Benchmark 3
Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil
Every student is on their own career journey; information, advice and guidance needs to help support them to find their next best steps.
The careers programme needs to reflect that student will need different guidance at different stages of their own personal development and that the programme should challenge stereotypes, promote equality & diversity, and raise aspirations.
Key Points from the Gatsby 10 Year Review
- ACKNOWLEDGING THE BARRIERS YOUNG PEOPLE MAY FACE - Each young person’s journey into work or continuing education will be different, so Benchmark 3 states that throughout the careers programme institutions should help young people navigate their concerns about any barriers to career progression..
- EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION - Good careers guidance challenges disadvantages and inequalities. Careers programmes should continue to embed equality, diversity and inclusion considerations into every benchmark
- STEREOTYPES AND MISCONCEPTIONS - Stereotypical thinking can limit young people’s beliefs about what is possible for them in the future. Good careers guidance should still actively seek to tackle any assumptions about what the next steps can be for people with different characteristics or from different backgrounds; as well as challenging misconceptions arounds careers and next steps.
- ROLE MODELS - Using role models challenges career stereotypes and can inspire and motivate young people. Role models should be varied, including employees, apprentices or entrepreneurs .Many institutions draw on their alumni when setting up talks, mentoring programmes, encounters, visits and experiences of workplaces. It motivates young people to see people like them, who have sat where they are and are a few steps ahead in their journey
- ASPIRATIONS AND DESTINATIONS - Institutions should be aware of each young person’s aspirations and provide timely support or challenge. Institutions should collect, maintain and use accurate data for each young person on their aspirations, intended and immediate education, training or employment destinations to inform personalised support
-
DESTINATIONS
DATA TRACKING - Emphasis is on using
sustained and longer-term destination data as part of evaluation processes.
Evidence shows that the more benchmarks a school achieves, the more likely it
is that their young people will still be in their intended destination six
months after leaving, known as a sustained destination. This is particularly
true for the most disadvantaged young people
SUPPORT FOR TRANSITION BETWEEN INSTITUTIONS - Pupils who change schools during the secondary phase, information about participation and the advice given previously should be integrated into a pupil’s records, where this information is made available. The outgoing school should make available records about the young person’s participation in careers activities, their aspirations, intended destination and the advice that has already been given to them.
RECORD-KEEPING & AGENCY OF YOUNG PEOPLE- Systematic record keeping of the participation of young people in all aspects of the careers programme, including the individual advice given to each young person and subsequent agreed decisions. Records of a young person’s careers activities should be used to support their next steps and career development, including ahead of any key transition points. When young people speak about the things they have been involved in and what they have accomplished, it increases their chances of being successful in the recruitment process
Key Resources
For more information contact the Careers Hub team
FEATURED
West Somerset Bake Off
Two schools in Somerset worked with the Butlins to run a Bake Off event with Year 7’s.