The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August issue - Magazine - Page 46
Careers guidance for students
from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds ‘variable’ – NEW REPORT
Careers guidance for post-16 students from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds can vary in quality, a new report from Ofsted has found.
Ofsted was commissioned by the Department for
Education (DfE) to carry out a study on the quality of
careers guidance that students from lower
socioeconomic backgrounds receive from further
education (FE) providers.
Read the report: Navigating post-16 careers guidance:
supporting learners from lower socioeconomic backgrounds
• Traditional work placements remain challenging to implement,
but other models of employer engagement are filling the gaps
• Despite the challenges, students valued the careers guidance
they had received
To improve careers guidance for this group, the report
recommends that FE providers have better definitions and
guidance to help them identify students who are in need of
extra support.
Most FE students spoken to for the research were very positive
about the careers guidance they received and spoke of being
more confident and resilient as a result.
The report also recommends that:
However, Ofsted also found that understanding and
knowledge-sharing of students’ backgrounds were variable.
College leaders reported that challenges collaborating with
feeder schools were leading to some students from lower
socioeconomic backgrounds having to self-refer to support
services, with many missing out on tailored careers guidance.
• Schools and colleges need to improve their collaboration to aid
the transition to post-16
Today’s report also found that:
"We know how beneficial careers guidance is for all students,
particularly those from lower socioeconomic backgrounds who may
need more support to achieve their career aspirations.
It’s reassuring to hear that, despite the challenges, students were
very positive about the guidance they received post-16.
• All the colleges visited were offering at least generic careers
guidance that covered their disadvantaged students
• The strongest careers guidance for students from lower
socioeonomic backgrounds integrated curriculum and
employer needs into an overarching strategy
• Colleges are experiencing difficulties in recruiting and retaining
experienced careers advisers, which is affecting the quality of
careers guidance
• Further study is needed on what types of careers interventions
work best for students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds
• Further evaluation should be carried out into the benefits of
work placements versus more flexible engagements with
employers
Lee Owston HMI, Ofsted’s National Director for Education, said:
I hope this research is helpful to policymakers and further
education providers, as they improve the careers guidance they
offer to students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds.
To conduct the study, Ofsted carried out research visits to 3
secondary schools, 19 general FE colleges and 6 sixth-form colleges
during the summer 2024 term. The research also included interviews
