Careers – The implementation of the careers and world of work framework in secondary schools

The report examines the extent and effectiveness of secondary schools’ delivery of the statutory Careers and the world of work (CWoW) framework. It considers the extent to which secondary schools’ provision and leadership in this area have changed since Estyn’s previous report on CWoW, Informed Decisions, in October 2012. The report draws on evidence from 156 secondary school inspections since October 2012 and from a survey of 35 secondary schools (see appendix for detail).

Recommendations

Schools should:

• R1 Ensure that all pupils have regular discussions about their progress, aspirations and possible learning pathways, especially in Year 9 and Year 11
• R2 Provide pupils with accurate and up-to-date information about the full range of sixth form, further education and apprenticeship opportunities open to them
• R3 Evaluate their CWoW provision to ensure that it:
  • a. is delivered by well-trained staff, equipped with up-to-date resources
  • b. provides pupils with relevant work-focused experiences
  • c. makes better use of information to monitor and track trends in pupils’ achievement and progression so as to plan improvements in provision
  • d. is integrated into whole-school self-evaluation, improvement planning and accountability processes
• R4 Involve governors more in the strategic oversight of CWoW

Local authorities and regional consortia should:

• R5 Help schools to develop their use of information to evaluate the effectiveness of their CWoW provision

The Welsh Government should:

• R6 Facilitate stronger partnerships between schools, providers, employers and others to improve the delivery of impartial advice and guidance
• R7 Review the CWoW framework and update guidance in light of the principles of curriculum reform identified in Successful Futures