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 can be found below

Schools and Special Schools

Further Education

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 the South Midlands Careers Hub are currently facilitating them on the following weeks in the academic year 2025/2026:

  • Spring Term 12.01.2026 – 16.01.2026
  • Spring Term 16.03.2026 – 20.03.2026
  • Summer Term 04.05.2026 – 08.05.2026
  • Summer Term 08.06.2026 – 12.06.2026

If you would like to book 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 was fab getting a plan of action together” – Chelveston Road School

“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