Careers guidance: statutory requirements

Last reviewed on 17 August 2021
School types: All · School phases: Secondary, 16 Plus
Ref: 3915

Understand what you and your school need to do to provide compulsory careers guidance for students in years 8 to 13, while meeting Ofsted's 'personal development' requirements.

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Contents

  1. Be clear on the duties 
  2. Nominate a 'careers' governor
  3. Monitor your school's careers guidance
  4. The Gatsby Benchmarks: summarised
  5. Work experience
  6. Ofsted's expectations

Our associate education expert, Lorraine Petersen, helped us to write this article. Also see page 82 of the governance handbook.

Be clear on the duties 

Make sure your school has a strategic careers plan

This should be developed in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks (see below) and the DfE’s guidance.

It should show how your school’s careers programme will be:

  • Implemented
  • Measured - including how it will assess the impact on pupils

Allow training providers to access your students

Your school must:

  • Give providers of technical education and apprenticeships the opportunity to talk to all students in years 8 to 13
  • Publish a policy statement on its website setting out the arrangements for provider access and make sure this is followed. See our model policy in this article

This must include the name and contact details of your school’s careers leader. Your school must

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