Source · Select Committees · Education Committee
Recommendation 13
13
Accepted
Paragraph: 53
Inadequate CEIAG funding causing significant disparities and gaps in provision for schools.
Conclusion
The Department’s expenditure on CEIAG provision is around £5,000 per school— falling far short of the estimated £38,000 to £76,000 needed to achieve the Gatsby benchmarks. The expectation on schools and colleges to pay for CEIAG out of their already stretched budgets is causing significant disparities in provision, and we have heard that schools are only spending £2 per pupil on careers. This has led to gaps in support for certain activities, in particular access to independent careers advisers and for schools to achieve the Quality in Careers Standard.
Government Response Summary
The government partially accepts, acknowledging disparities and describing its ongoing investment of over £90 million in careers provision, primarily through the Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and National Careers Service, and new legislation for statutory guidance. They state school leaders decide budget use and schools can access existing CEC funding for careers activities.
Paragraph Reference:
53
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government partially accepts this recommendation. We welcome the Committee’s focus on the important area of careers provision funding and recognise that there are disparities in provision. As the Committee recognised, we are continuing to invest significantly in high-quality careers provision for all ages, including over £90 million in 2023–24. This supports the infrastructure and national offer of The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC) and the National Careers Service (NCS). Our vision for careers provision is that all schools and colleges are supported to deliver high-quality careers guidance in line with the Gatsby Benchmarks. Since 2017, the Government has supported this through investment in a national careers infrastructure, delivered by the CEC, including Careers Hubs and Enterprise Advisers. The CEC works with 90% of secondary schools and colleges in England, supporting them to meet the Gatsby Benchmarks, and provides funding to schools and colleges within Careers Hubs, including support to increase employer encounters and access to careers advisers. In 2022/23, the CEC provided grant funding to schools and colleges in Careers Hubs to support them to progress on the Gatsby Benchmarks. For example, 100% of schools in a Careers Hub and working with an Enterprise Adviser benefited from an average grant of £2,000 to support their careers activity. The Government has ambitious education and skills agendas, backed by record investment. In July, the Government announced that schools in England are set to receive their highest ever funding in real terms, totalling almost £60 billion for 2024–25, ensuring that every child gets a world-class education. Schools are funded to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum, including statutory careers guidance. School leaders are best placed to decide how to use their budgets to meet the needs of their pupils. We know that independent and impartial careers guidance is a vital component of a high-quality careers programme. We fund the National Careers Service to provide this service to those aged 13+ via its website, webchat and telephone helpline. We are also committed to ensuring that all young people in state-funded secondary schools in England are legally entitled to independent and impartial careers guidance from Year 7, and we have introduced legislation to ensure all types of secondary schools (including academies and alternative provision) are covered by this duty. Our careers statutory guidance sets out that schools and colleges should use external careers advice for independent careers guidance interviews. Schools and colleges can access funding via the CEC to pay for independent careers advisers.(...truncated...)