NSCL Fest, taking place on the 24 & 25 November 2026, showcases all opportunities including Apprenticeships, Further and Higher Education, entry level roles, and general employment, offering visitors the chance to engage with England’s top Employers, Colleges, Universities and Training Providers in a face-to-face, interactive environment.
Hosted by the Midlands premier venue for exhibitions, The NAEC Stoneleigh, NSCL Fest is the perfect opportunity for School and College leavers, as well as young adults, parents, and carers, to discover more about post-School and post-College opportunities across England!
For Group Visits: NAS Media offers a travel bursary scheme for students in Years 12, 13 and 11 from Schools and Colleges. Please be aware however that our events are very popular and funding is provided on a first come, first serve basis.
Get in touch to find out more – info@nasevents.co.uk
We are delighted to announce the date and venue for our annual conference:
Tuesday 20 October, Vincent Building, Cranfield University
We invite education leaders, careers leaders, employers, further and higher education providers, and independent training providers (ITPs) to register their interest in attending.The conference will provide an opportunity to network, share best practice, and explore key developments across education, skills and careers provision.
Register your interest today. A full agenda, booking link and further event details will be shared in due course.
Careers guidance and access for education and training providers
The Department for Education’s updated statutory guidance reinforces the importance of high-quality careers education, underpinned by the Gatsby Benchmarks, to support all young people to make informed decisions and successful transitions into learning and work. Key updates include:
Workplace experiences: From September 2026, all schools expected to reform work experience programmes in line with the guidance and the Government’s work experience ambition.
New digital features: Enhanced Compass+ functionality, including OnTrack+ for identifying learner support needs from Year 7, and Your Child’s Future – questionnaire to strengthen parental engagement in careers education.
Ofsted inspections: Updates to Ofsted’s approach to inspecting careers guidance under the revised Education Inspection Framework.
Policy alignment: The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review and reforms to 16–19 qualifications.
The recording of the Monday 29/06/26 webinar Careers Education in England: Understanding the updated statutory guidancewebinar is available here Watch the webinar recording
Yesterday we welcomed over 75 delegates to our annual Inclusion Conference, which took place at King’s House, Bedford. This included a range of stakeholders, including special school and Alternative Provision (AP) Careers Leaders, mainstream SENCo’s and their Careers Leaders, employers, FE SEND teams and local authority representatives.
The jampacked agenda included:
Amanda Wright from Whole School SEND and nasen, providing a thoughtful overview of the schools white paper and its impact on careers education and preparation for adulthood
Jo Ward from Young Enterprise, discussing their programmes for SEND learners, along with students Dylan and Calen from The Woodlands School in MK sharing the impact the programme has had on them
Ady Cicceri and David Gillings from the DWP sharing information about the Schools Adviser offer and Access to Work
Sophie Holmes from Skills Builder UK providing an overview of their offer and how it can support settings
Olivia Dams from the Careers Hub facilitating a brilliant session on modern work experience through a SEND lens
Tom Cliffe from Cafe Track – TRACK NN CIC and Issured who delivered fantastic training for employers on engaging with young people with SEND
The event reinforced an important message: collaboration is key. By working together, sharing experiences, and learning from each other, we can create even better opportunities and outcomes for our young people, especially those with SEND.
You can find the full slide deck from the day here, and links our SEND padlet and Work Experience Toolkit here.
If you haven’t already, please remember to share your feedback as this will help us shape future events.
Many of you will soon be preparing to complete your annual Internal Leadership Review (ILR), either at the end of this academic year or at the beginning of the next.
The CEC have refreshed the maturity model to help strengthen how it supports schools, specialist settings and colleges to:
use a more consistent structure to underpin Internal Leadership Reviews (ILRs) and Peer-to-Peer Reviews
engage in reflective, non‑judgemental dialogue about their current position
connect careers leadership more clearly to whole-setting priorities (e.g. inclusion, engagement, transitions)
identify realistic, high-impact next steps
The updated model is available here – this is a digital guidance document and is not intended for printing. An updated printable version will be available in Compass+ from September.
2026-7 Peer to Peer Review opportunities
Next academic year we plan to host larger peer to peer review days where 2-3 peer to peer reviews (6 – 9 schools) will take place on the same day. This will offer additional networking opportunities and options to collaborate across our six local authority areas and across different institution types (Special schools, FE and mainstream).
Our first peer to peer day will take place on Monday 28/09/2026 at a central venue. To reserve your place please let your careers consultant know asap.
“It was a great opportunity to bring people from different contexts together, and share similarities/differences. I enjoyed learning how school context can really influence careers provision and the considerations at play e.g. what works in a mainstream, what works in an AP and the geographical context of the school setting. Post P2P: SLT are much more receptive and can see the value in careers being embedded in strategic structures. Framing is now more on return on investment, not just compliance Even better if: Headteacher’s are cc’d into correspondence – helps to gain buy-in and understanding from the beginning”
Shana Iqbal, Challney High School for Girls
“Having the meeting in-person made a real difference, allowing for open, honest and transparent conversations. The professional challenges and insightful questions from the critical friends were valuable and it was beneficial to gain an understanding of developments in other areas and the differences across the local authorities. Post P2P: Lots of internal discussions and opportunities for careers to be integral in 2026/27 wider school planning/staff training Agreed EBI: Headteacher informed and involved”
Great news! Your Child’s Future – a questionnaire for parents and carers, is live in Compass+.
Your Child’s Future (YCF) is a new feature that helps education settings understand parents’ and carers’ knowledge, confidence and awareness of careers.
Supported by the Gatsby Foundation, Your Child’s Future has been designed to enable education settings to strengthen parental engagement and use their insights to develop more informed, responsive and effective careers programmes that better support young people.
👉 Visit the Compass+ Help Centre to learn more about YCF and how to use it effectively in your setting.
Parents and carers are one of the biggest influences of young people’s career decision making, but their knowledge and understanding of careers is not always up to date and often based on their own lived experience. Recognising this is essential for the development of effective careers provision and for enhancing awareness of careers education among parents and carers. This is also reflected in the updated Gatsby Benchmarks, emphasising greater engagement with parents and carers.
It is increasingly important for educators to assess parents and carers knowledge and understanding regarding careers delivery within their child’s educational setting, to reflect on the effectiveness, reach and impact of current information sharing and support.
Explore YCF this term and plan how to incorporate using this feature into your practice for next academic year:
✅ Meet statutory guidanceand achieve Gatsby Benchmark 1– Careers programmes “should be regularly evaluated using feedback from learners, parents and carers, teachers, subject staff and other staff who support learners, careers advisers and employers, to increase its impact.
✅ Align delivery with the Careers Impact System Maturity Model, in particular Theme 3 – 3.4 Parent and carer understanding of what LMI is and how to make effective use of it – 3.5 Parent and carer understanding of all routes available to learners at key transitions – and Theme 2 – 2.6 Careers impact evaluation: Stakeholder voice.
OnTrack+
OnTrack+ is an early insight feature within Compass + that has been designed help educators identify emerging support needs for learners in Years 7-11, strengthening sustained learner engagement and post-16 transition. Join our webinar to walk through this feature and learn how to use it effectively in your setting.
– Understand why OnTrack+ was developed – Learn where to access the feature in Compass+ and how to use key functionality – Explore OnTrack+ data and reporting – Know where to access further support and guidance.
Keen to explore OnTrack+ now? Take a look at our supporting resources – OnTrack+
Supercharge careers with Compass+ Explore the main navigation bar in Compass+ Learn how to use key features of the product effectively in your setting Understand how different parts of Compass+ work together to power your careers provision Know where to access further support and guidance. View and download webinar transcript
The Future Skills Questionnaire – 5 steps to success Understand the value of the Future Skills Questionnaire and how it can help you to build and develop a progressive careers programme. Enable you to prepare effectively to launch FSQ in your setting. Understand the value in exporting and analysing learner responses to inform your future provision. Support you to identify individual learner needs and plan targeted support where required. Know where to access further training and support. View and download webinar transcript COMING SOON!
Using Compass+ effectively to support Careers Impact Internal leadership reviews Understand what an Internal leadership review is and how it underpins the continuous development of your careers programme Explore a range of Compass+ functionality that can help you to prepare effectively for an Internal leadership review. Understand how to record Internal leadership review responses in Compass+ or Compass. Know where to access further support and guidance. View and download webinar transcript COMING SOON!
Compass+ data and Reporting Understand the range of data and reporting available in Compass+Learn how to download different report types from Compass+Identify the types of reports stakeholders frequently requestKnow where to access further training and support. View and download webinar transcript
Using Compass+ effectively to support vulnerable groups Identify key stakeholders in your setting that can engage with Compass+Learn how to use key functionality in Compass+ effectively and how to capture a range of data to share with stakeholdersLearn more about the Future Skills Questionnaire (FSQ)Find out about ongoing developments for Compass+ users in SEND settings. Know where to access further training and support. View and download webinar transcript
OnTrack+ in Compass+ OnTrack+ helps educators to identify emerging support needs for learners in Years 7-11, strengthening sustained learner engagement and post-16 transition.Understand why OnTrack+ was developed. Learn where to access the feature in Compass+ and how to use key functionality. Explore OnTrack+ data and reporting. Know where to access further support and guidance. View and download webinar transcript
Fully optimising Compass+Understand how to use all functionality in Compass+ to create a full careers journey for every learner. Understand how to analyse and export key data, to support strategic decision making. Explore the latest product updates. Know where to access further training and support. View and download webinar transcript
Getting ready for the new academic year with Compass+ Understand the importance of Compass+ housekeeping. Explore a range of tasks to complete in Compass+ in preparation for the new academic year. Know where to access further training and support. View and download webinar transcript COMING SOON!
Expected update – careers guidance and access for education and training providers in England
The updated statutory guidance is expected to be released this month. To understand what’s coming next, and how to position your provision with confidence, join Nicola Hall, Director of Education, from The Careers & Enterprise Company for a national broadcast.
Nicola will reflect on how the guidance aligns with wider government priorities and the updated Gatsby Benchmarks, including evolving approaches to meaningful workplace experiences. The session will also consider how these developments connect to wider changes across the careers education landscape and the direction of travel across education and skills policy.
Introduce and Inspire: Year 7 work experience at the South Midlands Careers Hub
Recently, the South Midlands Careers Hub welcomed two Year 7 students for a one-day immersive work experience day designed to introduce them to careers education, local government, and the world of work. Acting as ‘Junior Careers Consultants’ the students experienced a carefully structured programme that combined real-world insight and hands-on tasks.
A Day in the Life of a Careers Hub
The day began with a welcome and overview, helping students understand what a Careers Hub does and the role of a local authority, including how councils support education, skills, and economic development. Students explored who the Hub works with through interactive activities, including a Gatsby Benchmark card sort, helping them understand what good careers guidance looks like. They also met representatives from the Careers & Enterprise Company, gaining insight into national priorities and funding. A highlight of the morning was attending an economic development meeting, where they saw first-hand how councils consider skills needs and career pathways to support regional growth. Throughout the day, they took part in real meetings (both online and in person), gaining an authentic picture of workplace collaboration and communication.
Student Task: What learners should expect from their work experience activities
In the afternoon, the students took on a practical challenge: translating the “Making it Meaningful” checklist (Gatsby Benchmark 6) into something accessible for learners.
Their work produced a clear, learner-friendly version of what high-quality work experience should look like:
Before: knowing the purpose and expected learning
During: being active, meeting people, undertaking tasks and developing skills
After: receiving feedback and reflecting on learning
Schools can now download this learner friendly version to use with learners when preparing them for work experience activities.
Student Reflections
What they enjoyed most: “Helping people and seeing how adults work together as a team… trying tasks I had never done before made me feel proud and more confident.”
What surprised them: “How busy adults are… how tasks can take longer than expected… and how teams really work”
What they learned: “Working takes patience… I learned to listen carefully, follow instructions, and be more confident.”
Feedback from the Careers Hub
The students were praised for their professionalism, engagement, and willingness to take on challenging tasks. Their contribution has produced a valuable resource that will benefit schools and learners across the region.
Actions for Schools
Use the “Making it Meaningful” checklist (student-friendly version)
Share with students before work experience activities
Use it to set expectations and support preparation
Encourage reflection after activities to reinforce learning
Final Thought
This experience demonstrates that meaningful encounters with the workplace can start early. With the right preparation and structure, even Year 7 students can develop confidence, insight, and a clearer understanding of different employment sectors.
South Midlands DRAFT LMI factsheets and Sector Guides – coming soon
South Midlands Careers Hub is working in partnership with John Paley, Resourceful Careers to create , 6 local authority LMI factsheets, 11 sector booklets, a staff guide, a parent/carer guide and some ready-made parent/school communications.
Before proceeding we would like the opportunity to share our initial ideas for feedback, further suggestions and potential case study/alumni/spotlight content and are offering the opportunity for you to join John Paley and some of the Careers Hub team on 16 June between 15.30 – 16.00.
The booklets will include alumni, employer and provider spotlights too and we welcome content suggestions from schools, special schools, alumni, employers, apprentices and providers across the South Midlands.
If you have not received and calendar invitation please email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk
The downloads below are very rough working drafts and are being shared as a discussion starter not a finished example and are not for wider use. The idea is that Careers Leaders can see the direction of travel and offer thoughts on what they would find most useful to include.
If you are unable to make it on 16/06 and have any feedback and or suggestions please email careershub@southmidlands.org.uk
Thank you to those of you that joined us for our latest CPD sessions and showcases – recordings and slides are available HERE
iCeGs/University of Derby funded CL training, local cohort
09/06
16.00 -16.30
SMCH LMI sector guides resource drop in – call for feedback & contributions
16/06
15.30 – 16.00
West Northants CL Network Meeting
25/06
10.30 – 12.30
CPD Session – CPD & Showcase planning 2026/27
18/06
12.30 – 13.00 Repeated 16.00 – 16.30
Beds CL Network Meeting
24/06
9.30 – 11.30
BM4 Showcase – Employing AI to audit the curriculum to drive engagement & and a whole school approach
24/06
15.30 – 16.00
WEX Employer Showcase Webinar
25/06
15.30 – 16.30
Inclusion Conference
01/07
09.30 – 14.30
MK CL Network Meeting
09/07
8.30 – 11.00
Goodbye Compass, Hello Compass+!
From September, all Compass users will move to Compass+, a more stable and scalable platform that supports evaluating, managing and reporting on your careers provision.
Register for a webinar to explore Compass+ post-migration.
OnTrack+ is an early insight feature within Compass + that has been designed help educators identify emerging support needs for learners in Years 7-11, strengthening sustained learner engagement and post-16 transition. Join our webinar to walk through this feature and learn how to use it effectively in your setting.
– Understand why OnTrack+ was developed – Learn where to access the feature in Compass+ and how to use key functionality – Explore OnTrack+ data and reporting – Know where to access further support and guidance.
Keen to explore OnTrack+ now? Take a look at our supporting resources before the webinar – OnTrack+
Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work report offers an assessment of the world of work for young people including the complex issues behind an escalating NEET crisis.
The report is wide ranging about causes and factors – welfare, care, health, labour market, education, but unequivocal about the impact of early and tailored careers support in preventing disengagement – as a precursor to young people becoming NEET – before it happens.
Opportunity to join the CEC Youth Advisory Group
The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) is looking for diverse group of young people aged 14–25, living in England, to join our Youth Advisory Group (YAG). Whatever your background or education journey, your voice matters. As a YAG member you will:
Work alongside CEC to ensure young people’s voices shape decisions
Use your lived experience to challenge and influence CEC’s work
Develop your skills and access opportunities to help strengthen careers education for young people
Useful advice for newly qualified practitioners – Debbie Dymock
A great article here featured in the CDI’s recent Careers Matters magazine, written by Industry Partner to Wrenn school, Debbie Dymock of Northamptonshire Careers.
The South Midlands Careers Hub Career Readiness Insight Briefing draws on the largest dataset we’ve ever had: 12,418 learners across 51 schools took part in 2024/25, giving us unprecedented insight into how young people understand pathways, develop essential skills, and shape their aspirations as they move through secondary education. The regional trends continue to show:
Career readiness improves with age, rising from 48% in Year 7 to 59% by Year 11.
Understanding of apprenticeships more than doubles from Year 7 to Year 11 (37% → 78%).
Essential skills develop unevenly, with creativity and problem‑solving strengthening over time, but teamwork, leadership and listening dipping in KS3–KS4.
Aspirations change significantly post‑16, with large increases in interest in research/science, health, finance and professional services.
A notable proportion of learners still select “none of the above,” signalling the need for continued exposure to diverse pathways.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU AS A CAREER LEADER
While the regional analysis provides helpful context, it’s your individual FSQ data that can directly shape meaningful improvements in your school. Here are some practical ways to use your dashboards:
1. Identify where career readiness dips or accelerates Look at patterns across year groups to target support where it’s needed most.
2. Understand how essential skills are developing FSQ provides clear insight into Skills Builder competencies.
3. Align aspirations with local growth sectors Compare your learners’ top job/sector interests with the South Midlands priority sectors. Where sectors show lower interest, you can plan targeted encounters, curriculum links or employer engagements.
4. Tailor your support to key groups Use filters for SEND, pupil premium or individual year groups to spot patterns. The report shows SEND learners consistently below national benchmarks, so personalised support may be particularly valuable.
5. Use FSQ as evidence to strengthen your strategic careers plan Your findings can feed directly into: Gatsby Benchmark priorities, Provider Access Legislation (PAL) planning, curriculum development, SLT and governor reporting, employer and alumni engagement plans.
The FSQ provides a powerful evidence base to support schools in designing a careers programme shaped by the needs, aspirations and skills of their learners, enabling them to develop both a strong universal offer for all students and targeted interventions for those who need additional opportunities.
Thank you to those of you that joined us for our latest CPD session BM5 & BM6: Engaging Employers Through Building Trusted Partnerships . A link to the recording is HERE and presentation available to download below.
Compass, compass, compass – as we are sure you are all aware we are fast approaching the end of our spring compass self evaluation window. Please ensure you complete this before the end of term. Reminder that you can copy across your previous evaluation and then make any changes to update it. Yvonne has recorded a handy 60 second demo of how to do this here We have also updated the South Midlands careers Hub question by question guidance which can be found here.
One of the most frequently asked questions we had when supporting autumn self evaluations was around sustained and longer term destination data – we have added some guidance and resources linked to this here
Navigating DfE Destination Data
How to find and use KS4 and 16-18 performance tables to evaluate your careers programme
Inclusion Conference 1st July 2026 Sponsored by South Midlands Local Skills Improvement Plan
South Midlands Careers Hub Inclusion Conference– Wednesday 1st July 2026 We will be hosting our second Inclusion Conference on 1st July 2026 at King’s House, Bedford. With inclusion and impact for every young person embedded throughout the Gatsby Benchmarks, the conference will focus on what effective inclusive practice looks like across our settings. We will also explore the Department for Education’s “Every Child Thriving and Achieving” White Paper and consider its implications for Careers Education and Preparation for Adulthood. The conference is open to Careers Leaders in SEND and AP settings, SENCos from mainstream settings, FE SEND Departments and employers. Careers Leaders from mainstream are welcome to join their SENCo as a plus one if they wish. Registration link for Careers Leaders in SEND and AP, FE SEND Departments and employers – South Midlands Careers Hub Inclusion Conference Registration Form Registration link for Mainstream SENCo’s – South Midlands Careers Hub Inclusion Conference Registration Form for Mainstream SENCo’s 📍 King’s House, 245 Ampthill Road, Bedford, MK42 9AZ 🗓 Wednesday 1st July 2026 🕘 9:30 AM – 14:30 PM
39%
Career Impact System – Internal Leadership Review& Peer to Peer Reviews One of our key learnings so far is the importance of involving key stakeholders as part of the ILR process rather than completing this in silo. To aide facilitation of this Catherine Holt, Queensbury Academy has created a sharable presentation that can be shared with staff beforehand so staff can add their initial reflect on where they feel your school is using their allocated colour marker.
Upcoming Peer-to-peer review days – Our last two Peer to Peer review weeks are running weeks commencing 4th May and 8th of June. Contact your careers consultant to get booked in.
T Levels: what are they and who are they for?
a free CPD opportunity for teaching and support staff across the South Midlands to gain a greater understanding of T-Levels. 24th April 15.00 – 16.30 Book here
University of Northampton Teachers & Advisers Conference
Includes a workshop focusing on Gatsby Benchmark 7: Meaningful Encounters with FE & HE Discover what makes encounters with FE and HE providers genuinely meaningful and compliant with the Gatsby Benchmark criteria. This session shares best‑practice examples, clarifies the requirements of the Provider Access Legislation (PAL), and ends with a practical round‑table to help you plan high‑quality encounters that meet Benchmark 7.
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).
FSQ data analysis & reporting
Growing Learner Voice – FSQ data analysis and reporting – Mar 24, 2026 03:30 PM
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.
Brand new careers campaign brought to you by Amazing Apprenticeships and supported by Edge Foundation. The aim is to support young people in years 7-13 to increase their awareness of small businesses in their local community, and to understand the unique benefits of being an apprentice in a smaller organisation. Resources can be chosen and adapted depending on your cohort needs, or can be used to support going out into the community and spotting local businesses (Benchmark 2). Resources for schools and colleges can be found here – Small Business Summer – For Schools & Colleges – Amazing Apprenticeships
My Skills, My Future (SEND)
The CEC’s ‘My Skills, My Future’ resource has been recently updated by IncludED Careers to reflect the updated Gatsby Benchmarks, and include links to the Equalex Framework. It is designed to give young people with SEND the tools, experiences, and inspiration they need to prepare for work and adulthood. Fully mapped to the equalex framework, it helps learners build confidence in their skills, explore future pathways, and connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities The resource collection includes:
Lesson Materials – Building workplace skills and knowledge in the classroom.
Projects & Employer Briefs – Opportunities for learners to create, develop, or design something based on a real or simulated employer brief, linking skills to career pathways.
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.
“Today has been incredibly useful – I have gained an understanding that I need to drive this more whole school from SLT level. I can see how it is linked into raising attainment and other key priority areas.”
Senior Leader (2025) Following involvement in a peer-to-peer review
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
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.
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
‘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.
Generation Logistics is a national careers awareness campaign designed to inspire young people aged 13–24 to consider the wide range of opportunities available in the logistics sector, while also equipping teachers and careers leaders with high-quality, curriculum-linked resources. The campaign challenges outdated perceptions of logistics and presents it as a dynamic, innovative and rewarding industry that plays a vital role in everyday life.
At the heart of the campaign is the Generation Logistics Hub for students, which helps young people explore their interests and discover potential career paths. Through the interactive “Find Your Future” quiz, over 100 real-life career stories, and engaging blogs, students can see how different roles connect across the sector using a clear “job families” approach. This helps them understand how skills in STEM, business, technology and communication all fit into the bigger logistics picture.
The Education Hub is specifically designed for teachers and careers leads, offering more than 50 free, curriculum-mapped classroom resources that link logistics to STEM subjects through short, practical activities. It also includes a downloadable careers booklet featuring salary information and case studies, vidcasts of real professionals discussing their roles, and a virtual careers fair that introduces students to tangible progression routes.
Schools can also request a Generation Logistics Ambassador: an industry professional who brings careers learning to life through talks, site visits and classroom sessions.
We hope you have all had a productive start to 2026 – The careers leaders across our 153 schools and colleges have been busy getting to grips with the update statutory requirements for careers alongside beginning to prepare for the governments intention to implement two weeks worth of work experience for all young people – more detail in the national update later on.
We have been busy too – we have recruited 3 new members of our team. Sam Baker joins us as an Operational Hub Lead, Olivia Dams as Careers Consultant – Work Experience and Lorraine Emerton Careers Consultant – Bedford Borough & Central Bedfordshire. We have some exciting projects taking place this year too, further details about how you can get involved to follow .
Finally, our schools currently need volunteers to support 14 career fairs, 1 apprenticeship evening, 1 industry immersion day, 1 mock interview day and 1 speed networking event. We have updated the Volunteering Opportunitiesarea of our website, adding this to the dropdown menu for employers/volunteers for easy access, so you can see opportunities to get involved. Please add to your favourites now and share across your networks.
Upcoming Volunteering Opportunities
Opportunities to support Careers Hub projects
Growth Sector Taster Experiences in partnership with The Inspirational Learning Group (TILG)
A school based modern work experience activity for students in years 7 & 8, (aged 11-13) designed to equip young people with essential career knowledge whilst providing an opportunity to develop sector-relevant employability skills. The Inspirational Learning Group (TILG) will provide 20 schools in the South Midlands region with resources to build their own interactive South Midlands Key Growth Sectors Taster Experience.
Schools will select up to 5 one hour workshops of their choice from from key growth sectors such as Advanced Manufacturing, Cyber Security, Creative Industries, Logistics and Agro-food which have been developed in conjunction with leading employers. These workshops will be delivered in school as part of a hands-on, carousel taster experience, providing students with an opportunity to apply their skills to sector specific challenges and activities.
How can Employers/Volunteers get involved? – Support the delivery of workshops. – Inform students of your own professional journey and the skills you use in your own role, – Provide students with 1:1 feedback as they engage in various sector- specific activities and employer-led challenges. – Opportunity to promote the various progression routes into each sector.
Making Work Experience Work – Live Business Challenge Delivered by Working Options in partnership with South Midlands Careers Hub
The Live Business Challenge is an in-school alternative to traditional work experience for students in year 9 (13-14) Students work in teams to respond to real business briefs from employers like yourselves, gaining hands-on experience and building their CVs.
Whats the commitment?
One half day school visit to launch the challenge, one half day visit to hear the pitches – provide a real, engaging brief. Visit a local school to introduce your company and the challenge. Share your business context and answer questions
Skills Workshops – optional involvement and delivery of 2 or 3 employability skills workshops or pitch judging.
No financial cost – just your time, challenge and expertise.
Exhibit your Apprenticeship & T Level opportunities for free at the ‘Opportunities on your Doorstep Virtual Careers Fair’ in partnership with Amazing Apprenticeships
Tuesday 12th May, 5.30pm – 7pm
What is the virtual careers fair? The Opportunities on your doorstep Virtual Careers Fair is a free event for exhibitors to showcase their apprenticeships and T Level opportunities to parents, carers and students who want to hear directly from local employers and training providers.
Who should exhibit – training providers of apprenticeships and/or T Levels or any employer based in Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes with future opportunities who want to meet potential applicants.
How does it work? Each exhibitor has a dedicated breakout room. Attendees will rotate every 10 minutes to their chosen exhibitors to hear a presentation and have an opportunity for Q&A.
For more information, contact: Rebecca@Amazingapprenticeships.com
Complete the form HERE to secure your place to exhibit and showcase your opportunities by 17/03/26
Raising awareness of the logistics industry to a younger audience and plugging the significant skills gap. How can you do this and what are the benefits.
Raising awareness of the logistics industry to a younger audience and plugging the significant skills gap are two seismic challenges for the sector. Step forward the South Midlands Careers Hub, with the objective of building career ready young people, creating a brighter future for industry. So, join the CILT East Midlands as we showcase how the hub can help tackle the two underlying problems, in a practical and manageable way.
Presenters:
Clare Coles – Careers Consultant, South Midlands Careers Hub Vikki Morton – Careers Consultant, South Midlands Careers Hub Michelle Warner – CILT East Midlands Group Member David Gilmour -General Manager, Helix Carla Dufty – Careers Lead, Careers Lead, Abbeyfield School
Elaine Kendall or Kori Construction will also be sharing her approach to work experience and the gains for Business Leaders in the Construction industry and Empress Burgess, Degree Apprentice: Production team leader for Wincanton, now part of GXO, will be talking about her volunteering role as a ‘Young Inspirer’ and how this has helped her to develop confidence in public speaking in addition to sharing advice on researching careers, decision making and taking that first step into the workplace.
Schedule
Overview of a career’s hub.
A student’s perspective on the career journey.
The role of industry, through industry partners.
Understanding the part that school career’s department play.
Full guidance for Employers: Gatsby Benchmark updates available here. We have included some headlines below.
Defining Meaningful
The updated statutory guidance for careers clarified what meaningful looks like in practice, providing a simple to use checklist for employer encounters, experiences of workplaces and encounters with further and higher education. These checklists can be used as a helpful planning tool to maximise impact when volunteering in schools and colleges.
Encounters with employers and employees (Gatsby Benchmark 5) – an updated definition of ‘meaningful’ for Benchmark 5 clarifies that young people should encounter employers of various sizes and specialisms, and could focus on workplace skills or what it takes to be successful. There should also be time for learners to reflect on their learning afterwards.
A meaningful encounter will:
have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
have opportunities for two-way interactions between the young person and the employer
be followed by time for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through the encounter
Experiences of Workplaces (Gatsby Benchmark 6) – experiences of Workplaces – Pre-16 experiences of workplaces have been pluralised, rather than specifying a minimum requirement of at least one, highlighting the value of progressive experiences throughout a young person’s time in education.
A definition of ‘meaningful’ has now been added to experiences of workplaces and clarity that experiences can take many forms, including through visits to workplaces, work shadowing and/or work experience. It clarifies that virtual experiences can complement but not wholly replace in person experiences.
A meaningful experience will:
have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
involve extensive two-way interactions between the young person and employees
include opportunities for young people to meet a range of different people from the workplace
include opportunities for young people to perform a task set by the employer or to produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace
include the employer providing feedback to the young person about their work
be followed by opportunities for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through their experience
Schools, colleges and independent training providers (ITPs) can take into account any part-time work a young person may have, if it genuinely offers them a meaningful experience.
Encounters with Further and Higher Education (Gatsby Benchmark 7) now explicitly includes independent training providers and technical education. An expanded definition of ‘meaningful’ encounters notes they should have a clear agreed purpose, with appropriate learning outcomes, and involve two-way interaction and the opportunity to meet both staff and learners.
A meaningful encounter will:
have a clear purpose, which is shared with the provider and the young person
be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
involve a two-way interaction between the young person and the provider
include information about the provider, such as their recruitment and selection processes, the qualifications that provider offers and the careers these could lead to
describe what learning or training with the provider is like
be followed by opportunities for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through the encounter
‘Young people want more opportunities to experience a wider range of workplaces to help them to make more informed decisions about their future. So, in addition to the strengthened Gatsby Benchmark, the government is reforming work experience to break down barriers to opportunity so that every pupil will have the opportunity to take part in 2 weeks’ worth of work experience during key stages 3 and 4.‘
Implementing 2 weeks’ worth of work experience
Our vision is that 2 weeks’ worth of work experience will be based on the following set of principles, building on the benchmark 6 definition of meaningful.
Two weeks’ worth of work experience should be broken down into:
one weeks’ worth of work experience activities in years 7 to 9
one weeks’ worth of work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11
Experiences should be aspirational and inspirational, giving young people the opportunity to access a wide range of career opportunities, aligned to their interests and talents, local skills needs and national growth sectors. Opportunity should go beyond the horizons of their immediate friends and family.
They should be co-designed and delivered in partnership with schools and involve two-way employer-pupil interaction.
Work experience activities in years 7 to 9
Work experience activities in years 7 to 9 should consist of multiple, varied and meaningful employer-led activities to explore different industries and careers and involve active engagement with a diverse range of employers, including small and medium sized enterprises. Activities could include:
multi-day work visits involving employer-set tasks or projects
work shadowing
in-person or virtual employer talks in the workplace, including technical demonstrations or tours of working premises.
These could be undertaken individually or as part of a group or class-based activity. Some or all of the activities can be in person, with virtual activities contributing but not replacing in person.
Work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11
Work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11 should allow pupils to experience a real working environment and begin to develop work-based skills and behaviours.
Pupils should be free to undertake their 5 days’ worth of work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11 with more than one employer, irrespective of sector, and be able to spread their placement time across a number of days or weeks at any point during the year 10 to 11 curriculum. This might be advantageous to young people who are undecided on their careers interests, by offering scope to try more employers and sectors.
‘We expect that the work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11 be in-person, but acknowledge that in exceptional circumstances meaningful hybrid or virtual approaches may be impactful in removing barriers to access. In those circumstances, we would expect best endeavours to use remote engagement alongside, but not instead of, in-person activity.
Planning work experience programmes
From September 2025, schools should be planning and, where able, reforming their work experience programmes according to these principles so that all pupils can benefit from the opportunities, development and learning that work experience provides.‘
Equalex Framework – The equalex framework, defines learning outcomes and objectives and allows educators to embed meaningful workplace experiences within a progressive whole school careers programme. Further details HERE
Let’s make it work: The Podcast Each episode shares practical insights, real examples and actionable takeaways – including a closer look at equalex, our framework for high-quality, progressive workplace experiences
Employer Standards – easily plan, improve and compare results for careers education outreach
The Employer Standards provide a clear framework to businesses of all shapes and sizes to maximise the impact of employer engagement with young people, ensuring mutual value and long-term business success. Take the 25 minute self assessment here
Celebrating Success
Celebrating an Inspiring Day with Volkswagen Group UK A huge thank you to Volkswagen Group UK for hosting an incredible Experience of the Workplace event for students. From practicing real interview skills, to meeting current apprentices, to discovering the amazing range of career pathways from Data and Business to IT, Motor Vehicle, and Finance, students were given invaluable insights into what their futures could look like. The team at VW created a welcoming, energising environment that truly sparked curiosity and ambition. Opportunities like this make a genuine difference, helping young people understand their strengths, grow in confidence, and explore the world of work in a meaningful way. Their fantastic apprenticeship scheme is about to launch – all in time for National Apprenticeship Week! Thank you, Volkswagen Group UK Ltd for inspiring the next generation and opening the door to such exciting possibilities
Mandy Browning, Careers Consultant Milton Keynes, South Midlands Careers Hub
It was an absolute pleasure to attend Kettering Science Academy this morning to meet six apprentices who shared their career journeys’ with students currently in Year 10. Assistant Principal & Careers Leader, Steven Scragg organised the Young Inspirers’ event in partnership with the South Midlands Careers Hub
This event forms part of the commitment for each school to promote apprenticeship and technical education. Real life insights provided by apprentices bring vocational learning to life and helps students to understand the breadth of options available to them.
Thanks also to our apprentices employers for supporting their attendance and involvement.
Claire Coles, Careers Consultant North Northants, South Midlands Careers Hub
What a brilliant morning at Stadium MK Year 9 students from different schools across the city went to Stadium MK. Huge thanks to the Milton Keynes Dons Community Trust team who continue to show what it means to be at the heart of the city – opening doors, inspiring young people and helping them build real work‑ready skills. In just a couple of hours, students explored teamwork, communication, confidence and problem‑solving in a setting that was supportive, inclusive and genuinely exciting. Mornings like this are such a powerful reminder of what’s possible when education and employers come together. There are so many flexible ways for employers to offer workplace experiences. Two days or two hours, in‑school or on‑site, there’s always a way to give back and inspire future talent. Be part of the change
Mandy Browning, Careers Consultant Milton Keynes, South Midlands Careers Hub
Do you have a good news story to share – upload your news story direct to our website HERE
We hope you have had a good start to the year. We welcome Sam Baker, who has joined us as Operational Hub Lead and Lorraine Emmerton who joins us on 02/02 as our Bedfordshire Careers Consultant. Find out more about them in the term 2 kick off slide deck.
Huge shout out to everyone that took part in Peer to Peer reviews last week! Great collaboration by the 11 schools and special schools that took part – Abbeyfield School, Academy of Central Bedfordshire, Challney High School for Girls, Isebrook School, Lord Grey, Maplefields Academy, Sandy Secondary School, Sir Herbert Leon, The Duston School, The Gateway School and Wrenn School.
'Really enjoyed today and myself and James got loads out of it. Lots of thought provoking conversation and lots of ideas moving forward.' Paul Lamb, Maplefields Academy
'A brilliant day looking at the strategic priorities for our provision and alignment with broader school development priorities.' Shana Iqbal, Challney High School for Girls'
'The peer-to-peer review was extremely valuable and provided an excellent opportunity for collaborative reflection and professional learning. We began by sharing the context of our schools, including our careers priorities, leadership structures, and the time and resources invested into our provision. This opened up a productive discussion around institutional aims, strengths, and the challenges we each face in delivering high‑quality careers education.
Hearing about Duston School’s approach allowed us to compare practice, celebrate areas of success, and identify meaningful points for development. Together, we agreed one clear strength and three achievable development areas, giving us a focused plan for continuous improvement.
Overall, the review was constructive, supportive, and highly beneficial to both me as a careers leader and our SLT. It reinforced the importance of collaboration across schools and highlighted shared commitments to raising the standard of careers provision for all students. Thank you again for facilitating such a purposeful professional exchange' Carla Dufty, Abbeyfield School
Thanks to those of you that joined us for our spring term kick off and Benchmark 2 & LMI CPD session. Slides available to download below, recording of spring term kick off HERE and BM2 & LMI recording HERE
We are now really close to over half of our schools completing their internal leadership review. 48% of schools and colleges across the region have already completed theirs – have you? The Internal Leadership Review, available on Compass and Compass+ looks inward at leadership, governance, and strategic impact – how careers education is embedded in the school/college culture and leadership priorities.
If you have completed your ILR, or are planning to and would like to book in for a Peer to Peer review – see available dates below!
RONI feature coming soon – launching soon – new Risk of NEET Indicator (RONI) it 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 The feature isn’t live in Compass+ yet but you can still read the guidance below for reference, we also encourage you to review your data-processing arrangements to ensure you are ready to access the feature.
• Learn about the different apprenticeship programs/offer within Morgan Sindall Group
• Gain an insight from current apprentices and T level Students
• Get Hints and Tips from our HR Partner
Opportunity to join the 4YP careers team for an hour of discussion, reflection, networking and information as we gather online to improve our shared knowledge and our practice. Wednesday 11th February at 3.30pm. 💡 This term’s topic: Exploring career guidance strategies for supporting with special educational needs in mainstream settings. All Level 6 or trainee Level 6 Career Advisers and Coaches working with young people across our area welcome. Please RSVP info@4ypuk.com at your earliest convenience and we will send all participants a Teams link to join.
STEM Opportunities update – please share with STEM lead and any other relevant staff
STEM Learning’s 2026 placements programme is open. Next summer, eligible Year 12 or equivalent students can participate in a hands-on UK workplace experience. Students benefit from a bursary, and STEM Learning takes care of all the logistics, from securing placements to providing resources and support – so you can focus on encouraging participation. For further details, visit STEM Learning’s website or contact the programme team directly via students@stem.org.uk.
STEM Learning’s Spring mentoring now ready for sign ups a chance for your students to join STEM Learning’s high-impact mentoring programme launching in February. It’s open to young people aged 13–19, completely free, simple to promote, and fully supported throughout. Discover more here or contact students@stem.org.uk to see how to get your students involved.
Winter virtual national Professional careers forum 27/01/26 15.30 – 16.30 Hosted by Julie Poppleton, Director of careers at Terrance Chase Academy. For a meeting link email J.Poppleton@chaseterraceacademy.co.uk Guest speakers include Emma Bridge IDP, Katherine Jennick, – Whats My Strength, Romario Ellis – The Outer Circle, and Matthew Williams – Futures for all.
ERIC’s Netflix-style on-demand library of creative career talks – For National Apprenticeship Week & National Careers Week, ERIC is centralising talks designed for schools, colleges and universities to help students aged 14–21 explore creative career pathways.
👉 Library launching Monday 9 February to kick off National Apprenticeship Week 👉 More talks dropping Monday 2 March for National Careers Week 👉 The library will be available all year round, with new talks added regularly 👉 Register your school, college or university now to get access and launch-day updates
‘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.
Volunteering Opportunities– added to the dropdown menu for employers/volunteers for easy access, so they can see opportunities for them to get involved in. Please share with any of your Industry Champions/volunteers.
Hub CPD and Masterclasses– New page added to drop down menu ‘news & events’ with recordings and slides of our hub’s CPD.
Phew – what a term it’s been with the implementation of the refreshed Gatsby Benchmarks, the updated statutory guidance and the updated Compass evaluation too!
Thank you to all of you that joined us last week for our first online Modern Work Experience Showcase 03.12.2025. The recording and slides are available on the newly updated HUB CPD & Masterclasses area our our website HERE along with recording and slides from our Benchmark 1: Frameworks and Tools 27.11.2025 session, CPD session, SMCH Twilight Webinar: Careers in Radiotherapy 18.11.2025, Mid Term 1 Kick Off 05.11.2025, and How to use Inset Days to Drive Careers 14.10.2025
We also hosted our first Training Provider Showcase on 26.11.2025 and were joined by Starting Off, Young Enterprise and SSG. Recording will be available soon & slides are available to download below.
Wishing you and your families a happy ‘careersmas’ when it comes and we look forward to continuing to support you through 2026 and beyond!
The updated Compass evaluation is now available on both Compass and Compass+.
53% of schools and colleges across the region have already completed theirs – have you? Please make sure to complete your evaluation with the support of your Careers Consultant before the end of term. If you haven’t booked a meeting yet, reach out to them as soon as possible. This is your first chance to benchmark your current careers provision against the refreshed framework – don’t miss it!
To help you prepare, we’ve compiled: – A ‘How to Prepare’ guide for your Compass evaluation – Compass Questions Preparation – Nov 2025 – Link to CEC guidance for each type of Compass evaluation
46%
Career Impact System – Internal Leadership Review
46% of schools and colleges across the region have already completed theirs – have you? The Internal Leadership Review, available on Compass and Compass+ looks inward at leadership, governance, and strategic impact – how careers education is embedded in the school/college culture and leadership priorities.
Save the date – Tuesday 12th May 2026, 5:30pm – 7pm – online live apprenticeship and T-level event showcasing opportunities across Bedfordshire, Luton and Milton Keynes – working in partnership with Amazing Apprenticeships
Date
Time
Event
15/12/25
12.30
CPD Session Benchmark 7
12/01/26
15.00
Term 2 Kick Off
13/01 – 15/01
All day
Peer to Peer Reviews
14/01/26
15.30
CPD Session Benchmark 2
20/01/26
15.30
Inclusive Apprenticeships Masterclass
03/02 – 04/02
All day
Career Leader training, local cohort
12/02/25
12.30
Benchmark 5 and 6: How to engage employers
For all upcoming dates please view our hub calendar.
New ATE Resources for Teachers and Careers Leaders
Amazing Apprenticeships is working in partnership with The Careers & Enterprise Company to launch an exciting new suite of digital, adaptable Apprenticeships & Technical Education (ATE) resources for schools and colleges.
Available now – designed for anyone to be able to pick up and use – careers leaders, teachers employers. The resource decks include delivery notes, presentation script and animation.
Amazing Apprenticeships What is technical education FAQs
You can access the most up-to-date LMI shared by Bedford Borough Council for Q2 2025 using the slides linked here – Bedford Borough LMI Q2 2025
MYPATH short video – Who’s involved in a pantomime? in collaboration with Theatrecraft
MYPATH has created a short video called Who’s involved in a pantomime?in collaboration with Theatrecraft in Central London, which is now live on our YouTube channel. It is completely free for schools to use and is ideal to show in class or assembly before any school trip to a pantomime.
The video:
Introduces the key on-stage roles (actors, dancers, etc.)
Highlights the off-stage roles that make the show possible (directors, set designers, technicians, front of house and more)
Helps children see the range of jobs and skills involved in putting on a performance
The Ofsted inspection framework has been updated. The CEC has developed a guide to support educators and Careers Leaders with understanding the key changes to inspecting careers education frpm November 2025
The new Compass evaluation is now live on Compass and Compass+.
Over the past month, the South Midlands Careers Hub team has been reviewing the updated questions and working to ensure a consistent approach to self-evaluation across the South Midlands. This has included:
Workshops at the Careers Hub conference in September
Additional sessions during Career Leader Network meetings
Gathering frequently asked questions
While we’re making good progress, this is a significant change and one that will continue to evolve. We’re committed to supporting all schools and colleges through their first Compass evaluation under the new framework this term.
Thank you to everyone who has already booked their Compass evaluation support meeting – we’ll complete the evaluation together during that session. To ensure we can support you effectively and complete the Autumn evaluation within the allotted time, it is imperative that you review the compass questions in advance, to familiarise yourself with the updates and changes that have been made.
If you haven’t yet booked, please do so asap with your Careers Consultant to ensure timely support.
Link to CEC guidance for each type of Compass evaluation
Please be assured that this is a change for everyone, and we’re here to support you through it. We won’t have all the answers straight away and want to thank you for your patience as we continue to adapt and respond to emerging questions. Once the first round of evaluations is complete, we aim to produce a more comprehensive guide to support ongoing self-evaluation.
Upcoming Dates
For all upcoming dates please view our hub calendar.
For Info
New ATE resources webinar 02/12/25
Amazing Apprenticeships is working in partnership with The Careers & Enterprise Company to launch an exciting new suite of digital, adaptable Apprenticeships & Technical Education (ATE) resources for schools and colleges. Join this webinar to ensure you feel confident and knowledgeable ahead of presenting the resources in your setting.– Amazing Apprenticeships link to attend
Compass+ integrates with Unifrog to help support planning and delivering a progressive careers programme.
Explore how to use Compass+ and Unifrog together – Learn how to prepare effectively for exporting data from Unifrog into Compass+ – Understand the value of uploading this data into Compass+ – Know where to access further support and guidance.
