A Stable Careers Programme
Every school and college should have an embedded programme of career education and guidance that is known and understood by pupils, parents, teachers and employers.
What Benchmark 1 means in practice
Schools need a written careers programme that is published on their website, reviewed annually, and communicated to all stakeholders — students, parents, teachers, and employers.
What evidence is required
- Published careers programme on school website
- Named Careers Leader with dedicated time allocation
- Governor or senior leader with responsibility for careers
- Annual review of the programme
- Stakeholder awareness evidence (surveys, communications)
Common activities that satisfy Benchmark 1
- Careers programme policy document
- Annual careers calendar shared with students and parents
- Careers notice boards and assemblies
- Stakeholder surveys to measure awareness
How Chapter Schools tracks Benchmark 1
Chapter automatically logs every activity against Benchmark 1, tracks your programme publication date, and generates Ofsted-ready evidence reports showing programme breadth and stakeholder reach.
Frequently asked questions
What does Gatsby Benchmark 1 require?
Benchmark 1 requires schools to have a stable, written careers programme that is published on the school website and understood by students, parents, teachers, and employers. The programme must be reviewed annually and led by a named Careers Leader.
How do you evidence Gatsby Benchmark 1?
Evidence for Benchmark 1 includes: a published careers programme on your website, records of annual programme reviews, Careers Leader role allocation, governor lead records, and stakeholder awareness surveys showing students and parents know about careers provision.
How often should the Gatsby Benchmark 1 programme be reviewed?
Gatsby Benchmark 1 requires the careers programme to be reviewed at least annually, with updates published on the school website.
Related Gatsby Benchmarks
Stop manually tracking Benchmark 1
Chapter Schools automatically maps every activity to all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks. Book a demo to see your school's compliance dashboard.
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