary schools.
“The benchmarks define what good looks
like and make it clear what schools need to be
doing,” says Joyce. “They are fundamental.”
Thain concludes: “The Gatsby Benchmarks
force schools to think about each and every
student which means that no students are
left behind.”