Outstanding Careers | Careers Education Consultant | Ofsted Inspection Careers

Ofsted HMI says - don't wait to improve your careers IAG.

Tuesday 11th March 2014

Following today's article in the Guardian regarding the possiblility of schools having to wait anything up to a further 6 months for the revised statutory guidance on Careers Education, Information & Guidance (CEIAG) in schools, I've brought forward my planned blog about what Ofsted is looking for in regards to school's provision of CEIAG.

Yesterday I had a 20 minute conversation with Karen Adriaanse the National Lead for IAG at Ofsted, in the main because I'd raised a freedom of information request about the training of inspectors and what they are looking for in terms of CEIAG in schools and 6th forms. The main message, a direct quote from Karen -

Don't wait for Ofsted to tell you what to do about CEIAG - Do what is right for your school now

During the conversation she quoted from the following Ofsted documents

The inspection handbook, on pages 46/47 - paragraph 139, states that: Inspectors should consider:

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.

The subsidiary guidance on page 29, paragraph 120, states that when evaluating the curriculum, inspectors should consider:

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 career pathways; and whether staff have the necessary qualifications, experience and skills to provide information, advice and guidance.
The phone conversation that I had highlighted the following points.

Ofsted will be looking at/for

• evidence of the quality of your school's CEIAG. It will be reported upon/taken into consideration in the Teaching & Learning section of the report.
• what are your students opinions on and experience of CEIAG in the school.
• your destinations data - If there is a narrowness of pathways (eg most students staying on for A levels) taken by students. This may illustrate a failure to deliver impartial guidance and trigger further investigation.
• the evaluation of CEIAG provision by the school - are there effective measures in place to ensure that programmes and interventions are having a positive effect.
• ALL lead HMIs have received written briefing on these requirements

Karen has kindly agreed to provide a written response to the FOI request in due course. I will of course publish it in my blog when it arrives.

If your school needs support in ensuring these requirements, please feel free to contact me via the website or on 0800 024 6175 for a free no obligation conversation.