Careers Statutory Guidance
INTRODUCTION
Since 2018 it has been a legal requirement for all colleges to offer impartial careers guidance to its students, and to offer them a wide variety of careers resources and opportunities.
The guidance recommends the use of the Gatsby Benchmarks, and by doing so a college can be confident of meeting it's statutory and funding obligations.
Below are key extracts from the statutory guidance ...
All further education (FE) colleges and sixth form colleges in England are subject to a requirement to secure access to independent careers guidance. This forms part of FE college and sixth form college funding agreements. Colleges also have a legal requirement to provide all college learners with guidance materials and a wide range of up-to-date reference materials relating to careers education and career opportunities.
The Gatsby Benchmarks are not a statutory framework but by adopting them, colleges can be confident that they are complying with the careers guidance requirements set out in their funding agreement. (P5)
The careers strategy sets out that every college should have a Careers Leader who has the skills and commitment, and backing from their senior leadership team, to deliver the careers programme across all eight Gatsby Benchmarks. In larger colleges this might be a Careers Leadership team. Every college is expected to publish information about their careers programme, including the name of their Careers Leader. (P6)
Ofsted is legally required to comment, in an inspection report, on the careers guidance provided to learners at colleges (P6)
Colleges are expected to comply with this guidance and this forms part of the conditions of grant funding. In the event of non-compliance it is open to the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) to take action in accordance with the provisions of its Grant agreement. (P6)