Updated statutory guidance 2026: what school and college leaders need to know
The Department for Education has updated its statutory guidance for secondary schools, and guidance for colleges and ITPs on providing careers guidance. Here's what the changes mean for senior leadership teams and how to truly take the lead on this: to secure lasting impact for your students and fulfil Ofsted’s expectation for progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks. Rob Cremona
Rob CremonaProject Officer - Gatsby Benchmarks, Gatsby Charitable Foundation
For school, college and independent training provider (ITP) leaders, the immediate question will be: what’s changed in the 2026 careers guidance?
While there is greater clarity around the implementation of the government’s work experience guarantee, the reassuring news for heads and principals is that their duties relating to leading careers provision from the top remain unchanged.
The updated guidance reinforces what effective senior leadership on careers guidance in schools and colleges should already look like: a stable, structured careers programme actively and explicitly backed by senior leaders and – with their leadership – embedded across the whole institution. We have seen time and again that this is what transforms careers guidance in education from a set of obligations to something transformative for young people.
What’s new?
The most significant change relates to experiences of workplaces. The guidance says that, starting from September 2026, schools should be reforming their programmes such that young people receive one week’s worth of work experience activities during Years 7-9 and one week’s worth of work experience placement(s) during Years 10-11.
The guidance continues to emphasise that all experiences must be ‘meaningful’ – a defined term which includes having a specific shared purpose, genuine two-way interaction with employers and sufficient time for students to prepare beforehand and reflect afterwards. Support for this is available via local careers hubs and nationally via the CEC, including a framework of structured learning outcomes.
The guidance also acknowledges a shift in how Ofsted include careers in inspections. In schools, careers provision will be assessed with specific reference to “how far the school is making progress towards the Gatsby Benchmarks”. In colleges and other post-16 settings, Ofsted is legally required to comment on the careers guidance provided to young people with specific reference to “structured, tailored careers education and guidance” and understanding “the range of progression routes”.
The wider expectations have the Gatsby Benchmarks at the core, just as in 2025. I am proud that the government’s approach continues to emphasise high-quality careers education and careers guidance as an essential part of education that helps young people develop and achieve their ambitions in school and college and beyond.
Leadership remains essential for careers guidance
Headteachers, principals, deputy leaders and governors are expected to actively champion and embed careers guidance throughout their institution. This means not only nominating a careers leader, but ensuring they give that person the authority, resources and backing needed to drive improvement. Senior leaders should also help shape one of the most important outputs from their careers leader’s work: a strategically planned careers programme which is designed around learning outcomes and directly links to the whole institution’s development plan.
When this happens, careers guidance reaches its full potential.
Why leadership matters for Gatsby Benchmarks success
Careers guidance is not simply about helping students make decisions for when they leave education. Schools and colleges that make the Gatsby Benchmarks a strategic priority frequently report improvements across a whole range of outcomes, including attendance, behaviour and attainment.
When young people understand where learning can take them, it becomes more meaningful. They can see the connection between today’s lessons and tomorrow’s opportunities. That sense of purpose matters.
That’s why careers education shouldn’t be seen as in competition with existing priorities. It can be a powerful tool for addressing them.
This is especially important at a time when concerns about young people’s prospects and opportunities are sky high. Research shows that students in institutions achieving more Gatsby Benchmarks are significantly less likely to become NEET (not in education, employment or training). This NEET reduction is up to 20% for the most disadvantaged cohorts.
Implementing the statutory careers guidance in 2026-27
As ever, I’m filled with admiration for the senior leaders and their colleagues who are so dedicated to improvement and innovation. As schools and colleges review the updated statutory careers guidance, we hope leaders will take the opportunity to consider how the eight Gatsby Benchmarks are reflected within their wider strategic plans and how they can put their leadership responsibilities into practice to achieve even greater impact for their students.
To support them with this, our SLT hub brings together practical guidance, tools and examples of how heads, principals, deputies and governors are leading with the Gatsby Benchmarks and the impact they’re seeing on both their institutions and their students’ lives.
We’ve also added new Q&A articles with leaders of colleges, secondary schools and AP settings to our Gatsby Benchmarks champions page.
For further details on the guidance:
- Join The Careers and Enterprise Company’s national broadcast on Monday 29 June from 3.45-4.45pm.
- Read The Careers & Enterprise Company’s summaries for schools, colleges or ITPs.
- View the full Department for Education statutory guidance on careers guidance and access for education and training providers.