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Primary Schools

Following the success of the Career Benchmarks: Primary Pilot supporting 70 primary schools to use an adapted set of Good Career Guidance Benchmarks, we are now inviting all primary schools in the North East to join our network. The benchmarks provide a framework to strategically develop an age-appropriate careers programme and sow the seeds of ambition at an earlier age.

Primary Toolkits

We’ve pulled together, advice, guidance and information to help careers leaders to deliver the benchmarks in a primary school.

Primary Benchmark 1: Careers and personal development

Every school has an embedded programme of careers and personal development that seeks to raise aspirations and is age appropriate. This programme shows progression through the key stages and is known and understood by pupils, parents/carers, teachers, governors and other key stakeholders.

Primary Benchmark 2: Career and labour market information

Every pupil, and their parents/carers, should have access to basic labour market information to help expand their awareness of future possibilities and opportunities.

Primary Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each pupil

Pupils will have different needs and so opportunities for support should be tailored to the requirements of each pupil. A school’s careers and personal development programme should embed equality and diversity throughout and actively challenge stereotypical thinking.

Primary Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers

All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers and future learning possibilities. The importance of literacy, numeracy and digital awareness should be emphasised and pupils should have the chance to explore STEM related opportunities and understand the skills they will need for the future.

Primary Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees

Every pupil should have the opportunity to have meaningful and age appropriate encounters with a range of different employers and understand the importance of skills in the workplace. This can be through a range of different activities including visiting speakers and/or enterprise schemes.

Primary Benchmark 6: Experiences of workplaces

Every pupil should have the opportunity to experience a variety of workplaces. These experiences of the world of work could be either direct or indirect and might include role plays, challenge days or visits to local employers.

Primary Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education

All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that will be available to them. This includes both academic and vocational/technical routes and learning in schools, sixth forms, colleges, training providers, universities and in the workplace.

Primary Benchmark 8: Personal guidance

Every pupil should have the opportunity to have ‘careers conversations’. Their aspirations and personal development progress should be recorded and shared with parents/carers, as well as the transition leaders of the next place of education.


Year 1 Report

Our Year 1 Report highlights what’s been achieved so far and how it’s helping primary-age children to learn about the full range of possibilities open to them in the future.

Year 2 Report

Our Year 2 report highlights what’s been achieved so far, and how it’s helping primary-age children learn about the wide-ranging possibilities open to them in future.

Audit Tool

Our audit tool gives Careers Leaders the opportunity to analyse your school’s strengths and weaknesses with regards to your whole school careers provision.

Directory

We’ve collated a list of providers and organisations who can help to inspire and provide young people with an insight to the world of work.

Resources

Explore trusted, high quality resources from a variety of sources to support your planning and progress towards delivering the benchmarks.