How to review your careers guidance policy

Last reviewed on 18 January 2024
School types: All · School phases: All
Ref: 44100

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

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Contents

  1. Key facts
  2. What this policy needs to do
  3. Key questions to ask school/trust leaders
  4. Trustees reviewing trust-level guidance
  5. Model policy for reference
  6. 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 'Baker Clause' – see page 6 of the DfE's statutory careers 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 statutory careers guidance.

Your policy might set out what happens when pupils are

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Also in 'Curriculum policies'