Gatsby Benchmarks

In 2013 Sir John Holman was commissioned to research what pragmatic actions could improve career guidance in England. The Good Career Guidance Benchmarks which emerged from the report have now been adopted as part of the Government's careers strategy for schools and colleges.

Every young person needs high-quality career guidance to make informed decisions about their future. Good career guidance is a necessity for delivering technical education reforms and is a vehicle for social justice: those young people without social capital or home support suffer most from poor career guidance. Yet, despite its importance, career guidance in English schools has often been criticised for being inadequate and patchy.

Against this background, Gatsby commissioned Sir John Holman - Emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the University of York, senior education adviser and former headteacher - to set out what career guidance in England would be like were it good by international standards.

After six international visits, analysis of good practice in English schools and a comprehensive review of existing literature, John wrote the The Good Career Guidance Report which identifies a set of eight benchmarks that schools can use as a framework for improving their careers provision.

The eight Gatsby benchmarks of Good Career Guidance

1. A stable careers programme
2. Learning from career and labour market information
3. Addressing the needs of each pupil
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers
5. Encounters with employers and employees
6. Experiences of workplaces
7. Encounters with further and higher education
8. Personal guidance