Governors

Schools have the flexibility to decide how best to deliver CWRE provision in their own setting, however, the overall responsibility for, and coordination of CWRE provision, must lie with the settings governing body and senior leadership team. Each setting must decide how CWRE roles and responsibilities will be shared amongst its staff, to make best use of their skills and expertise.

Statutory guidance for CWRE has been developed to support practitioners and governing bodies in schools and settings to plan, design and implement CWRE as a cross-cutting theme across the Curriculum for Wales for learners from the ages 3 to 16. The guidance for CWRE is issued under section 71 of the Curriculum and Assessment (Wales) Act 2021 (“the Act”).

The CWRE programme must be coordinated, planned and delivered by staff from the school and setting. Whilst the school and setting are responsible for the effective coordination and delivery of CWRE, an effective programme can only be achieved by working in collaboration with other organisations, such as Careers Wales, employers, further and higher education providers, entrepreneurs, advisers, parents/carers, trainers and community groups offering relevant opportunities linked to their areas of expertise.

During an Estyn inspection, the inspection team will consider the quality of care, support and guidance provided. This will include evaluating the provider’s curriculum and to consider how well the school or setting provides learning experiences that inspire learners and raise their aspirations around future careers and the world of work, helping them make informed choices. Inspectors will also evaluate how well the school or setting provides effective, impartial guidance and advice to learners, for example relating to future careers choices.

The Welsh Government is keen for employers, schools and others to work together to inspire young people about the world of work. It is strongly supportive of initiatives to promote apprenticeships, Jobs Growth Wales+, enterprise, employability, awareness of STEM careers, financial capability and volunteering.

Collectively and individually, governors bring a range of skills and knowledge that can help improve the quality of a school or settings careers provision including:

• Useful contacts to support employer engagement activities in schools and colleges
• Awareness of the needs and expectations of students, their families and the wider community
• Understanding of the local labour market and its opportunities
• Contacts in other education and training provision and in the community, which can be harnessed to create opportunities for students
• Personal experience of career planning and development in employment and adult life
• Business, financial and HR skills to support strategic planning, effective deployment of resources, workforce development and review and evaluation

A governing body could consider the following actions:

• Encouraging the school or setting to work towards achieving or maintaining a Careers Wales quality improvement award to instil confidence in the careers provision and raise the profile of the school
• Ensuring the oversight of the school or setting CWRE provision by the appropriate staff, for example ensuring that the careers policy is up to date and monitoring the effectiveness of provision against the school’s annual delivery/development plan
• Review reports ensuring that methods of intervention are centrally recorded, funding streams such as the Pupil Deprivation Grant are being used to good effect and destination data is embedded as part of the school’s overall use of raising attainment, achievement and participation
• Identifying a link governor, such as a local employer governor, to support and challenge the careers staff
• Seeking out appropriate opportunities to talk to learners about their experience of the school’s careers provision for example attending events or taking part in school council meetings
• Encouraging school careers staff to achieve relevant qualifications, for example Level 6 certificate Career Leadership

Are we fulfilling our statutory duties regarding careers guidance?

Follow-up questions could include:

• How well does the provision match the requirements of relevant legislation, Estyn inspection criteria and Welsh Government recommendations?
• Does the school have a careers guidance policy in place that is reviewed by the governing body or appropriate governors committee (ideally every two years or in line with their school development plan) and reflects national requirements and our ambitions?
• Does the school have a member of the Senior Leadership Team who takes overall responsibility for leading and managing the school’s careers provision?
• Does the school have a member of the Senior Leadership Team who is responsible for supporting the professional learning of school careers staff?

What difference is the school’s performance making to the career-related attainment and progression of our students?

Follow-up questions could include:

• Has the school and the governing body analysed the data on destinations at the end of Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 going back over the last 3 to 5 years?
• Does the school and governing body regularly evaluate data on the quality and impact of the school’s careers provision and use it to inform improvement?
• How does the school and the governing body promote its careers provision to pupils, their families, local education partners and employers?

What contribution is our careers provision making to school effectiveness and improvement?

Follow-up questions could include:

• Does the school’s annual careers delivery plan make clear how careers work will support the achievement of the goals in the school’s improvement plan?
• On which recommendations, made by Estyn, is the school’s careers provision having a positive impact?

Have we allocated sufficient resources to meet our duty and are we getting value for money?

Follow-up questions could include:

• How much does the careers and work-related experiences provision cost the school?
• How does the school manage its Partnership Agreement with Careers Wales?
• What is the budget process for careers?
• How does the school negotiate the contribution of other partners?