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How to review your careers guidance policy

Understand what to look for in your school or trust's careers guidance policy, and find questions to ask your leaders. Use our model to see what good looks like, and see examples from secondary and special schools.

Last reviewed on 8 July 2025
School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 44100
Contents
  1. What this policy needs to do
  2. Key questions to ask school/trust leaders
  3. Trustees reviewing trust-level guidance
  4. Model policy
  5. See examples from schools

What this policy needs to do

Clearly outline the statutory requirements

The policy should set out what the statutory requirements are when it comes to careers guidance, so everyone is clear on what needs to be done and what their responsibilities are. 

Key requirements include:

  • Securing independent careers guidance from year 7
  • Providing a minimum of 6 encounters with technical education or training providers to all pupils in years 8 to 13
  • Being impartial and not showing bias towards any route, be that academic or technical (in line with the provider access legislation – see 'Providing independent careers guidance' in the section 'What you need to know' in the guidance)
  • Publishing details of the careers programmes on the school/trust website (maintained schools must and academies should do this)
  • Demonstrating how your school/trust is working towards the Gatsby Benchmarks

Read more in the DfE's guidance.

Your policy might set out