Northampton International Academy has achieved all eight of the Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance.
The Gatsby Benchmarks are a framework for good careers provision. They have been adopted as part of the government’s careers strategy and are a statutory requirement for academies.
The eight Gatsby Benchmarks of Good Career Guidance 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
The school achieved 100% in all eight benchmarks, thanks to its strategic plan for careers guidance and numerous targeted activities including careers assemblies, trips, visiting speakers and extracurricular sessions, and specific initiatives such as the annual NIA Career’s Fair and also being part of the Brilliant Club’s Scholar’s Programme which sees pupils work with PhD tutors to experience what it’s like to study at university.
Northampton International Academy headteacher Martin Serrao said: “Achieving all eight Gatsby benchmarks confirms that our students now receive good career guidance, enabling them to make informed decisions about their future.
“Ofsted now specifically includes career guidance within their inspection framework because it’s essential to the future success of students. It helps students to understand enough about the world of work to know what skills they need to succeed and can open their eyes to careers they may not have previously considered.
“We’re delighted that our commitment to providing the best careers guidance possible has been recognised in this way.”