Progression for success: Evaluating North Yorkshire’s innovative careers guidance project Item Type Research Report Authors Moore, Nicki; Vigurs, Katy; Everitt, Julia; Clark, Lewis Citation Moore, N., Vigurs, K., Everitt, J. and Clark, L. (2017) 'Progression for success: Evaluating North Yorkshire’s innovative careers guidance project', Northallerton: North Yorkshire County Council. Publisher North Yorkshire County Council Download date 01/10/2021 05:17:02 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10545/621985 Progression for Success: Evaluating North Yorkshire’s innovative careers guidance project Executive summary October 2017 Nicki Moore, Katy Vigurs, Julia Everitt and Lewis Clark ISBN: 978-1-910755-25-9 Progression for Success: Evaluating North Yorkshire’s innovative careers guidance project About iCeGS iCeGS is a research centre with expertise in career and career development. The Centre conducts research, provides consultancy to the career sector, offers a range of training and delivers a number of accredited learning programmes up to and including doctoral level. A history of the Centre is available in the book. Hyde, C. (2014). A Beacon for Guidance. Derby: International Centre for Guidance Studies. University of Derby. For further information on iCeGS see www.derby.ac.uk/icegs Recent iCeGS publications Hooley, T., Dodd, V. and Shepherd, C. (2016). Ambrose, J., Wilkinson, M., Andrews, D. and Developing a New Generation of Careers Leaders: Moore, N. (2016). #Digitisemycareer: Resources An Evaluation of the Teach First Careers and to support the development of digital career Employability Initiative. Derby: International literacy skills. Derby. International Centre for Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Guidance Studies, University of Derby. Derby. (Also see the executive summary) Andrews, D. (2016). A New Strategy to Transform Hooley, T. (2015). The Kent Model the Quality of Careers Education, Advice and of Career Education and Guidance. Guidance for Young People. Derby: International Maidstone: Kent County Council. Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Derby. Hooley, T., Watts, A.G., Andrews, D. (2015). Artess, J. (2016). Evaluation of Careers Teachers and Careers: The Role of School Yorkshire and the Humber: inspiration activity Teachers in Delivering Career and Employability and good practice guide. Derby: International Learning. Derby: International Centre for Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Guidance Studies, University of Derby. Derby. http://hdl.handle.net/10545/609129 Acknowledgements Dodd, V. and Hooley, T. (2016). Evaluation of The research team are indebted to the school the Legacy Careers Project. Derby: International staff, parents, governors and young people Centre for Guidance Studies, University of Derby. who participated in the research. The NYCC project team and the project stakeholder group have been very helpful in shaping the project and providing feedback. Thanks also go to Jill Hanson, Vanessa Dodd, Claire Shepherd, and Phillipa Betts for their excellent project support. 3 North Yorkshire County Council Preface The North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC) been made in the quality of career guidance Careers Guidance Project, ‘Putting the learner in our project schools but to also address first – progression for success’ was established the ongoing challenges by implementing the as a two-year project in June 2015 and has recommendations to sustain and further improve been a crucially important strand of our joint career guidance across all of our schools. working with key partners to improve the quality of career guidance in our schools. We would like to thank the North Yorkshire and City of York schools for their involvement in the project In formulating the project, we listened and and to recognise the significant improvements in responded to the voice of young people through the careers guidance provision that have been brought North Yorkshire Youth Council campaign ‘Curriculum about through the hard work and commitment of for life’, and our influential ‘Growing up in North the senior and middle leaders, teachers and careers Yorkshire’ (SHEU, 2014) biennial survey that told advisers. You will find this exemplified throughout the us that career guidance in many of our schools project report. We can safely say we are now much was not meeting needs. At the same time, the more familiar with the Gatsby Benchmarks that are NYCC skills agenda provided a drive for improved fundamental in identifying and delivering against delivery and outcomes for employment, skills, the components of a high-quality career guidance qualifications, enterprise and employability. Business provision and the strategies that align to these. leaders through the City of York, North Yorkshire and East Riding partnership echoed the need for The project has been challenged and supported improved Careers Guidance. National government in many ways and we particularly appreciate raised the profile of career guidance through the interest of NYCC elected members and statutory guidance in March 2015 (DfE, 2015). commitment of key partners which has enabled us to provide high quality training, and align Whilst the educational outcomes for North resources. Finally, we would like to thank NYCC Yorkshire pupils are some of the best in the and The York, North Yorkshire and East Riding country, and many of our young people have Local Enterprise partnership for the funding secure progression pathways with sustained which enabled us to move forward with the destinations, we recognised that this was not project, and staff at the International Centre for true for all of our schools and all of our young Guidance Studies at The University of Derby, people. In 2014, The Sutton Trust produced who provided the evaluation framework of which research (Hooley, Matheson and Watts, 2014) this report is integral and who have provided which provided our research evidence base with guidance and support throughout the project. findings consistent with previous research that career guidance can impact on attainment at Paul Brennan: Assistant Director, school, engagement, successful transition to further Education and Skills learning and work, and longer-term life success. Katharine Bruce: Lead for North Yorkshire Two years later the project has now reached Careers Guidance Project ‘Putting the its conclusion and we commend this report to learner first – progression for success’ you: to recognise the improvements that have 4 Progression for Success: Evaluating North Yorkshire’s innovative careers guidance project Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................................6 Schools experiences of the project ................................................................................................................8 Developing, sharing and sustaining good practice .........................................................................................9 Quality awards ...............................................................................................................................................9 Good career guidance: The Gatsby Benchmarks .........................................................................................10 Changes in the provision of career guidance during the project ...................................................................11 Impacts on the outcomes for young people .................................................................................................29 Recommendations ......................................................................................................................................30 References ..................................................................................................................................................32 5 North Yorkshire County Council Introduction We live in a complex world in which many of the NYCC schools assumptions about how education and employment • Boroughbridge High School work are changing all the time. Government • Ermysted’s Grammar School seeks to address this at the national level, but young people’s career transitions are played • Graham School out in the communities in which they live. North • Harrogate High School Yorkshire is a distinctive context for young people’s • Harrogate Grammar School transitions from school to work and as such it • King James School presents schools and colleges with challenges • Northallerton School and Sixth Form College and opportunities in providing help and support. • Outwood Academy, Ripon The York, North Yorkshire and East Riding • Richmond School and Sixth Form College Enterprise Partnership (YNYEREP) has identified • Ripon Grammar School the development of ‘inspired people’ as one of • Risedale Sports and Community College its main goals (YNYEREP, 2014). To achieve this, it has identified a range of actions including the • Selby High School following: ‘increasing employability by connecting • St Aidan’s C of E School* business to education’; and to ‘build skills, attitudes • St John Fisher Catholic High School* and ambition to help people access jobs and • Tadcaster Grammar School progress in them’. The Progression for Success • Thirsk School and Sixth Form College project used an investment (of £2,745 per school) • The Virtual School to leverage schools’ involvement in career and enterprise activities to achieve these aims. Twenty * These two schools share a sixth