Countdown to April 2012

Ensuring all students get quality careers education and guidance

Continued Provision of Careers Education

• Continue to deliver Education Act 1997 (EA 1997) section 43 duty i.e. provide all registered pupils with a programme of careers education and guidance (CEG) during the relevant phase of their education

• Have regard to the latest statutory guidance regarding the Education Act 1997

• Brief governors on the continued requirement to deliver careers education

• Ensure a member of the Senior Leadership Team has responsibility for CEG and appoint a link governor to take responsibility for CEG

• Work towards achieving or maintaining a CEG quality award• Ensure a CEG policy statement has been written and published and

that it is reviewed annually• Identify workforce development needs of staff working in the CEG

programme (e.g. tutors, newly appointed staff etc.)• Assess how current careers education activity can be integrated into

planning for new careers guidance duties described in the Education Bill 2011

Preparation and delivery of independent and impartial careers guidance• Allocate responsibility for preparing the school to deliver new duties

to a member of the Senior Leadership Team and/or the school Bursar• Have regard to latest advice and guidance • Discuss with local authority the range and purpose of LA targeted

support services that are being delivered/designed for pre NEET, NEET and vulnerable young people

• Discuss with local authority options for commissioning impartial careers guidance working in partnership/consortia with other schools and LAs

• Look for appropriate quality assurance/kite marking of careers guidance services when considering commissioning options

• Begin appropriate planning e.g. budgeting, tendering, contract letting etc. based on the model of delivery that will be adopted

• Consult employers, parents, students and other relevant stakeholders to help shape the planning and specification of careers guidance

• Explore the cost benefits with LA of aligning resources to deliver coordinated careers support

Tracking progression and achievement of pupils and monitoring impact of careers guidance

• Governors test whether careers information is available to learners and assess whether it is playing an effective role in their progression in learning

• School senior leadership teams monitor how effectively students and their parents/carers are informed about the programme of careers guidance they can expect to receive

• Monitor the development of the DfE Key Stage 4 and 5 Destination Measures Project

• Enter into discussion with the local authority to understand the new NEET reporting arrangements as prescribed by the Management Information Requirement Client Caseload Information System (CCIS)

• Ensure accurate pupil destination data is maintained on schools system and transferred to the Local Authority

• School senior leadership team to plan how they will provide information about leavers’ destinations statistics to their governing body

Before purchasing any products or services for CEG, consider:

• What your students really need in terms of careers experiences, careers information, access to individual guidance, careers education lessons etc

• What you already have that works fine?• What your learners or parents want and value?• What you could get for free, or economically from websites or

professional organisations, or by working in partnership with others e.g. other schools, to share costs.

As a minimum, students will need:• Access to individual careers guidance• Up to date, comprehensive and impartial careers information• Modern Careers Education activities

Ten Top Tips

• Trust your instinct• Is the organisation experienced in CEG delivery?• Communication is key who is the main contact and what

about back up? • Look closely at costs – maximise your budget for agreed

outcomes• When considering careers education and information

resources buy on recommendation • Be really specific about what it is you want the provider to do

and achieve including timescales. • What quality measures will you use ?• What processes are in place if things go wrong?• Ask about data protection and what systems the

organisation uses • Be prepared to interview prospective providers