Gatsby Benchmarks 6 & 7 Under the New Statutory Guidance
Take a beat and read @CareersDefenders Synopsis before you panic.
Firstly, let me comment, I know that the new requirements for work experience in KS 3 & 4 is causing a lot of concern, not just in terms of time but of cost and more worryingly, how are we going to find the companies willing to provide placements. However, I urge you to take a beat and wait for the arrangements for support for this to be fully implemented. So let’s look at the guidance in plain English from a Careers Leader point of view.
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Core Principles of Gatsby 6
Work experience is a key part of any high-quality careers programme, helping to ensure that young people develop relevant skills for work and supporting transitions from education and training into skilled employment.
Why?
Young people want more opportunities to experience a wider range of workplaces to help them to make more informed decisions about their future.
How?
All learners should have first-hand experiences of workplaces to explore careers and build networks.
These experiences should be meaningful, varied, and progressive.
So What Will be the Minimum Requirements?
I stress this is my interpretation of the guidance after reading it a number of times:-
The guidance does say that from 2025 you should adopt the strengthened benchmark
Which is:-
1 week in Years 7–9 (activities-based)
1 week in Years 10–11 (placement-based)
Therefore, organisations should start to work towards meeting the full reformed guidance ASAP.
However, we need to remember that in essence we have 2-3 years to get the full programme in place
Key Stage 3 lasts for 3 years, so it doesn’t have to all be done in one year.
The guidance says that in Key Stage 3 these experiences of work can be Multi-day work visits with tasks/projects; work shadowing.; employer talks or tours (in-person or virtual). Now tell me you’ve been ignoring the Provider Access Legislation and have none of these in place?
Key Stage 4
Five days of in person work experience is a bit more of a task, so remember virtual work experience can count if there’s no other option. Also note that the guidance clearly says:-
From September 2025, schools should be planning and, where able, reforming their work experience programmes according to these principles so that all pupils can benefit from the opportunities, development and learning that work experience provides.
Schools should consider how to build meaningful experiences of workplaces, delivered under benchmark 6, into a structured work experience programme.
So what it means is that you should start planning and working towards delivering a fully compliant model as soon as you can. They don’t expect it to be fully compliant on September 1st, but they will expect you to have a plan.
I should also slip in here for Colleges & Independent Training Providers (ITPs) the requirement is :-
At least one meaningful workplace experience during the programme of study (excluding part-time jobs).
So What Help Can I expect in the Coming Months?
The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC) already have some good resources that can be found here, they call it EqualEx and it comes with learning outcomes, ideas and resources. It is being trialed and more details can be had from your local careers hub.
Of course, in order to make this and all the other changes that will be necessary, you’ll need to get your SLT on board, which is a key part of the overall guidance. The CEC again has as part of it’s Careers Impact Review a tool to review careers leadership in your organisation.
A Few Things to Consider When Planning
Organisations must plan progressive and coherent experiences that align with the curriculum.
Schools should use frameworks and tools from the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC).
SEND learners may need tailored support and vocational profiling.
A Note About T Level Industry Placements
If you’re already delivering T Levels, you’ll know this already but if you’re not, it’s important to consider the practicalities before you organisation start to offer them. (Yeah, I know that’s obvious but my belt and braces brain, insisted I add it here)
Mandatory for T Levels: minimum 45 days in a real workplace.
Must replicate working conditions and support skill development.
DfE provides extensive guidance and support resources for employers and students.
So Just for Clarity What is a Meaningful Experience?
An activity that has:-
Clear purpose and shared goals between employer and student.
Appropriate learning outcomes based on student needs.
Two-way interaction with employees.
Exposure to a range of roles and people.
Opportunity to complete tasks or work relevant to the workplace.
Employer provides feedback to the student.
Reflection on learning and development after the experience.
One for the Safeguarding Lead:-
It’s a key requirement for Safeguarding leads to be risk adverse, however, the guidance asks schools to reduce barriers in order to offer a wide range of experiences. It recommends the Health & Safety Executive Guidance be your key document for managing risk.
Also, Employers are responsible for learner health and safety.
Core Principles of Gatsby 7
Institutions have a responsibility to set learners on the path that will secure the best outcome which will enable them to progress in education and work.
All learners should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them, including academic, technical and vocational routes. This should incorporate learning in schools, colleges, ITPs, universities and in the workplace.
Basically this means complying with the Provider Access Legislation, (PAL) which I’m presuming you already do. If you need a refresher this blog on my professional website may well help. I know it’s based around the 2023 guidance but it still gives a good overview of PAL basics.
Some slight tweaks
It is important that learners realise that all of their educational choices have implications for their longer term career. Schools and colleges should encourage learners to consider the career options that different educational choices could open up or close down.
More emphasis on a wider range of skills training options such as T Levels, Reformed technical occupational entry qualifications, (these are level 3 qualifications not covered by T Levels and are available from Sept 25 in construction, digital, education & early years, engineering and manufacturing, health and science Higher technical qualifications (level 4/5), apprenticeships, supported internships and skills bootcamps.
Schools have flexibility to arrange encounters with the same provider across more than one ‘key phase’. For example, a school may invite an FE college to talk to pupils in the first key phase (year 8 to 9) about key stage 4 options and to talk to pupils in the second key phase (year 10 to 11) about post-16 options. However, within the same key phase, schools must always provide meaningful encounters with 2 different providers to meet the legal requirement.
Schools should also ensure appropriateness of the encounters for learners with SEND.
Schools should also have flexibility to decide which organisations to invite but they should be within reasonable travelling distance and include the FULL range of organisations available locally including training providers, other schools and colleges, studio schools, UTCs etc.
Schools and colleges should not require a DBS check for a visitor who is in the school for a one-off visit. However, headteachers and principals should decide on the appropriate level of supervision for the duration of the visit.
There is a stronger and more complete explanation of what can/will happen if schools don’t comply with PAL and this is called the Ladder of Support and Intervention. I suggest you read this from the guidance directly and show it to your SLT if they are resistant to required activities
Resources
There are lots in the Statutory Guidance, here are a few.
Well that’s that for Gatsby 6 & 7 I do hope these blogs help. Feel free to drop comments, complaints or questions below
Thank you for providing a clear succinct and focused brief. Really useful for any practitioner, career lead or SLT member.