Annual Career Plans: Too good an idea to drop?

Claire Nix and Anthony Barnesclaire.m.nix@gmail.com

anthony.barnes@ntlworld.com

A Cloudy Horizon: Careers Services in EnglandCareers 2020 Phase Two (Pearson, September 2013)

Annual career plansDriving forces Restraining forces

Policy context No real discussion of whether ‘independent and impartial’ is what is really

required No convincing defence of the decision to remove the statutory requirement

for careers and work-related education The campaign for face-to-face careers guidance inhibits new thinking about

non-standardised and online forms of guidance The wider policy on school autonomy, low prescription and a laissez-faire

approach to the education market is inhibiting the development of new 'structures' to support careers guidance

Professional careers advisers have reduced status – they are only one part of the broader network of local stakeholders who are involved in and can support careers advice;

Uncritical belief that all employers are able to inspire, motivate and engage young people (without regard for the quality of the information and advice they give)

False expectation that Ofsted inspections will be the big game changer in terms of school performance on CEIAG

Claim that budgets are sufficient and spending more money isn’t the answer

Customer and stakeholder views - CIPDChartered Institute for Personnel and DevelopmentIt is clear there are issues around the lack of

consistency of good advice and guidance about career choice for pupils, in particular about alternatives to university education such as apprenticeships. This needs to improve if we want more young people to have access to the labour market. (The Business Case For Employer Investment in Young People).

Confederation of British IndustryCBI – John Cridland“We know careers advice is on life support in many

areas, as schools struggle with the new statutory duty. It’s right that schools should have the freedom to run their own affairs – but the Government may have adopted too laissez faire an approach with serious consequences for our young people. Businesses need to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in but there needs to be much more impetus from Whitehall. Careers must be a priority not a bolt-on afterthought or optional extra.”

ParentsOnly 40% thought that the school had helped

their child make informed decisions about their post-16 options

They thought that one-to-one interviews and work experience were the most useful careers guidance activities.

The Pearson report “A Cloudy Horizon” recommended greater parental engagement with careers work.

Young peopleIn the Ofsted survey young people said they wanted:More purposeful work experience and opportunities

to find out about careers from employersBetter links between subject and careersBetter guidance on using websitesThey liked:Individual interviews with a professional adviserA system for recording their ideas and researchA programme of visits – not just one-off visitsA well-stocked careers libraryCareers guidance as part of the curriculum.

The Quality in Careers Standard Investor in Careers Career Mark Recognition of Quality Award

(RoQA) The Quality Award in CEIAG C & K Quality Careers Standard Inspiring IAG Career Connect Quality Award for

CEIAG Investing in Quality NE Lincs Gold Standard for

CEIAG The Quality CEIAG Award The Sheffield Standard in CEIAG The Staffordshire and Stoke on

Trent CEIAG Quality Mark

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1.7 Monitoring, reviewing, evaluating and developing provision

How the Award assesses a learning provider’s arrangements for:

a planned approach to evaluation – including using evidence from monitoring, review and evaluation to inform planning, develop provision and bring about positive changes to its CEIAG programme.

regularly reviewing its CEIAG programme and collecting feedback from young people, their families and carers, the delivery team (including external service providers) and external partners such as further and higher education, work-based learning providers and employers.

1.8 Measuring the impact of provision (including evidence of learning outcomes and progression)

How the Award assesses a learning provider’s arrangements for:

setting targets and objectives, and measuring the impact of CEIAG on young people’s progression and destinations

evaluating outcomes for young people (including successful transitions) and using the results to inform the planning and development of its CEIAG programme.

Ofsted Going in the Right Direction? (September 2013)Provision was effective in only one in five schools (n=60).

Very few had the skills and expertise requiredOnly about a quarter using their destinations dataFew schools had bought in adequate services from external

sourcesHalf were using own staff (untrained and not up-to-date) to

inform students about careersSchools not engaging employers or promoting vocational

training and apprenticeships well enough (two-thirds had cut down KS4 work experience)

Aspirations for many vulnerable students were too lowThe promotion of post-16 options available from other

providers was particularly weak in many 11 to 18 schools

Ofsted(Section 5 school Inspections from September 2013)

Inspectors must evaluate how well leaders and managers ensure that the curriculum “provides timely independent information, advice and guidance to assist pupils on their next steps in training, education or employment.” (Para 135, p.46).The subsidiary guidance for inspectors states that: Inspectors will want to discuss with pupils their knowledge of courses

and qualifications and the various progression routes available to them in order to understand the quality of advice provide by the school

The extent to which timely information, advice and guidance provide pupils with a good understanding of the full range of options available to assist them to make informed decisions about their next steps in education, training or employment; the availability and quality of advice and guidance on learning and a pathways; and whether staff have the necessary qualifications, experience and skills to provide information, advice and guidance. (Para 91, p.22)

Handbook http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/school-inspection-handbook Subsidiary guidance http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/subsidiary-guidance-supporting-inspection-of-maintained-schools-and-academies

Ofsted: additional referencesSubsidiary Guidance supporting the inspection of maintained schools and academies P. 41 Para 13 Inspectors should take into account retention rates when evaluating

achievement and when considering the quality of the curriculum and IAG. P.26 Para 107 Inspectors will want to discuss with pupils their knowledge of courses and

qualifications and progression routes. School Inspection Handbook P. 113 Para 27 Evidence of pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development .. gain

a well-informed understanding of the options and challenges facing them as they move through the school and onto the next stage of their education and training.

 Grade Descriptors Overall Effectiveness – Outstanding schools – pupils are well equipped for the next

stage of their education, training or employments… and hold highest aspirations for pupils.

Achievement of Pupils – exceptionally well prepared for the next stage in education, training or employment.

p.46 how well leaders and managers ensure the curriculum ‘provides timely and independent IAG to assist pupils on their next step in training, education or employment.

p.47 how well strategies and procedures, including provision of appropriate guidance help pupils to prepared for life in modern democratic Britain.

Improving school performanceAccountability

Narrow WideCos

tHigh

cost

Low cost

Annual Career Plan

CEIAG Quality Award

Destination measures

Ofsted inspection

Annual Career Plans

Annual Careers Plans - FinlandThe Ministry of Education and Culture stipulates that

the curriculum should include 76 hours of careers education activities in grades 7-9. Guidelines exist to help schools develop careers and work-related education across the whole curriculum.

A parliamentary committee has recommended a student-counsellor ratio of 250:1. The entitlement to individual guidance and group counselling in grades 1-6 is embedded in the work of the classroom teachers.

Online tools are being piloted to collect evaluation data from students, parents and staff that will provide a national reference point.

Annual Careers Plans: Rationale and purposeImproves budgeting processProvides a focus for monitoring, review and

evaluationCan be linked to the agreement with the

external careers guidance providerCan be tied to the school improvement planCan be used to feedback to governorsImproves transparency for customers and

stakeholdersCan be integrated with other processes, e.g.

decdiing on how to use Pupil Premium

Suggested structure of an Annual Careers Plan (5 Ps)Priorities

Review of previous year Present priorities

Programme Calendar of main activities and events in the year

Provision Careers guidance and planning Careers education Careers and work-related learning Careers information

Partnerships CG provider, EB links, other learning providers

Performance Quality and evaluation plans

Annual Career Plans: Suggested themes from NFER think-pieceHow the school is: working with local partners to coordinate provision and inform young people and parents; engaging with employers; taking into account the views of young people and their parents; supporting teachers to embed careers information into lessons and subjects; providing careers education and guidance from Year 7. Young people should be supported

to learn about their strengths, weaknesses, how to develop realistic careers aspirations and decision-making skills as well as being provided with information about career pathways;

actively encouraging young people to consider all options at 14 and 16 so that they select the best options for their interest, motivation, learning style, ability and aspirations;

allocating resources to the provision of careers guidance; providing all young people with face-to-face, impartial and independent careers guidance; working towards quality awards nationally validated by the Quality in Careers Standards; utilising advisers trained and qualified in delivering careers education and guidance; using online technology where possible for the collection, interactive analysis and

reporting of careers data to reduce ‘bureaucracy’ and enable schools to carry out analysis instantly.

Careers guidance: If not an annual career plan then what? (NFER, September 2013)

http://www.nfer.ac.uk/nfer/publications/99938/99938_home.cfm?publicationID=1019&title=Careers%20guidance:%20If%20not%20an%20annual%20careers%20plan%20-%20then%20what?

Suggested processCareers lead team mandated by SLT to:complete annual health checkidentify priorities after taking into account

views of the school, customers, stakeholders and external providers

draw up programmenegotiate provision and partnership

arrangementsmonitor implementation/performance

Health check: Suggested approach from the Netherlands

http://www.lob-vo.nl/landelijke-resultaten

Suggested themes for health checkMeeting statutory duties (e.g. careers guidance duty, equality duty)Credibility of careers guidance provision with studentsCredibility of careers guidance provision with parents/carersAccess to careers guidance for all studentsSufficiency and timing of careers guidance inputsAccess to careers and labour market informationAccess to careers and work-related education for all studentsSufficiency and timing of careers and work-related education inputsAccess to careers and labour market informationComplementarity of internal and external careers guidance inputsStaff learning and developmentQuality assurancePerformance on progression and destinations

Mapping of themes to structure of PlanPriorities Programme Provision Partnership

sPerformance

Meeting statutory duties (e.g. careers guidance duty, equality duty)

Credibility of careers guidance provision with students

Credibility of careers guidance provision with parents/carers

Access to careers guidance for all students

Sufficiency and timing of careers guidance inputs

Access to careers and work-related education for all students

Sufficiency and timing of careers and work-related education inputs

Access to careers and labour market information

Complementarity of internal and external careers guidance inputs

Staff learning and development

Quality assurance

Performance on progression and destinations

Health check self-assessment1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Meeting statutory duties

We use our own staff to provide formal careers guidance and signpost students to online services (e.g. NCS website and youth helpline).

We use our own staff to provide formal careers guidance and signpost students to online services (e.g. NCS website and youth helpline). We use external careers advisers occasionally.

We use external careers advisers (either not L6 or working towards) alongside our own staff to provide formal careers guidance and signpost students to online services (e.g. NCS website and youth helpline).

We use external, professionally qualified careers advisers (L6 or above) alongside our own staff to provide formal careers guidance and signpost students to online services (e.g. NCS website and youth helpline).

Quality assurance We act on compliments, criticisms or complaints.

We act on compliments, criticisms or complaints. We refer to CEIAG quality standards when evaluating our performance.

We act on compliments, criticisms or complaints. We are working towards a CEIAG quality award (QiCS-validated).

We act on compliments, criticisms or complaints. We hold a CEIAG quality award (QiCS-validated).

Programme: Careers calendarKS3 KS4 Post 16

All year round

Autumn

Spring

Summer

ProvisionCareers guidance and planning, e.g. When? How much?

For whom? How organised? Provided by?

Careers education, e.g. Which cohorts? How many hours? What’s in the scheme of work? Delivered by?

Careers and work-related learning, e.g. Who participates? When? Which employers/education providers? What types of activity?

Careers information, e.g. How accessed? How much spent? What staff support? Where (LRC and online)?

Time that schools allocate to careers and the world of work (CWoW) in Wales(n=113)Whilst the average time allocated to this

programme in Year 7 is 2.5 hours, 30% of schools allocated no time to CWoW, yet several schools allocated over 20 hours. Similarly in Year 11, 30% said they allocated no time to CWoW, whilst several schools allocated 30 hours or more.

PartnershipsExternal careers guidance providerEducation-business links providerEmployersOther education and training providersCommunity and voluntary organisations

Where next?Schools do it anyway. If you want to do these

things properly, none of this is too much to ask.

Career Development Institute works with strategic partners (teaching unions, employers, etc.) to develop the approach

National Careers Service supports schools by developing guidelines, collating national data

DfE requires schools to put this information on their websites