We hope you had a good half term break. It was great to see so many fantastic events taking place across the hub during National Apprenticeships Week, raising the awareness and uptake of apprenticeships and T-levels.
Thank you to those of you that joined us for our spring term provider showcase. A link to the recording is HERE and presentations are available to download below.
Career Impact System – Internal Leadership Review & Peer to Peer Reviews
39% of institutions across the South Midlands have now undertaken the internal leadership review process to inform their strategic plans for the development of careers within their school/college. The internal leadership review is designed to be undertaken annually, allowing you to reflect on the maturity of your careers offer and whole school approach. Undertaken on an annual basis it will support you to see progress and should be followed up with a peer-to-peer review every three years. Our aim is for every institution in the South Midlands to have taken part in a peer to peer review and be on a 3 year review cycle by 2028/29.
What is a Careers Impact internal leadership review?
59 schools and colleges have already completed Internal Leadership Reviews – if you have not done this yet please reach out to your careers consultant for advice and support asap and take a look below at how this can help ensure careers is embedded in the school/college culture and leadership priorities. Everything you need to know and links to resources and guides can be found HERE
The careers impact internal leadership review needs a collaborative approach and is a reflection on the maturity of careers leadership across your school, special school or college. There is limited benefit in completing this independently without the input of key stakeholders.
Who should take part? all those involved in the distributed leadership of careers should be involved in the review process e.g.
- Careers Adviser
- Careers Coordinator
- Central Strategic Careers Leader
- Enterprise Adviser
- Head(s) of Year/Head(s) of Department
- Headteacher/Principal Careers Leader
- Link Governor
- PSHE Lead
- SENCo/Head of SEND
- SLT; Pastoral, Personal Development, Curriculum, Progress, Teaching & Learning
- SLT; Vice Principal/Assistant Principal Head of Inclusion
- Student Support/Student Services
What is a Peer to Peer Review?
Peer-to-peer review days
Engaging in a careers impact peer-to-peer review supports the quality assurance of careers provision and encourages continuous improvement aligned to school, special school or college improvement priorities.
The hub will facilitate peer-to-peer reviews with schools who have already undertaken an internal leadership review. Three schools will participate in the peer-to-peer review.
A member of the senior leadership team must be present from the school to participate on the day
If you have completed your internal leadership review, or are planning to and would like to book in for a Peer to Peer review this May or June speak to your Careers Consultant asap.
| 24/02 | 14.00 – 16.00 | FE COP |
| 25/02 | 9.30 – 11.30 | MK Cornerstone Employer Group meeting |
| 26/02 | 9.00 – 11.00 | MK Career Leader Network Meeting |
| 02/03 | Spring compass evaluations begin | |
| 03/03 | 9.30 – 11.30 | Northants Cornerstone Employer Group meeting |
| 04/03 | 9.30 – 11.30 | Central Bedfordshire Career Leader Network Meeting |
| 05/03 | 15:30 – 16.30 | Inclusion COP |
| 09/03 | 15:30 – 16.30 | CPD session – how to engage employers (BM5 & 6) |
| 10/03 | 9.00 – 11.00 | Bedford Borough Career Leader Network Meeting |
| 11/03 | 12:00 – 14.30 | West Northants Career Leader Network Meeting |
| 12/03 | 09:30 – 15:00 | Peer to Peer Review – fully booked |
| 17/03 | 09:30 – 15:00 | Peer to Peer Review – fully booked |
| 17/03 | 15:30 – 16.30 | Equalex & Modern Work Experience- What Works |
| 18/03 | 9.30 – 11.30 | Bedfordshire Cornerstone Employer Group meeting |
| 23/03 | 09:30 – 15:00 | Peer to Peer review – fully booked fully booked |
| 27/03 | Last day of spring term |
National CPD Opportunities
Dedicated OnTrack+ training webinar: 25th March | 3.30pm
OnTrack+ is an early insight feature within Compass + that supports sustained learner engagement and Post-16 transition. The feature has been designed to better support early identification of young people from Years 7 to 11 who may be at risk of disengaging from learning and ultimately becoming NEET (Not in Education Employment of Training).
Growing Learner Voice – FSQ data analysis and reporting
Join this small interactive group session to meet with our expert Compass+ trainer to:- – Understand the benefits of using the FSQ reporting feature – Learn how to analyse the data effectively, selecting specific criteria and learner characteristics – Identify how to use FSQ responses to track progress for individual learners and demonstrate how careers activities are having an impact on careers learning – Understand how to identify individual learners who may require more targeted support and intervention – Know where to access further training and support. You can ask our expert any questions you have about FSQ, you may find it helpful to be logged into your Compass+ account during the session. These meetings are offered on an invitation only basis and will be small groups, to allow attendees to have active discussion and sharing of best practice.
You can choose to attend one or more of the following sessions.
- Feb 24, 2026 03:30 PM
- Mar 3, 2026 03:30 PM
- Mar 17, 2026 03:30 PM
- Mar 24, 2026 03:30 PM
Sign up here – Meeting Registration – Zoom
T-Levels: What are they and who are they for
This free-of-charge webinar will enable delegates to understand how vocational policy has evolved to where it is now and how it is likely to evolve in the immediate future. In this fast-changing vocational landscape, the webinar will include the very latest government updates on T Levels implementation and planning and how T Levels link with new AAQs and the proposed V Levels.
Learning outcomes – at the end of the workshop all delegates will:
- understand how today’s post-16 vocational landscape has been shaped by government policies and priorities for skills and training since the turn of the century
- understand the likely implications of the Government white paper on Post 16 and skills (October 2025), and the Curriculum and Assessment Review (published in November 2025) on their own school’s vocational and technical curriculum, particularly on AGQs such as BTECs.
- be aware of the range of T Levels and their timeline for implementation
- understand the key structure, content, assessment, awarding and grading of T Levels
- consider what their own school’s or college’s learners need to know and understand about T Levels, in order for them to be able to make effective and fully-informed post-16 choices
This webinar will be delivered by Dr Anne Murdoch from ASCL on behalf of the Education and Training Foundation (ETF). Please sign up here: T Levels: What are they and who are they for? South Midlands Careers Hub – 25 Mar – Fill in form
Opportunities
Provider Opportunities Round-Up – February 2026 – South Midlands Careers Hub
Latest Resources
National
- Suggested universal learning outcomes
- My Learning My Future (updated)
- FSQ Learner PowerPoint presentation.
- Not just Lab Coats
- CEC Resources directory
South Midlands
- SMCH PAL Policy Template
- PAL on a page
- CEC Guidance for Provider Access Legislation in SEND settings
- Website audit tool – Mainstream/SEND
- Sources of LMI
- Careers in the Curriculum Subject Audit Tool
- Careers in the Curriculum Subject Audit Tool (linked to the ILR)
SMCH Website Spotlight
- Provider Access Legislation (PAL) – Specific PAL page with info/resources
- ‘Request a Volunteer’ – volunteering opportunities page added to the drop-down menu for schools/colleges for easy access. Please add any events for this and next term asap, planning mailout to volunteers soon.
- Hub CPD and Masterclasses – New page added to drop down menu ‘news & events’ with recordings and slides of our hub’s CPD.
- Labour Market Information – Includes links to local, national and sector-specific resources
- Gatsby Benchmarks – Underneath each Gatsby Benchmark is a table of supporting resources.