Careers Impact System

The Careers Impact System is a process that drives continuous improvement in the quality of careers education in schools and colleges. It’s a systematic approach to raising standards, provides confidence in and an assurance of quality to the education policy community and is directly linked to wider school and college improvement.

What are the benefits?  

  • It enables a whole school or college approach and engages senior leaders, enabling you to link careers to school and college improvement priorities  
  • Locks continuous improvement into Careers Leaders’ approach to achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks 
  • Assures confidence in the quality of careers guidance locally and nationally 
  • Elevates and reinforces the profession of Careers Leadership in schools and colleges.   
  • Act as a powerful driver for elevating the status of Careers Leaders and professionalising the role. 
  • Provide a strong mechanism for capturing and communicating evidence at system level.

The full maturity models for schools and colleges can be found here

The Internal Leadership Review is undertaken by and within schools and colleges bringing together key colleagues to examine current performance, identify what good looks like and how best to achieve it.

It should take place annually and should involve as many members of the Senior Leadership Team as possible (e.g. SLT link for Careers, Governor, Careers Leader, SENCO, Headteacher, etc.)

You can find more information, including how to prepare for and how to record your Internal Leadership Review here.

Once you have completed an Internal Leadership Review, you will be invited to a Peer-to-Peer Review.

Peer-to-Peer reviews bring together trios of schools and colleges across the South Midlands region.

Hosted by trained facilitators, each setting will have the opportunity to share their context, celebrate their successes and receive support on their highest leverage actions, with other settings acting as a critical friend to probe deeper into the strategic plan.

Peer-to-Peer reviews should take place every three years and are facilitated by the South Midlands Careers Hub. If your institution would like to book a attend a Peer-to-Peer Review, please contact your Careers Consultant.

Feedback

Institutions across the South Midlands have been sharing their feedback about the Careers Impact System, in particular the Peer-to-Peer Review process:

“I felt very humbled by the constructive comments and pertinent observations of our successes, yet truly encouraged by advice and guidance that was in the room to allow us to do and achieve more” – Ivel Valley School & College

“It’s given us lots to think about and great to have a plan of action. I was feeling overwhelmed with where to start and the steps we’ve agreed on has made the task feel more manageable.” – Chelveston Road School

“The peer-to-peer review was a valuable and professionally enriching experience. It provided the opportunity to reflect honestly on our careers provision, learn from another Northampton school, and share effective practice. The collaborative approach helped sharpen our strategic thinking and reaffirmed the importance of careers being firmly embedded within whole-school improvement” – The Duston School

“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.” – Academy of Central Bedfordshire