The government has placed a duty on schools to provide careers guidance. The duty requires school governing bodies to ensure that all pupils at their school are provided with independent careers guidance from Year 8 (12–13-year-olds) to Year 13 (17–18-year-olds).
The Department for Education says in ‘Careers guidance and inspiration in schools’, that this advice must;
- Be presented in an impartial way
- Include information on the full range of education or training options post Year 11, including Apprenticeships and other vocational pathways and
- Promote the best interests of the pupil to whom it is given.
Careers Education
From 2018 schools have a statutory obligation to include careers education alongside their impartial career's information, advice and guidance.
To develop and improve their careers provision, every school should:
- use the Gatsby Benchmarks to improve careers provision.
- publish a policy statement setting out their arrangements for provider access and ensure that it is followed. (Enhanced Baker clause January 2023)
- offer every young person seven encounters with employers – at least one each year from year 7 to year 13.
- Some of these encounters should be with STEM employers.
The Virtual School monitor these key areas of support through the relevant sections in the PEP.