DfE Careers Review
The Department for Education (DfE) commissioned a review of careers provision in schools and further education and skills (FE and skills) providers in England in 2022. The review aimed to assess the state of careers guidance and its impact on students' aspirations and choices. Researchers visited 30 schools and 14 FE and skills providers during the spring term of 2023, reviewed inspection evidence, and conducted focus groups with various stakeholders.
The review found that high-quality careers guidance is crucial for helping students understand their options and fulfil their potential. While there were instances of good practice, it also identified several areas for improvement:
Commitment to Careers Guidance:
Most schools and FE and skills providers demonstrated commitment to providing effective careers guidance. Career hubs played a significant role in enhancing employer engagement and overall career programs.
Collaborative Approach:
Effective careers guidance required collaboration among senior leaders, careers leaders, subject teachers, and specialist careers advisers. However, the availability of qualified careers advisers varied, and not all schools effectively prioritised one-to-one guidance for vulnerable students.
Linking Curriculum to Careers:
Many schools successfully integrated career education into their curriculum, especially through personal, social, health, and economic (PSHE) education. However, this varied by subject, and some schools faced challenges in allocating resources for this purpose.
Year Group Clarity:
Some schools lacked clarity about the specific aims for each year group, particularly in Years 7 and 8. It was often unclear how the careers program was designed for these age groups.
Destinations Data:
Collecting and using destinations data for improving careers provision was challenging due to time constraints and data protection requirements. Some leaders sought additional assistance in this regard.
Promoting Technical and Academic Pathways:
While most schools understood the need to promote both technical and academic pathways, not all effectively achieved this. Some teachers had limited knowledge about technical pathways like T levels.
Parental Engagement:
The extent of engagement with parents varied among schools and FE and skills providers, even though students considered their families influential in career decision-making.
Work Experience and Employer Engagement:
The pandemic had a negative impact on work experience opportunities, and some employers had stopped offering them due to changes in working practices. Innovative approaches to work experience were explored, but virtual experiences were less helpful.
Based on these findings, several recommendations were made:
For Schools and FE and Skills Providers:
Utilise networks like career hubs for employer engagement support.
Ensure the careers program is delivered by staff with expertise, with support from careers specialists.
Enhance staff knowledge of technical pathways, including T levels.
Deliver encounters with employers in a way that maximises benefits for students.
For the DfE:
Improve the aggregation of post-16 and post-18 destinations data for schools and FE and skills providers.
Enhance the attractiveness of the careers adviser role.
Review approaches to disseminating information about T levels.
Make aims for careers education in key stage 3 more explicit.
Improve data collection to track the number of careers advisers and students accessing personal guidance.
For the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC):
Ensure that all schools and FE and skills providers are aware of and can engage with the support provided by CEC.
Support closer collaboration between schools and FE and skills providers regarding careers.
For Ofsted:
Use the review findings to shape future inspector training on careers guidance.
In summary, the review highlighted the importance of effective careers guidance in schools and FE and skills providers. While many were committed to providing such guidance, there were areas for improvement in terms of resources, collaboration, and the promotion of technical pathways. Recommendations were provided to address these issues and enhance the overall quality of careers guidance.