City College Plymouth has achieved a perfect score of 100% in all eight of the areas assessed against the Gatsby Benchmarks Framework which looks at a school or college’s careers provision.
The Gatsby Benchmarks were developed on behalf of the Gatsby Foundation by Sir John Holman in 2013, which aimed to highlight what ‘good careers work’ looked like. They provide a clear framework for organising careers provision and have been accepted as best practice by the Government.
The eight areas covered by the Gatsby Benchmarks are a stable careers programme, learning from careers and labour market information, addressing the needs of each student, linking curriculum learning to careers, encounters with employers and employees, experiences in workplaces, encounters with further and higher education as well as personal guidance.
A whole-college approach to careers is required to achieve all eight Gatsby Benchmarks. Conducted by the Operational Hub Lead for the Devon, Plymouth and Torbay Careers Hub, Nicky Henderson, with support from volunteer Enterprise Advisor Jase Bleazard from Santander Bank, this rigorous assessment is undertaken throughout the year to ensure that a high quality careers provision is embedded across the College culture and is available to all.
The average achievement of benchmarks achieved by schools and colleges across the UK stands at 5.5 out of eight, with City College Plymouth achieving 100% in all eight areas. According to a report compiled by The Careers and Enterprise Company in 2024, analysis suggests that a student in a school achieving all eight Gatsby Benchmarks would have a career readiness 3.5% higher than a student in a school achieving only one Gatsby Benchmark.
City College Plymouth’s Careers Manager, Sarah Sinclair, said: “I am delighted that we have maintained the high standard required to achieve 100% in all eight Gatsby Benchmarks. It is great to receive the recognition of the work that we do at the College.
“With successful careers provision embedded in the College’s strategic plan, this 100% score reflects the development of high-quality, careers-focused curriculum that ultimately builds better futures for all.”
Sarah has been invited to speak at the online Westminster Education Forum policy conference on 10 September, which will focus on the future of careers guidance in England’s schools and post-16 settings. As City College has met all eight Gatsby benchmarks, Sarah has been asked to share insights on building partnerships with employers to address skills gaps and develop employment pathways for students. She will present her expertise during a session on post-16 careers guidance.
In addition to being one of a handful of colleges to receive 100% in all eight areas, the College also achieved a Gold Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) rating for its higher education provision in September 2023.
