It’s no secret that schools are pushed for time and money. There are so many conflicting priorities for both teachers and heads, so it’s easy to see why careers advisers and professionals feel that they have to fight for resources.
In a recent event in London, the Department for Education’s team leader, Maria Sciara, faced challenges about schools’ ability to prioritise careers education.
During a question and answer session, members of the audience repeatedly raised concerns about the pressures faced by teachers and schools.
A member of the audience suggested that heads are having to focus on so many different priorities that it’s difficult to argue that careers should be a priority.
Another audience member listed a number of challenges that schools are being asked to prioritise by the DfE: Progress 8, Prevent, SEND, pupil premium, new specifications, increased class sizes, safeguarding, and noted that all of these increased pressures means that careers education is having to fight for resources.
Ms Sciara, the DfE representative, acknowledged these increasing pressures. She suggested that careers advice should be embedded into the curriculum and therefore not represent a significant additional burden on teachers.
Members of the audience also challenged the DfE on the funding available for careers education in schools. There were questions raised over the pressure on the already squeezed resources of many schools.
Careers education is a vital part of your school’s curriculum. It’s important to ensure that your school is complying with the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Do you think this is something schools should be focusing more resources towards? Does your school struggle to find time and money for careers? Let us know on Twitter.
If your school is looking for an easy way to enhance their careers provision, the MyFutureChoice range of products can help. Find out more about our products and services here.