What are the Gatsby Benchmarks?
A report was published in 2014 by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation identifying eight benchmarks (known as the Gatsby Benchmarks), regarded to be key components for driving forward good careers and enterprise provision in schools.
The Department for Education’s “Careers Strategy” was published 3 years after Professor Sir John Holman 2014 report ‘Good Career Guidance’.
The eight Gatsby Benchmarks:
- 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
Toolkits – PDFs X2 ( SEND Gatsby Toolkit & Gatsby BM Schools)
Both toolkits support Careers Leaders and teachers in schools and specialist provisions to effectively plan for impact in meeting all of the Gatsby Benchmarks. Each section includes the following:
- Understanding the Benchmarks: Benchmark and sub-benchmark detail. This section provides detailed information on each benchmark and sub-benchmark, including the criteria for achieving them. It also includes definitions of key terms to ensure clarity and understanding. Benchmarks 5,6 & 7 also include a definitions of ‘meaningful’.
- Planning for impact: How to meet each of the Gatsby Benchmarks. As the Careers Leader, you are the expert in the context of your own school, special school or Alternative Provision, this section signposts to essential resource, support and CPD to help you to develop a strategic and sustainable approach to meeting each benchmark.
- Getting Started: Essential steps for success. This section allows you to get started on meeting the eight Gatsby Benchmarks with simple steps you can take straight away as part of approach
Labour Market Information (BM2)
Gatsby Benchmark 2 emphasizes the importance of providing pupils with access to accurate and up-to-date Labour Market Information (LMI). Understanding LMI means knowing about current job trends, the skills employers are seeking, and the opportunities available in different sectors and regions. This knowledge helps pupils make informed decisions about their future education, training, and career pathways. By integrating LMI into careers education, schools equip students with a realistic view of the employment landscape, helping to align their aspirations with actual labour market demands and improve their chances of success in a competitive and ever-changing world.
There are four specific growth areas for the north east region; advanced manufacturing, digital, energy and health and life sciences.
Careers across the Curriculum (BM4)
Gatsby Benchmark 4 focuses on integrating careers education across the curriculum, ensuring that every subject area contributes to pupils’ understanding of the world of work. At Corbridge Middle School, we recognise that each department plays a vital role in connecting curriculum content to real-world careers. By embedding careers links within teaching plans, staff can help pupils see how their learning relates to various industries and job roles. This approach not only highlights specific career sectors relevant to topics studied but also reinforces essential employability skills—such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving—that are transferable across all fields.
Incorporating careers education into subject teaching is important because it provides pupils with a clearer sense of purpose and motivation, helping them to make informed choices about their futures. Practical ways this is achieved include aligning curriculum topics with career pathways, using resources like the Careers & Enterprise Company’s My Learning My Future and North East Ambition materials, organising employer talks and enrichment trips, and taking part in events like National Careers Week. Additionally, creating engaging career-focused displays and embedding skills development throughout lessons further supports pupils in building long-term aspirations and preparing for the world beyond school.
Personal Guidance (BM8)
At Corbridge Middle School, we are able to offer personal careers guidance to pupils upon request to support Gatsby Benchmark 8, which focuses on providing individual career advice. While this personalised guidance is available on a request basis during Key Stage 3, more comprehensive and formal careers guidance is routinely provided at the next stage of your child’s education. This approach ensures that pupils receive tailored support when needed, while also benefiting from dedicated, in-depth guidance as they prepare for important transition points in their education.