AEIAG0094

Written evidence submitted by Longley Park Sixth Form

The introduction of the new Career’s Strategy in 2017, aimed at improving the quality of CEIAG and a cohesive scaffold with the inclusion of the 8 Gatsby benchmarks, was a welcome initiative for Longley Park Sixth Form. The Sixth Form is located in an area of high deprivation in the NE of Sheffield and was set up in 2004 to support students from a widening participation background. 

The sixth form has a very diverse background with students with different ethnic backgrounds and includes a relatively high number living in challenging socio-economic backgrounds. Our SEND provision is large with 36 students with an EHCP and over 25% of students having a recorded LLDD. From its opening, many of our students have high aspirations and are keen to progress to university.  On an annual basis approximately 85% of our final year level 3 students progress to university which equates to approximately 270-300 students each year depending on cohort size. The remaining leavers receive advice and guidance to either progress into employment or apprenticeships/traineeships.

Does the current system of careers education, information, advice and guidance serve young people particularly from the 5 categories cited by the call for evidence?’ 

It is the reality that CEIAG is hugely under resourced financially, in personnel and in curriculum time available across the further education sector.  As a result, the answer to this question is no.  Supporting CEIAG of students in the 5 categories is hugely complex with no ‘off the peg’ solutions.  Students need trusted and resourced staff offering multiple ongoing strands of support in the classroom, in tutorial and in 1-1 advice. Longley Park Sixth Form delivers well despite the challenges that are faced.  With the advent of T levels our resources will not cover the need to develop a broad network of links to furnish so many work placements. Our careers provision would have to grow significantly to serve the needs of all young people to find relevant placements in industry.  Gatsby benchmark 4 (linking curriculum learning to careers) requires creative and careful planning and time for teaching staff to do so.

Whether and how the Government should bring responsibility for CEIAG under one body, for example a National Skills Service, to take overall responsibility for CEIAG for all ages, and how this might help young people navigate the CEIAG system.

Nationally, it is unclear as to who has ultimate ownership of CEIAG. There currently appears to be no one single point of contact. In Sheffield we have the good fortune to have a well-organised CEC. Our CEC enterprise co-ordinator is proactive and forward thinking and is ably supported by 2 enterprise advisers from a large well known construction company.

Region specific Careers Hubs have been amalgamated into the South Yorkshire Careers Hubs and as yet, we do not feel that we have enough information to give detailed feedback on the effectiveness of the combined operation.  Historically, the effectiveness of the Hubs was variable – Doncaster was excellent for example,  it was efficient supportive and outward facing making a significant difference to schools in the Doncaster region.  The apparent inconsistencies in offer and provision should not provide that one set of schools is well serviced but in another location the hub has less impact. Our hope is that the combined South Yorkshire hub will enable greater consistency in impact.  We do feel the move to the combined Hub was not publicised very widely.

The notion of having one body with overall responsibility for CEIAG is inherently sensible. However, it comes with several provisos. Namely, it should not be centralised in London and deal with each region equally. It should recognise local context and respond to the respective needs of those contexts. If the already established Careers Hubs all worked effectively this would serve as an ideal solution without the need to clear the slate and start from scratch.

Should CEIAG be placed in Dept for Education or DWP?

Career’s education sits at the heart of the Gatsby benchmarks and as a result should be naturally allied to the Department of Education.

Do the CEC and NCS provide value for money for the taxpayer?

For Longley Park Sixth Form there is a clear benefit for working with the CEC as previously mentioned. The NCS also provides sound information and is a quality repository for useful resources.

How careers and skills guidance could be better embedded in the curriculum across primary, secondary, further, higher and adult education, to ensure all learners are properly prepared for the world of work.

CEIAG should be sequential and track the student journey across all ages and setting. Currently information about students’ CEIAG journeys is lost at transition points and time and energy is wasted in ‘starting again’ when students should be capitalising on prior experience and knowledge already. Investment should be made in a means to capture the student’s careers journey. Much in the same way that it is mandatory to pass on Safeguarding files, then so to logs and evidence of a student’s careers’ journey should be shared.

How can educational institutions be supported to better fulfil their duties to provide CEIAG and inform students of technical, as well as academic, pathways?

At Longley Park sixth Form and within our Brigantia Trust there is a genuine interest and desire to provide quality CEIAG in a carefully considered sequential programme across all phases. At Longley Park we have a vibrant curriculum offer with many of our students progressing from both A level and BTEC backgrounds.  Whilst we will begin to offer some T levels we would like to maintain our valuable BTEC courses. A clear impact measure of good CEIAG is in positive destinations and the majority of our students who progress to university are from our BTEC suite of courses. 

There is a real concern that this progression route will be denied to our students, most particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds with the demise of BTEC provision.  At a time when we are hearing lots of rhetoric about ‘levelling up’ and widening opportunities, the loss of these BTECs in health and social, science, business and IT among others will disproportionally affect large numbers of our students that are from areas of low progression to HE or who are first in the family to attend a university.

Support for educational establishments in having access to L6 qualified careers advisors needs to be carefully considered. Getting staff trained to this level takes time and money. The students that make up Longley Park are often from very challenging backgrounds. Trust is a vital component in providing them with quality CEIAG. Students are often wary of people from external agencies and having advisers that are in-house staff has significant advantages.

How the Baker Clause could be more effectively enforced

The Baker Clause can create or reinforce divide between affluent areas and those in disadvantaged postcodes. Students who are unable to meet the entry requirements of their secondary schools’ sixth forms (which often actively target higher ability students with course offerings made up of A-Levels predominantly) are barred from progression and must explore moving to unfamiliar educational providers. 

Discussions with students have shown us that some secondary schools with successful sixth forms will only actively provide information about institutions like Longley Park or Sheffield College to students unlikely to achieve the grade average to continue at their current school.  As a result, there is the potential for providers to take the highest performing students from disadvantaged backgrounds to seek education in more affluent areas. 

Whether greater investment to create a robust system of CEIAG is needed, and how could this be targeted, to create a stronger CEIAG

It is clear that greater investment is needed and should be targeted matching local need and context. If the current model of local careers hubs was well managed, effective and well-resourced then they could go a long way to create a stronger CEIAG.  However, one way to significantly boost quality CEIAG across the board would be the resources to ensure that all educational settings have an appropriate number of permanent qualified careers advisers on staff. 

March 2022