Careers guidance policy: model and examples
Understand what information you must publish about your careers provision, and download and adapt our model policy to help you stay compliant. Plus, see example policies from secondary and special schools.
- What you need to do
- Download and publish our model policy to meet your requirements
- Secondary school examples
- Special school examples
Latest requirement: you must provide a minimum of 6 encounters with technical education or training providers to all pupils in years 8 to 13.
This was introduced by the Skills and Post-16 Act 2022 on 1 January 2023.
Find more detail on these changes in our article, and review your provider access policy statement in line with the new requirement.
What you need to do
The DfE's statutory careers guidance applies to:
- All maintained schools, including maintained special schools and pupil referral units (PRUs)
- Academies and free schools, if their funding agreements include this requirement. If not, they're still encouraged to follow the guidance as a statement of good practice
The requirements do not apply to non-maintained special schools and independent schools.
Under these requirements, maintained secondary schools must and academies should publish details of their careers programme on their websites.
For maintained schools this must include, and for academies it should include, the following:
- The name, email address and telephone number of the school's careers leader
- A summary of the careers programme, including details of how pupils, parents, teachers and employers can access information about the careers programme
- How the school measures and assesses the impact of the careers programme on pupils
- The date of the school's next review of the information published
Both school types must also publish a provider access policy statement.
In the summary of your careers programme, you should:
- Demonstrate how you're working towards meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks
- Provide aims, objectives and activities for each year group
This is set out on page 19 of the DfE's statutory careers guidance. Read more about all of your careers provision requirements.
Download and publish our model policy to meet your requirements
Our model policy is approved by Forbes Solicitors, and has instructions for you to adapt and make it your own.
Model policy: careers guidance
It covers all of the information outlined above that you need to publish about your careers programme on your website.
Secondary school examples
Ermysted's Grammar School in North Yorkshire outlines details of its careers programme in its policy.
Its programme is delivered through:
- PSHCE (personal, social, health and citizenship education) in years 7 to 13
- Workshops and special events such as a biennial careers fair
Glenthorne High School in Sutton has a policy that includes sections on:
- The Gatsby Benchmarks
- Assessment
- External partnerships
Special school examples
Longcause Community Special School in Plymouth has a careers policy that includes:
- Careers guidance pupils can access, including a dedicated Learning for Life curriculum and meetings with a careers advisor
- Organisation and logistics of provider visits
Fred Nicholson School in Norfolk has a careers policy that sets out:
- How the school implements its careers guidance programme
- A monthly timetable of careers activities
