To ask Her Majesty's Government how they envisage that the funding committed for careers leaders in their new careers strategy will be allocated to schools; what schools will be able to use that funding for; and whether schools will be (1) expected, and (2) permitted, to take on new hires for these roles.
Answered on
30 January 2018
The department has taken a number of steps to ensure we minimise the burden on schools to provide good quality careers advice.
The government’s careers strategy, published in December 2017, set out a package of support for schools. This includes: investing £4 million into supporting at least 500 schools and colleges to train their careers leader; new careers hubs in areas of most need in the country, backed by £5 million funding; and trialling careers activities in primary schools, backed by £2 million funding.
The department is working closely with The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) who will have a broader remit to support schools to deliver all eight Gatsby Benchmarks of good careers provision. From September 2018, a named careers leader should lead the careers programme in every secondary school. The vast majority of schools already have a careers leader and it is a matter for schools to decide whether they wish to take on new hires for this role.
Our aim is that the careers leader should have the expertise and influence to co-oridinate the careers programme across all eight Gatsby benchmarks. The department is working with the CEC and the Gatsby Foundation to develop the training for careers leaders. Further details about how schools and colleges can access funding to train their careers leader will be released in the coming months.
The department published revised the attached statutory guidance, ‘Careers guidance and access for education and training providers’ in January 2018 which sets out what schools should do to meet the eight Gatsby Benchmarks and the support available for schools. This was developed with input from educational representative bodies.