Encounters with Further and Higher Education
All pupils should understand the full range of learning opportunities that are available to them. This includes both academic and vocational routes and the next steps that are available to them.
What Benchmark 7 means in practice
Students need exposure to the full range of post-school options — not just university. Benchmark 7 requires that students understand apprenticeships, further education colleges, and vocational pathways alongside degree routes.
What evidence is required
- Records of university visits or HE talks
- Evidence of FE college and apprenticeship provider encounters
- Post-16 option events (open evenings, transition days)
- Year 9 and Year 11 options-process evidence
Common activities that satisfy Benchmark 7
- University open day visits or virtual tours
- Apprenticeship provider talks
- FE college taster days
- Alumni panels covering diverse post-school routes
- UCAS and apprenticeship application support sessions
How Chapter Schools tracks Benchmark 7
Chapter's Provider CRM tracks all FE and HE provider relationships, and the Events module logs every student encounter with universities, colleges, and apprenticeship providers. Benchmark 7 coverage is visible in real time across your year groups.
Frequently asked questions
What does Gatsby Benchmark 7 require schools to provide?
Benchmark 7 requires schools to ensure every student understands the full range of post-school options — university, further education, apprenticeships, and vocational pathways. Schools must provide encounters with providers from all routes, not just higher education, so students can make genuinely informed decisions.
How do you evidence Gatsby Benchmark 7?
Evidence includes records of HE and FE encounters (visits, talks, fairs), provider visit logs, student attendance records, and examples of guidance that covered multiple post-school routes. Balance between academic and vocational pathway exposure is important.
Do apprenticeship events count towards Gatsby Benchmark 7?
Yes — apprenticeship encounters are a core component of Benchmark 7. Schools that only provide university-focused encounters will not fully meet the benchmark. Equal coverage of apprenticeship and vocational routes alongside academic routes is expected.
Related Gatsby Benchmarks
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