Gatsby Benchmark One

A stable careers programme

Gatsby Benchmark 1 provides the foundation for the programme, supporting you to link your careers provision to priorities, vision, and improvement. Fully meeting this benchmark holds the key to unlocking all the other benchmarks in a meaningful and sustainable way.

If you’d appreciate a more intensive overview to fully meet this benchmark, get in touch with laura.sherlock@llep.org.uk or speak to your EC!

Where to start...

Consider the following questions as the very starting point of planning your careers programme:

Is your programme written down?

A template to support the process of creating a written programme can be found here.

Does the programme have the approval and backing of your SLT and Governors?

Do the SLT recognise their responsibilities? Do you speak to your Careers-link Governor?

Is the programme resourced, with a lead person strategically responsible for it?

Resource can be material, money and time! Many free resources exist including the SDSA Careers Curriculum

Concerned about your responses to these questions? It is well worth reaching out to your EC before going any further.

They can offer intensive intervention to put in place the foundations for an outstanding careers programme.

Below you will find more detailed information about the sub-sections of Gatsby Benchmark 1: websites & evaluations…

A student and mentor look at a computer screen

Your website careers content: What’s needed?

Is your careers programme published?

This can look and be done in a variety of ways. Consider where your written programme lives? Do you have a roadmap that could be published? If a stakeholder came to the website to learn what careers learning and experiences take place, would they get a satisfactory answer?

2. Do you have content specifically aimed at:

Students?

Students may be searching online for careers information for a whole host of reasons, and answering everything on one page would make for a very long page, let alone keeping information up to date! Consider the headlines that are most important for them to know, and where signposting to other sources of information would be more appropriate (for example, having details about every sector and job would make a long page, but plenty of websites already exist where students could explore their interests)

Teachers?

Consider what information will be most useful for staff – while it is not necessary for them all to be careers experts, they should feel empowered to have conversations around careers and also know where to signpost for more information and research. What parts of the careers programme do they need to know about, and what resources would you like them to have at their fingertips?

Employers?

If you have your Provider Access Statement (formerly Baker Clause) clearly published then you do have information specifically for employers*. However, employers are a critical part of elevating the careers offer for students and this the advertising window to encourage them to get involved! It becomes far easier to say yes and offer time & support if there is a clear ask of them, and if they feel like their input will be genuinely valued!

*This is Statutory, so if the answer is no address this first

Parents/Carers?

Some of this information may well overlap with what students may need to see. Put yourself in their shoes – what would you like to know? Signposts to possible destinations, details about the key experiences each year, who can they speak to with questions or concerns may all be useful information specific to this group.

Website - Quick wins

The Careers Hub has an example careers website section for "The Leicester Shire Great School" to give an idea of structure, content, and external information signposts, and also a detailed guide of how to use and make this content yourself - but always feel free to ask your EC about technical support to make changes to your existing website!

These links are simply an example of ideas, we strongly recommend using the template to build a website in your institutions image – particularly when adding pictures/photos, and selecting external information links most suitable for yourself.

Evaluation: When and how?

Evaluation is a constant and cyclical process; feedback from activities, experiences, and stakeholder knowledge should inform decision making for the next time around. Gatsby Benchmark 1 requires the effectiveness is evaluated at least every three years with consideration given to all stakeholder groups:

Students

While there are numerous ways to evaluate student experiences, the Careers Hub recommends embedding the Future Skills Questionnaire (found within Compass+) into your evaluation plans. Your EC will be more than happy to assist in providing more information.

Teachers, Employers, Parents/Carers – surveys

Qualitative feedback can be gathered form stakeholders at all touch points, and while valuable formalising this or getting all voices heard can be a challenge. The simplest way to assess the effectiveness of the careers programme with these groups is to survey as many as possible in a way that provides digestible data. Template surveys are linked below, however your EC can provide an electronic link for a survey specific to each of your stakeholder groups, which will also generate a dashboard for easy analysis after the surveys have taken place.

Hosting a stakeholder voice session

Another option is to invite a cross-section of all your stakeholders to sit around the same table and discuss the strengths & opportunities within the careers programme. This gives a chance for all voices to be heard, and also to hear from others, in a focussed way that can both celebrate what is working well, and unearth ideas that could address barriers and enhance the programme. Again, your EC is on hand to help plan and facilitate a stakeholder voice session.

Evaluation - Quick wins

The Careers Hub has an example templates you can use for surveying your stakeholders (though we recommend an electronic version!), and resources for setting up and hosting a voice session. These are free to use and manipulate as required to fit your needs.

Programme Evaluation surveys

Stakeholder engagement (for evaluation)