Schools around the country are preparing for their new responsibilities. Here are some examples of how schools are ensuring that their pupils will have access to independent and impartial careers guidance.
Local authority support for commissioning: Blackburn with Darwen
Blackburn with Darwen Education Improvement Partnership (EIP) comprises all secondary schools in the Blackburn with Darwen area, including special schools and two Academies. The EIP worked with a specialist provider, the Via Partnership, to develop a delivery model for ensuring access to independent and impartial careers guidance as part of the new statutory requirements.
The EIP investigated the statutory requirements and considered how they wanted to work together as a collection of schools to ensure these were met. They wanted to commission as a group, achieve a cost effective and quality service and retain the ability to adapt the offer based on the requirements of each school.
Individual schools provided details on cohort numbers, preferences in terms of interviews, group work and other interventions which were then worked through with the careers provider to ensure the service was tailored to the needs of the individual schools.
The specialist provider has developed an offer for schools, the ‘Careers Inspired Learning Programme', which includes careers education, information, advice and guidance, work-related learning, work tasters and workforce development for teachers engaged in careers provision. This offer enables schools to choose customised packages from a menu of provision designed to meet their assessment of pupil needs.
The schools work alongside the specialist provider to assure the quality of independent careers provision by utilising the matrix Standard and ensuring that professionals delivering the service are appropriately qualified to QCF level 6. The partnership also ensures that the programme operates in tandem with the targeted service commissioned by the local authority in a way which complements and supports individual schools.
For further information please contact Janet Jackson at Blackburn with Darwen Local Authority or Sharon Roscoe at Blackburn with Darwen EIP.
Contact details
Janet Jackson
Email: Janet.Jackson@blackburn.gov.uk
Sharon Roscoe
Email: sroscoe888@stbedes.learningfutures.org.uk
