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Last updated: 16-12-2024. From web page: Post 16 education team.

Service Level Agreement 2025-2026 – Southampton Maintained Schools – Post 16 Team

Introduction

Overview

Careers guidance and access for education and training providers statutory guidance for governing bodies, school leaders and school staff was published in August 2022

This is statutory guidance from the Department for Education. This means that recipients must have regard to it when carrying out duties relating to independent careers guidance and provider access to schools. We use the term ‘must’ when the person in question is legally required to do something and ‘should’ when advice is being offered.

Careers guidance and access for education and training providers

The careers strategy sets out that that every school needs a Careers Leader who has the skills and commitment, and backing from their senior leadership team, to deliver the careers programme across all eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Every school is expected to name this Careers Leader and publish contact details on their website from September 2018. More information about the role and responsibilities of the Careers Leader is set out in a new guide, ‘Understanding the role of the Careers Leader’. 

A stable careers programme

Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by students, parents, teachers, governors and employers.

  • Every school should have a stable, structured careers programme that has the explicit backing of the senior management team, and has an identified and appropriately trained person responsible for it. 
  • The careers programme should be published on the school’s website in a way that enables pupils, parents, teachers and employers to access and understand it.
  • The programme should be regularly evaluated with feedback from pupils, parents, teachers and employers as part of the evaluation process.

Learning from career and labour market information

Every student, and their parents, should have access to good quality information about future study options and labour market opportunities. They will need the support of an informed adviser to make best use of available information.

  • By the age of 14, all pupils should have accessed and used information about career paths and the labour market to inform their own decisions on study options.
  • Parents should be encouraged to access and use information about labour markets and future study options to inform their support to their children. 

Addressing the needs of each student

Students have different career guidance needs at different stages. Opportunities for advice and support need to be tailored to the needs of each student. A school’s careers programme should embed equality and diversity considerations throughout.

  • A school’s careers programme should actively seek to challenge stereotypical thinking and raise aspirations.
  • Schools should keep systematic records of the individual advice given to each pupil, and subsequent agreed decisions.
  • All pupils should have access to these records to support their career development.
  • Schools should collect and maintain accurate data for each pupil on their education, training or employment destinations for at least three years after they leave the school.

Linking curriculum learning to careers

All teachers should link curriculum learning with careers. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) subject teachers should highlight the relevance of STEM subjects for a wide range of future career paths.

  • By the age of 14, every pupil should have had the opportunity to learn how the different STEM subjects help people to gain entry to, and be more effective workers within, a wide range of careers.

Encounters with employers and employees

Every student should have multiple opportunities to learn from employers about work, employment and the skills that are valued in the workplace. This can be through a range of enrichment activities including visiting speakers, mentoring and enterprise schemes.

  • Every year, from the age of 11, pupils should participate in at least one meaningful encounter* with an employer.

*A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to learn about what work is like or what it takes to be successful in the workplace.

Experiences of workplaces

Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.

  • By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.
  • By the age of 18, every pupil should have had one further such experience, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

Encounters with further and higher education

All students should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and learning in schools, colleges, universities and in the workplace.

  • By the age of 16, every pupil should have had a meaningful encounter* with providers of the full range of learning opportunities, including Sixth Forms, colleges, universities and apprenticeship providers. This should include the opportunity to meet both staff and pupils.
  • By the age of 18, all pupils who are considering applying for university should have had at least two visits to universities to meet staff and pupils.

*A ‘meaningful encounter’ is one in which the student has an opportunity to explore what it is like to learn in that environment. 

Personal guidance

Every student should have opportunities for guidance interviews with a career adviser, who could be internal (a member of school staff) or external, provided they are trained to an appropriate level. These should be available whenever significant study or career choices are being made.

  • Every pupil should have at least one such interview by the age of 16, and the opportunity for a further interview by the age of 18.

The Partnership Agreement

Overview

The activities in this Partnership Agreement have been tailored to the exact requirements of your school.  The aim of the agreement is to set out in clear terms the way in which the Southampton City Council Careers team can add value according to agreed priorities and targets.

This Partnership Agreement describes the information, advice, guidance and support services provided to students in (insert school)

The Partnership Agreement:

  • Describes the mutually agreed Activities by term of areas of work to be delivered to young people.
  • Describes the contribution of the (insert school) to information, advice, guidance and support.
  • Defines policies that will be followed in order to address information sharing, confidentiality and safeguarding.
  • Gives details of the key contacts responsible for delivering information, advice, guidance and support to students in (insert school).

Agreement

This agreement is made between Southampton City Council and (School Name) for the provision of Careers Information Advice and Guidance to students, staff and parents and carers.

Objective

To agree the services to be provided, and through discussion with (School Name) agree the parameters by which the quality of the services will be measured

Southampton City Council obligations

Southampton City Council will ensure:

  • All services will be delivered as set out in the agreed commission
  • All services follow all safeguarding and child protection procedures in accordance with your schools policies
  • All services are delivered within the required Health and Safety standards
  • Each student and the school will receive an agreed signed action plan following each one to one careers guidance interview
  • All resources required for delivery will be provided unless agreed otherwise

School obligations

(School Name) will ensure:

  • All commissions and other such instructions are given in accordance with the arrangements mutually agreed between the two parties
  • Each commission is placed with a clearly defined brief specifying the requirements of the school and providing details of the agreed rates, time and other constraints
  • A safe, confidential space for all one-to-one Careers Guidance Interviews will be provided
  • All students are advised of their careers interview time and venue.  In the event of students being absent on the day of their interview a reserve student will be allocated
  • All group work sessions will be restricted to 20 students. Should more than 20 students attend a session additional support staff will be provided by the school

Activities delivered by SCC

  • Deliver impartial information advice and guidance to young people on the school roll.
  • One to one discussions, drop in sessions, group work, assemblies and presentations delivered in school or at other locations.
  • From the pupil audit and in collaboration with the school identify students for targeted advice and support at key transition times, to include care experienced young people young people with special educational needs & disabilities and young people who are disengaged from school.
  • Tracking all students in Years 11/12/13 to ensure they have an offer of learning and taking action, with the LA and other partners, for those students who do not have an offer
  • Identification of young people’s intended destinations in Year 11 and the compilation and presentation of the Year 11 activity survey.
  • To work intensively with those young people with no destination and to support that young person during and after year 11 transition to engage in further education, employment or training.
  • Attendance at additional school events through mutual agreement
  • Supporting parents and carers to understand the range of options available
  • Providing consultancy and support to help schools develop and achieve their Gatsby Benchmarks.
  • Ensure the school is kept up to date with policy and changes in the CEIAG sector.
  • Training and development sessions for all staff supporting students with Careers Education and progression
  • Careers advice and guidance support for existing staff for their own continuous personal development

What does the school provide?

To contribute to an effective information, advice, guidance and support service, the school has specific responsibilities to:

  • Appoint a Careers Lead with responsibility for Careers Information Advice and Guidance within the school, to act as the single point of contact.
  • Meet with Careers Adviser regularly to discuss updates and planning.
  • Provide appropriate accommodation for the Careers Adviser which is confidential and accessible to pupils. The room will need access to a telephone and the internet.
  • Provide a programme of careers education that complies with the Careers Strategy and Meets the Gatsby Benchmarks.
  • Make available information on students through SIMs or equivalent, to include academic performance, predicted grades and appropriate and relevant personal information.
  • Tracking all students in Year 11 to ensure they have an offer of learning and taking action with the LA and other partners, for those students who do not have an offer.
  • Share information on students regarding their destination after completing Year 11.
  • Make available information on new starters and leavers from the school.
  • Provide information on those with significant non-attendance and also those who are out of school for extended periods due to other reasons.
  • Identify young people who would benefit from additional support, including those young people with special educational needs.
  • Actively involve the Careers Adviser in appropriate meetings, such as pastoral support, in-school review, year heads, governors’, tutors’ and relevant parents’ evenings.
  • Establish and maintain an appropriate Information Centre or Information Point that is accessible to students

Service Costs

Provision: Careers adviser

Costs

  • 18 days: £5,018
  • 36 days: £10,033
  • Daily rate: £280

Service Contacts and Performance Review

Service Contacts

The contact is Beth Bray

Post 16 manager
Southampton City Council
Civic Centre
Southampton

Tel: 023 80917746/07795656137

Email: beth.bray@southampton.gov.uk

Performance Review

We monitor the performance of the service by reviewing individual interventions, evaluation of any training delivered and seeking regular feedback from pupils, parents and school staff and other professionals.

The service provision will be quality assured, and performance managed by the Post 16 manager.

Any queries, concerns, or complaints about the overall operation of the scheme should be addressed to Beth Bray – Post 16 manager, at the above address

Suggested activities for a school Careers Education programme

Events each term by year group

Year Autumn term Spring term Summer term
Year 8 University taster days
STEM events		 Careers Fair
Topic themed assemblies
Option choices		 STEM events
Careers research on available resources e.g. Fast Tomato, eClips, National Careers Service website
Year 9 University taster days
STEM events
Enterprise events		 Careers Fair
Topic themed assemblies
Option choices		 FE awareness sessions
Apprenticeships awareness sessions
Careers research on available resources e.g. Fast Tomato, eClips, National Careers Service website
STEM events
Year 10 Careers Fair
Topic themed assemblies
Occupational group talks		 Mock interviews
Work experience preparation
CV writing		 Individual careers guidance interviews
College taster days
Work experience
Higher education awareness session
Year 11 Individual careers guidance interviews
College applications
Apprenticeship awareness session		 Apprenticeship applications
Individual careers guidance interviews
Interview preparation		 Follow up interviews
Results day support
All Careers related stands at Parents evenings including FE, HE and apprenticeships
Calendar of college open days issued		 Careers related stands at Parents evenings including FE, HE and apprenticeships