About the Careers Leader programme
This section provides general information about our Careers Leader programme.
Browse below to find the information you need. We'll update this page throughout the year.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Careers Leader programme in a nutshell
- What is the Careers Leader programme?
The Careers Leader programme is a fully funded, one-year programme that works with the careers leader to create and implement a three-year, whole-school careers strategy.
No matter what stage your school is at in delivering careers education, whether your careers leader is new or you're continuing to build on firm foundations for your pupils, our careers training is tailored to your school’s context. Our programme will help the careers leader progress towards all eight Gatsby benchmarks, or if your school is already achieving this, it’ll build evidence towards the Quality in Careers Standard (QiCS).
- What is the role of a careers leader?
A careers leader is a nominated staff member, typically a middle to senior leader, who is responsible for the delivery of careers education in their school. The Careers and Enterprise Company state that a careers leader should ensure:
- the school has a good careers programme that meets the expectations set out in the Gatsby Benchmarks
- the school has published on its website details of its careers programme and arrangements for providers of technical education or apprenticeships to talk to pupils, explicitly mentioning how it conforms to the Baker clause
- the destinations of young people from the school are tracked and that this information is used to improve the effectiveness of the school’s careers programme.
If you’re unsure whether our Careers Leader programme is suitable for you, please get in touch.
- Who is eligible?
The Careers Leader programme is aimed at middle or senior school leaders who are responsible for their school's careers provision. It's open to any middle or senior leader – not just those who have trained with us previously.
To be eligible for our programme, you must work for a secondary school in England. Teach First works with schools facing the toughest challenges, so we prioritise places for schools that need extra support. To identify schools that will benefit most, we use the Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI) and Achieving Excellence Areas (AEA), a measure that recognises parts of the country where children consistently underperform.
We have some flexibility in the schools we work with, so if you’re unsure, please get in touch with our team at careersleaders@teachfirst.org.uk.
- I’m a new careers leader – is this programme suitable for me?
Yes! The Careers Leader programme is suitable for careers leaders of any experience. We have a mix of new and seasoned careers leaders on the programme. Our support is tailored depending on your experience and we’ll work with you to create a unique careers strategy that supports your school’s context.
- I’m an experienced careers leader and have already completed a previous careers leadership qualification – is this programme right for me?
The Careers Leader programme is suitable for careers leaders of any experience. Through our tailored support, we’ll help implement a careers strategy that fits your school’s needs and aligns with your unique goals.
Over the years, we've had many L6 qualified Careers Leaders from schools that have the Quality in Careers Standard and meet all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks on the programme – and they have still got a lot out of the programme. The Careers Leader programme facilities the practical application of career theory, where the L6 qualification focuses on theory without the application.
- What are the costs for schools? Can I receive financial support?
Our programme is fully funded which means it’s free for secondary schools across England. As we have been selected by the Careers and Enterprise Company as a recognised training provider for Careers Leader training, this means your school could receive a bursary of £1,000 for completing our programme. Doing this also supports Teach First to receive funding towards the costs of delivering the programme.
All participating schools are required to release their allocated careers leader from timetabled lessons to meet the expectations of the programme.
- Why should I choose Teach First’s Careers Leader programme?
We’re a leading provider of careers training and an approved delivery partner of the Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC). By choosing Teach First, our support will help your school to:
- build a whole-school approach to improving careers education, by feeding into school development priorities and leadership skills
- progress towards all eight Gatsby Career Benchmarks
- build evidence towards the Quality in Careers Award (QiCS)
- access free, targeted training and support
- build leadership skills with strategic, whole-school impact
- regional and national networking support through TF Careers Network
- opportunities to connect with some of the UK’s biggest businesses
What's more, you’ll also have a dedicated Teach First careers expert who’ll offer one-to-one advice throughout the year.
Programme structure and outcomes
- What will I learn on the programme?
You’ll learn how to create and implement a whole-school strategy that lasts for three years. The programme provides a foundation for long-term improvement through blended learning modules, in-person training, online learning and personalised support.
Our high-quality training is based on the latest research. This covers topics such as: building partnerships with business, embedding careers into the curriculum, improving information, advice and guidance and measuring impact.
- How is the programme structured?
The Careers Leader programme offers a mix of online learning modules, one-to-one support with a Teach First Careers Expert, three national training days (two face-to-face and one online) and five group seminars.
In the Autumn term, you’ll diagnose and build your knowledge around careers education and the needs of your schools and community. During the Spring term, you’ll start creating your strategy and for the rest of the year, you’ll implement, embed and sustain your strategy.
Please see the programme structure below:
- What are the learning outcomes?
Once you complete the programme, you’ll have:
- a new careers strategy that will span over three years
- completed an in-year careers project
- stronger leadership skills to make sure the whole school is on board with your careers strategy
- completed training that is based on the latest research and reflects the current labour market and economy
- made connections with other careers leaders, regionally and nationally
- What are the time commitments and programme expectations?
As a careers leader on the programme, you are expected to engage with all online learning, attend all virtual and in-person events, and create a whole school strategy to complete the programme. In-person events are also subject to government guidelines.
We ask you to allocate 2-3 hours a week to engage with the learning and complete corresponding activities. Our aim is for all activities to be linked to work required of a careers leader such as auditing external providers, reviewing destination data, project planning and strategy development.
The Careers Leader programme is a 34-week programme that spans across the academic year. There are 70 hours in total.
This includes:
- Self-study: 8 online modules – 40 hours
- Seminars: 5 small group online seminars - 7 hours
- Events: 3 conferences (2 in-person, 1 online) – 18 hours
- Development Lead Support: 4 one-to-one calls and an additional hour of support (flexible: one-to-one, small group, or drop in session format as required)
- What type of school-based projects have previous careers leaders completed on the programme?
On the Careers Leader programme, your careers leader will carry out an in-year project. This project will align with your school’s careers provision and goals. Previous careers leader projects have included:
- improving communication around careers with students and parents by utilising online platforms such as the school’s social media and website
- cultivate an alumni network / community from past pupils and deliver a virtual alumni event before the end of year
- organising a series of whole-school staff CPD events
- Will I receive accreditation for the programme?
The Careers Leader programme is non-accredited, however you’ll receive a certificate of completion when you have finished the programme and submitted your careers strategy.
Our programme is based on whole school improvement, practical advice and guidance on how to implement change over the long-term.
Glossary
- What are the Gatsby Benchmarks?
There are eight Gatsby benchmarks set out as a framework for improvement in careers provision for secondary schools and colleges. These benchmarks are:
- a stable careers programme learning from career and labour market information
- addressing the needs of each pupil
- linking curriculum learning to careers
- encounters with employers and employees
- experiences of workplaces
- encounters with further and higher education
- personal guidance
Through the Careers Leader programme, we’ll help your careers leader assess your current careers provision and how you can create a strategy that will help you meet the Gatsby benchmarks.
- What is the Quality in Careers Standard (QiCS)?
The Quality in Careers Standard (QiCS) is a national award that recognises high quality careers guidance, advice and guidance in schools, colleges and work based learning. The award fully aligned with the Gatsby Benchmarks.
- Who is the Development Lead?
The Development Lead is the Teach First Careers Expert who works with you from the start to the end of the programme. They are an experienced former teacher with school leadership experience and expertise in careers, trained to support you to develop a careers strategy, plan for implementation and influence change across the wider school.
You will have a minimum of five virtual meetings with them over the year. The first meeting will focus on diagnosing your school priorities and over the course of the year they will support you to develop a robust careers strategy and implementation plan that addresses those priorities. They’ll provide direct advice, mentoring support or offer a coaching approach depending on your need.
You will be introduced to your Development Lead in September.