The Gatsby Benchmarks are a set of guidelines for providing good career guidance in schools. They help schools identify what makes for effective career guidance and how to provide it. 

The Gatsby Benchmarks 

• Stable careers programme: Schools should have a well-established careers programme

• Learning from labour market information: Schools should use information about careers and the labour market to inform their guidance

• Addressing the needs of each pupil: Schools should tailor their guidance to the needs of each student

• Linking curriculum learning to careers: Schools should connect what students learn in the classroom to the world of work

• Encounters with employers and employees: Schools should provide opportunities for students to meet with employers and employees

• Experiences of workplaces: Schools should provide opportunities for students to experience workplaces

• Encounters with further and higher education: Schools should provide opportunities for students to learn about further and higher education

• Personal guidance: Schools should provide individual guidance for students

According to the Careers and Enterprise Council, 90% of English schools and colleges measure their careers provision using the eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Evidence from independent evaluations has indicated that a school's adoption of the Benchmarks have a positive impact on students destinations beyond school with lower NEET (not in education, employment or training) rates.

This tool helps students understand the components that form a career journey and that journeys aren’t aways straight!

If you are happy to present the tool it might stimulate discussion and hopefully inspire career thinking and realistic planning. How to use the tool:

•Choose a background colour or picture of your choice

•Move around the boxes and choose relevant steps and stages of your career to demonstrate your journey – a career is more than paid work and is influenced by our experiences through life – in family/ community, education and work.  A sense of direction is often influenced by our learning and personality style/ preferences, our values, skills and strengths, things we like and don’t like/ good at and not good at, role models and influences etc etc

•Complete the questions at the bottom

•Save as a PDF to stop the formatting changing when send to print and display.

How we can help:

• Access tailored content for your exam board to boost learning and revision

• Save time when planning lessons and homework

• Track progress on questions to pinpoint areas to work on

• Work towards better exam results with quality materials written by experienced teachers

Channel Talent aims to inform and inspire young people’s choices about their education and careers by making important conversations possible that, for time, cost and logistical reasons, are often prevented from happening face to face. Events are free to schools and sponsored by individual universities or businesses.

LMI stands for Labour Market Information. In short, it refers to any

relevant information about the current state of the jobs market along with the key facets of a job role. Pupils can start to focus on a career sector or role without effectively researching factors like skills involved, required length of training, minimum requirements etc. LMI can include information like:

 What industries/businesses are in a certain location.

 The types of jobs that exist and what they involve.

 How many of those jobs there are.

 The skills that are currently or will be in high demand.

 Commute and travel to work patterns.

 Typical rates of pay.

 Career progression opportunities

It is important that young people learn to assess opportunities, the factors involved in career roles and what impacts on opportunities so that they can effectively career plan.

the UK economy. Volunteers pledge at least an hour a year to visit local state schools and colleges

to talk about their job, career path and education. Search facility available for teachers to look for local volunteers.

The resources we provide for teachers foster engagement, curiosity and independent learning, while showcasing career options available to young people

Over the course of a programme, students will discuss areas such as career opportunities available within professional sectors, writing personal statements, creating a great CV and interview skills. As the mentorship is entirely personalised, students can decide the areas they would like to focus on. All mentors are trained in how to provide great mentorship, and are provided resources to support them.

Engaging PDP / Health and Wellbeing resource empowers students to explore the importance of diversity, inclusion, and belonging in society. Across five short sessions, students will investigate real-world diversity and inclusion initiatives within the British Army and develop key skills in leadership, collaboration, and active citizenship.

Designed for ages 11–14 (KS3), but flexible to adapt to older students, the resource includes a warm-up activity and adaptable content to suit your classroom needs. This resource can be delivered as standalone form time activities, as part of a five-session series or delivered together in a longer session as part of a theme day. These resources have cross-curricular links with Oracy, History and the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Inspire your students to take the lead in creating inclusive communities, because with this resource, diversity isn’t just a discussion, it’s a mission!