JA/291/2012 / Impartial information advice and guidance

“If I told my Year 11 students the whole truth about progression and employment prospects at the end of my A level course no one would ever choose my subject.”

Head of Department in a WestLondonSchool, September 2006.

Introduction

  1. The previous government’s proposals for the future of the 14-19 phase of education were based upon offering young people a much wider choice of courses than in the past. For these proposals to be effective schools and colleges must ensure that young people have free access to a full range of information advice and guidance at key points during Key Stages 3 and 4 and post-16. The Education & Skills Act(2008)makes it a statutory requirement for schools to ensure that the IAG they provide for all learners is impartial and serves the pupils’ best interests. This means that schools will not be able to promote one course or pathway in preference to any others. The DfEhas published statutory guidance to support this new requirement including six principles of effective careers education and guidance. (See Quality Choice and Aspiration DCSF10/2009)
  1. There is much evidence that good quality information advice and guidance (IAG) can lead to improved achievement by young people, lower drop out rates from courses and more effective and consistent progression and continuation in learning. More importantly a number of surveys of young people opinions show that they want much more IAG than is currently available to them. A 2006 opinion poll of the views of university undergraduates, found that:

  • 66% of respondents wished they had been given better careers advice at school.
  • 58% wished they had had the chance to combine academic and practical choices.
  • 55% believe schools steer pupils to courses which the school does best, rather than one the pupil needs.
  • 41% felt that A-levels had notbeen an adequate preparation for their courses.

2011 Education Act

  1. The Education Act 2011 inserts a new duty, section 42A, into Part VII of the Education Act 1997, requiring all schools to secure access to independent careers guidance for pupils in years 9-11. Guidance must be presented in an impartial manner and promote the best interests of the pupils to whom it is given. Guidance should also include information on options available in respect of 16-18 education or training, including apprenticeships. The DfE is currently drafting statutory guidance for schools to support their new duty to secure independent careers guidance for pupils in years 9-11. The guidance will be published in the Spring Term with the new duty effective from September 2012.

Choice in the 14 to 19 curriculum

  1. Since 1998 schools have been encouraged to develop a more flexible curriculum at key stage 4. (See JA1: Flexibility at KS4) Subjects such as modern foreign languages and technology, which used to be compulsory, are now available as choices. In many schools choices can be also made in compulsory core subjects such as science and ICT. A few schools even offer choices in English and mathematics. The flexibility is not only in subjects available but often includes a choice of where to study and,in some cases, when to take the examinations associated with the courses. Most of the newer courses involve new approaches to teaching learning and assessment than those traditionally experienced in academic subjects at key stage 3. The range of choices available to young people post-16has also increased since 2000 and an increasing number of young people are now following full time education courses post-18.
  1. In many cases young people are able to follow many routes to achieve their career goals. However in many cases the wrong choices made at the end of key stages 3 or 4 or post-16 can result in closing doorsto some progression routes and occupations. Many universities, professional associations and employers specify certain subjects as necessary for entrance to the opportunities they provide. This is especially true of a modern foreign language which is often required even when the use of languages do not form apart of the course or occupation.

Personal advice and guidance

  1. Impartial advice and guidance needs to be focused on individual needs. The guidance should include comprehensive, accessible and up to date information that covers their personal, social, emotional development as well as their career progression. There should be general, accessible information and advice on personal, social and health issues including details of local services for specialist advice/treatment. This can include advice on voluntary/community activities, including peer mentoring, and support for extra curricular activities. There is alsoa growing need for advice on access to financial support, benefits, entitlements, and incentives programmes. In particular potential undergraduates need clear and accurate information and advice on the funding of university places. There should be appropriate signposting to, and use of, local and national help lines such as Connexions Direct, Frank, Sexwise, RUThinking, Teenage Health Freak, need2know, etc), and to online advisers.

Guidance for progression

  1. All young people should have access to confidential, impartial, comprehensive and accessible advice and guidance on the full range of learning and progression opportunities at age 14-19 and beyond. Preparation for progression through careers education and guidance (CEG) in schools is a major component of effective IAG. CEG can be defined as a ‘process to enable individuals to become effective managers of their own progression through learning and work’. For effective progression young people need access to:

  • well-planned careers education lessons;
  • unbiased careers information;
  • work-related learning that includes experience of work;
  • personalised support and guidance;
  • specialist careers guidance from impartial professionals.

IAG and curriculum pathways

  1. A large number of schools have responded to the changes in the post-14 curriculum by developing pathways at key-stage 4, and in a few cases at key stage 3 as well. The size of the new Diplomas being introduced from 2008 onwards means that young people will need to follow them as timetabled pathways. Work-based schemes such as Young Apprenticeships and the new Engagement programme also need require schools to timetable access as separate pathways. The advantages of separately timetabled curriculum pathways are greater opportunities to create coherent packages can meet needs of specific groups and students can be advised on appropriate routes. They provide the ability to accommodate a wide range of provision and the opportunity to focus on different teaching and learning styles.
  1. The disadvantages of curriculum pathways are however the creation of separate school populations with the danger of a hierarchy of routes emerging;possible unviable groups; limited access for pupils to basic entitlements and a limited range of progression routes. The most serious disadvantage is, however, the fact that pupils have to make early choices that can determine much of the rest of their lives. These disadvantages make the provision of high quality IAG essential. Young people may start out on one pathway and therefore be required to discontinue studying certain subjects. After a while they may decide they are on the wrong pathway but it may then be too late to resume the subjects they have discontinued. (See also JA10: Effective CEG.)

Impartiality and reliability of IAG

  1. A survey for the DfE in 2001 found that many institutions offering post-16 learning were more concerned about the numbers of students on their courses than the appropriateness of the courses for the motivation, success and progression of the individual students. Over half of the undergraduates in the survey referred to in paragraph 2 believed their schools put the interests of the school above their individual interests when providing information about post-16 and higher education courses. There is a clear link between nationally high drop-out rates in post-16 learning and later in higher education and the poor quality of the IAG young people receive at earlier stages. Although young people may initially have little option but to accept the misinformation and biased guidance they receive in school or college their frustration is often revealed through non-completion of courses and/or underachievement.
  1. Schools and colleges need to ensure that all of their staff receive on-going training that enables them to be as up-to-date and accurate in all of the information and advice that they give to students. Information and advice that was reliable for one group of students in one year may very easily and quickly be inappropriate for another group a few months later. The prejudices and stereotypes of many adults who influence young people are another obstacle to the effective progression of young people. A survey of young people’s opinionsin for the DfE in 2000 found that 63% of girls felt their education did not reflect the changing nature of women at work and in society in the modern era. (See also JA26: Gender issues.)A thematic report from Ofsted on the role of IAG in the 14 to 19 curriculum concluded that although the provision of IAG to most young people was good a significant minority of young people are still denied access to reliable up-to-date- and unbiased information about the choices available to them. (See HMI 070258 – Implementation of 14 to 19 reforms: An evaluation of progress.)

The national quality standards for IAG

  1. As part of their proposals to improve learning and progression for 14 to 19 year olds the previous government developed national quality standards for IAG so that organisations wishing to commission for funding for the provision of IAG to young people will have to show that they provide services that meet the quality standards. The DfEintroduced the standards in October 2008 and they includedthe following criteria.

  • Careers information with a full range of options, progression routes, that is up-to-date, unbiased and accessible.
  • Personalised support and guidance including individual learning planning and financial support.
  • Careers guidance from trained specialist: usually a Connexions PA.
  • All guidance to be impartial and independent – to meet students’ not institution’s needs.
  • Timely advice that ensures young people’s needs are being met.
  • Advice that is inspiring, motivating and challenges and encourages aspirations.
  • Providers that are responsive to the needs of young people, parents and carers, and there is access to an assessment of needs or ongoing review of needs.
  • Involvement of young people, parents and carers in designing services and improving quality.
  • IAG that is co-ordinated with personal development curriculum content.
  • Providers maintain records that meet the Client Caseload Information System (CCIS) specification.
  • Information is shared in the appropriate way for the benefit of young people.
  • Access to continuing professional development for those delivering IAG.
  • Practitioners who are aware of, and fulfil, their duties under relevant legislation.
  • Young people have access to provision wherever they live or study, whatever their background/social class, gender, religion, race, sexuality, ability or disability.
  • Positive action to promote equality and diversity in delivery of IAG, including tackling stereotyping, inequality and disadvantage.
  • Awareness-raising among parents/carers of what is available and how to access it.

The IAG guarantee

  1. The previous government wanted young people and parents to understand what good IAG looks like so they set out an IAG guarantee which makes explicit the provision young people and their parents have a right to receive. Young people in schools will now be entitled to:

  • support from a personal tutor who knows them well;
  • high quality programmes of careers education;
  • impartial information advice and guidance about learning and work options;
  • information, advice and guidance about the benefits of higher education and how to access the opportunities it affords;
  • a programme of work related learning in years 10 and 11.

  1. All young people will be also entitled to access through wider commissioned services to:

  • one-to-one advice from a local specialist Connexions adviser when needed;
  • information and advice by telephone and online every day;
  • further specialist support from local services as needed; information on local learning opportunities through the online prospectus;
  • support to move to adult guidance services when they reach the appropriate age;
  • the ability to apply for post-16 learning through a Common Application Process by 2011.

Conclusions

  1. A survey for the Edge Foundation by YouGovin 2005 found that 85% of 18 to 35 year olds believed their education did not prepare them for work. Another survey for TheGuardiannewspaper found that 31% of 20 to 30 year olds felt their education had failed to teach them to think for themselves and use their initiative. Ofsted found in 2006 that only 23% of schools are outstanding or very good at preparing their pupils for life after school. As part of that Ofsted survey 66% of 20-30 year olds said their school, college and university had failed to prepare them for their first job. An on-line survey by the BritishYouth Council (BYC), National Children’s Bureau (NCB)in 2009 found that only just under 20% ofrespondents rated the formal career advice theyreceived as ‘very helpful’.
  1. Effective IAG will need to take into account all of the sources of opinion available to young people including their family, friends and peers. In order to do this IAG in schools and collegesshould includeproviding high quality programmesof careers education as well as;

  • embedding information about learning and workpathways into the wider curriculum;
  • supplementing careers education provisionwith arrangements for individual young peopleto receive personalised information, adviceand guidance;
  • establishing effective partnership arrangementswith external IAG providers (e.g. Connexions.)

Issues for consideration

- Does each institution in the consortia have a coordinated and coherent programme of information

advice and guidance for all young people?

- Is the provision of IAG consistent with the National Quality Standards for IAG and the IAG

guarantee?

- Has the consortia made full use of the free consultancy to support IAG available from SSATand the

PSHEe Association?

- Do all institutions ensure that staff are aware of their obligations in terms of reliable, up-to-date and

impartial IAG that is free of stereotypes?

- Are all courses and pathways available locally promoted equally to all learners?

- Is all IAG consistent with the six principles of effective careers education and guidance?

- How will the school meet the new statutory requirement from next September?

Leaflets in the series
JA01 – Flexibility in opportunities and requirements at KS4
JA03 – Effective vocational learning / JA04 – Approved qualifications for KS4 or earlier
JA05 - Alternative programmes at KS4 / JA06 – Vocational and work-related learning for all
JA07 – Meeting the needs of individual learners / JA08 - Meeting the needs of gifted and talented learners
JA09 – Using Key Stage 3 to prepare for Key Stage 4 / JA10 - Effective careers education for all
JA11 – Quality work experience for all learners / JA12 – Effective education business links
JA13 – The changing nature of work / JA14 – Education for enterprise and entrepreneurialism
JA15 – Financial capability / JA16 – Qualifications for preparation for working life
JA17 – Disapplication / JA18 - Integrated approaches to personal development
JA19 – Work-related learning and the law / JA20 - Inspection of preparation for working life
JA21 – Coordinating preparation for working life / JA23 – Work-based pathways
JA25 – New 14 to 19 Diplomas / JA26 – Gender issues
JA27 – Improving employability / JA29 – Impartial information advice and guidance
JA30 - Economic well-being / JA31 – Strategies for employer engagement
JA32 – Personal learning and thinking skills / JA33 – Functional skills in core GCSEs
JA34 – New approaches to the national curriculum in KS3 / JA35 – Relevant contexts to learning in general subjects

N.B. missing numbers are for leaflets withdrawn from the set as they are no longer relevant

John Allen January2012

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