Useful Resources: Government Policy
- Useful Resources
- Last updated 10 Jan 2020
According to government guidance, schools must secure independent guidance that includes information on the full range of education and training options, including apprenticeships and vocational pathways.
The Department for Education has published a report, ‘ Careers guidance and inspiration in schools’, which outlines the guidance that governing bodies, school leaders and school staff must provide young people.
Key Points from the report:
Every child should leave school prepared for life in modern Britain. This means ensuring every young person develops the values, skills and behaviours they need to get on in life. All children should receive a range of classroom and extra-curricular activities to develop character traits that will underpin success in education and employment, and be prepared for making subject/career decisions.
Making sure children are inspired and motivated to fulfil their potential. Schools should help every pupil develop high aspirations and consider a broad and ambitious range of careers. Inspiring every pupil through more real-life contacts with the world of work can help them understand where different choices can take them in the future.
Schools should have a strategy for the careers guidance. The strategy should be embedded within a clear framework linked to outcomes for pupils and should reflect the school’s ethos, meeting the needs of all pupils. Schools should consider the following principles for good practice when developing their strategy:
- Provide access to a range of activities that inspire young people, including employer talks, careers fairs, motivational speakers, colleges and university visits, coaches and mentors
- Build strong links with employers who can help to boost young people’s attitudes and employability skills, inform pupils about the range of roles and opportunities available
- Offer high quality work experience that properly reflects individuals’ studies and strengths, and supports the academic curriculum
- Widen access to advice on options available post-16, for example, apprenticeships, entrepreneurialism or other vocational routes alongside the more traditional A-levels and university route
- This should also include giving other post-16 providers opportunities to engage with pupils on school premises
- Provide face-to-face advice and guidance to build confidence and motivation
- Work with local authorities to identify vulnerable young people, including those with special educational needs and those at risk of not participating post-16, and the services that are available to support them.
- Provide information to students about the financial support that may be available to help them stay in education post-16
- Work with Jobcentre Plus to develop a smoother pathway between education and work
- Consciously work to prevent all forms of stereotyping in the advice and guidance they provide, to ensure that boys and girls from all backgrounds and diversity groups consider the widest possible range of careers, including those that are often portrayed as primarily for one or other of the sexes.
Employers wanting to attract trainees, apprentices or school leaver trainees should approach schools and work with them to help achieve the requirements set out above.
