The Educator Magazine U.K. May-August issue - Magazine - Page 65
Gatsby Benchmarks:
Are you up to date?
The Good Career Guidance: Next Ten Years review of the Gatsby Benchmarks was published at the end of 2024. It sets out five
themes that school leaders and educators need to be aware of to ensure that careers education in your school meets the
required standards:
Careers at the heart of education and leadership
Careers guidance is both a whole-staff and a whole-institution endeavour.
Inclusion and impact for each and every young person
The updates emphasise the importance of tailoring programmes to the needs of each young person.
Meaningful and varied encounters and experiences
There is a stronger focus on flexible delivery and the impact of encounters and experiences of education and work.
Focusing on the use of information and data
The focus is now on using information to inform decision-making.
Engagement of parents and carers
Updates embed parent and carer engagement into planning and the need to share information with them.
The updated Gatsby benchmarks are set to become part of government statutory guidance for secondary schools by September
2025. Secondary schools, colleges and ITPs, are you ready?
The role of alumni in careers education
We know that good careers guidance helps to bridge the world of education with the world of work and is vital for economic
prosperity and growth. It also challenges disadvantages, stereotypes and inequalities and ensures that young people from all
backgrounds benefit.
A significant addition to the new Gatsby Benchmarks is an expectation that schools and colleges should draw on their alumni
network to enhance their careers education programme. In an education system that is stretched in terms of capacity, your
alumni and local employee volunteers are a valuable resource that can help inform and balance your careers strategy in order to
give all young people in your care current and tailored support. But schools can only do this if they build meaningful partnerships
in their communities.
Social mobility charity Future First is the only UK charity whose mission it is to help state schools and colleges build a supportive
and active community of alumni volunteers and local employers. We help to provide students with relatable role models who
offer experiences of the world of work and unlock access to previously gate kept sectors.
To explore how we can work with you, please go to www.futurefirst.org.uk/our-memberships
Online careers conference 2025
Amplify your alumni
A week of online workshops to help you
develop a thriving alumni community and
boost your careers provision
Tuesday 1 July - Friday 4 July 2025
Free for members, £25 for non members
www.futurefirst.org.uk/conference2025
