On 8 May 2025, the Department for Education (DfE) published updated statutory guidance for schools, colleges and independent training providers on careers education, structured around the refreshed Gatsby Benchmarks.  

The guidance confirms that institutions will be expected to shape their careers programmes using the updated benchmarks from this September and it encourages everyone to start planning now to ensure a smooth transition.  

The Gatsby Foundation has also launched its Gatsby Benchmarks Champions hub to showcase how institutions are already implementing the updates. There is also support available from the Careers & Enterprise Company, including new tailored toolkits and free, interactive e-learning courses.

The DfE’s updated statutory guidance on careers guidance and access for education and training providers also strengthens Gatsby Benchmark 6 on experiences of workplaces. 

This statutory guidance – to which schools ‘must have regard’ and should follow unless there is good reason not to – now proposes that, from September 2025, schools in England should adopt this strengthened benchmark to arrange a week of work experience activities for pupils in years seven to nine and at least one placement in years ten to 11.

The DfE guidance says that activities in years seven to nine should consist of ‘multiple, varied and meaningful employer-led activities’ – for example, visits involving employer-set tasks, work-shadowing or talks in workplaces.  Placements in years ten to 11 should allow pupils to ‘experience a real working environment’. Pupils will be able to take their days with more than one employer and spread their placement time across a number of days or weeks at any point in the two years.

The DfE has not as yet set out any further detail on implementation timelines, any support to be made available nationally, nor delivery plans.