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This page explains forthcoming updates to the Gatsby Benchmarks.

Guide to the existing Benchmarks

Understanding theUpdated Gatsby Benchmarks

for 2024 and beyond

Download a summary of the updated benchmarks for:

School leaders

College and ITP leaders

A student bends over a medical dummy as part of an employee demonstration at the Science Museum

Ensuring impact for the next decade

Over the last 10 years, Gatsby has had the privilege of supporting the remarkable transformation of careers guidance in secondary schools and colleges. By using the Gatsby Benchmarks for good careers guidance, dedicated individuals in secondary schools and colleges are making world-class careers guidance a reality for millions of young people. There is a huge amount to celebrate and be proud of:

  • More than 90% of schools and colleges now measure their careers provision using the eight Gatsby Benchmarks.
  • Benchmark achievement has more than tripled, from an average of less than 1.9 out of 8 in 2018 to 5.8 today.
  • Young peoples’ career readiness is improving, and they are more likely to be satisfied with the careers guidance they receive.
  • Higher benchmark achievement is linked to fewer young people becoming NEET (not in education, employment or training) at age 16 and 18.
A group of school pupils at a workbench

The world has evolved; so have the Gatsby Benchmarks

In the last decade, schools and colleges have innovated, technology has advanced and there have been significant changes to both the education landscape and the labour market. Some independent training providers (ITPs) also started applying the benchmarks for use in their own setting.

In 2023, we began systematically assessing the latest careers literature and the impact of current practice: we spent time in schools, colleges, ITPs and with employers, and we considered challenges and learnt how institutions had overcome them.

We used the findings from this review to clarify, refine and strengthen the benchmarks to ensure they continue to define a world-class careers guidance programme that is fit for the future.

Our resulting report Good Career Guidance: The Next Ten Years, presents the updated Gatsby Benchmarks. In it we outline what is staying the same and what updates have been made, referencing the evidence for each update, alongside examples of impressive practice we have seen in action.

Two school pupils in discussion at a desk

Overview of updates

After extensive consultation and research, we have only made updates to the benchmarks that the evidence suggests will lead to improved outcomes for young people.

Schools, colleges, ITPs and wider stakeholders overwhelmingly told us that stability was important and our open consultation showed near-universal support for the existing benchmarks.

Changes build on these strong foundations and much is staying the same. For example, we have retained all eight benchmarks and their titles for both schools and those working with young people in colleges and ITPs. The updated benchmarks continue to give careers leaders the autonomy to design and deliver their own careers guidance programme, because they know what works best for the young people in their institution and in their community.

A student and an employee working with engineering tools in a workshop

While the core of the benchmarks remains the same, the changes we have made are very important.These include updates to each summary and set of measurable criteria which  can be found in Chapter 4 of the report and on the individual benchmark pages linked above.

Five main themes emerged from the evidence that informed the updates:

  • Careers at the heart of education and leadership
    Careers guidance is both a whole-staff and a whole-institution endeavour. We have emphasised linking careers to the institution’s vision and strategic plans, acknowledged the importance of staff development and included distinct responsibilities for leadership, governors, careers leaders and advisers.
  • Inclusion and impact for each and every young person
    Woven through multiple benchmarks are updates that emphasise the importance of tailoring programmes to the needs of each young person. Particular attention is given to inclusion and any additional or different support that may be needed by vulnerable or disadvantaged young people or those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
  •  Meaningful and varied encounters and experiences
    We have emphasised the focus on flexible delivery and the impact of encounters and experiences of education and work. We have expanded the definitions of ‘meaningful’ in Benchmarks 5 and 7 and added one to Benchmark 6. They specify the importance of offering a variety of encounters and experiences, of giving young people time to prepare and reflect and of using technology alongside, but not instead of, in-person activity.
  • Focusing on the use of information and data
    We have ensured that all young people can explore all future pathways equitably. The focus is now on using information to inform decision-making. Data collection has been refocused to include aspirations and intended destinations, to help tailor support. Longer-term and sustained destinations data remain important as part of the evaluation process.
  • Engagement of parents and carers
    Parents and carers are one of the biggest influences on young people’s career decision-making. Updates embed parent and carer engagement into planning and specify the need to share information with parents and carers and support them to use it with their children.
Report cover of Good Career Guidance: The Next 10 Years

Good Career Guidance: The Next Ten Years

Download the updated benchmarks report

The new Benchmarks in detail

Updated Benchmark 1

A stable careers programme

1

Updated Benchmark 2

Learning from career and labour market information

2

Updated Benchmark 3

Addressing the needs of each young person

3

Updated Benchmark 4

Linking curriculum learning to careers

4

Updated Benchmark 5

Encounters with employers and employees

5

Updated Benchmark 6

Experiences of workplaces

6

Updated Benchmark 7

Encounters with further and higher education

7

Updated Benchmark 8

Personal guidance

8

Find out more

Ryan Gibson, who led the original Gatsby Benchmarks pilot from 2015 to 2017, has acted as senior adviser for this work.The project was supported by our independent academic partner, the International Centre for Guidance Studies at the University of Derby, along with an advisory group, a practitioner group and a range of sector experts.

For full details, explore the report Good Career Guidance: The Next 10 Years, and its Appendices below.

Publications

Good Career Guidance: The Next 10 Years (Final Report)

The Next 10 Years - Summary for Leaders (Schools)

The Next 10 Years - Summary for Leaders (Colleges and ITPs)

Good Career Guidance report (2014)

Good Career Guidance: Appendices (2014)

Good Career Guidance: Reaching the Gatsby Benchmarks handbook (2017)

Good Career Guidance: Perspectives from the SEND sector (2019)

Appendix 1: Acknowledgements

Appendix 2: Consultation Report

Appendix 3: Informational Interviews Report

Appendix 4: Literature Review

Appendix 5: Insights on the Gatsby Benchmarks

Appendix 6 (International Case Studies)

Appendix 7: Youth Voice Insights on the Gatsby Benchmarks

Appendix 8: Review of the British Chambers of Commerce Labour Market Insights

Appendix 9: Comparing the Original and Updated Gatsby Benchmarks