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Careers

From Year 7, students receive structured careers guidance from our Careers Lead, Paul Gilson (pgilson@blandfordschool.org.uk), helping them to begin exploring future pathways and develop early aspirations.

From Year 9, students benefit from individual careers guidance sessions with our professional Careers Adviser from EDT. Working closely with each student, these sessions focus on identifying strengths and interests, setting realistic and achievable goals, planning next steps, and uncovering opportunities they may not have previously considered. This personalised support ensures every student is empowered to follow their own unique path.

Our Strategic Careers Lead is Deputy Head, Duncan Smith (dsmith@blandfordschool.org.uk).
The Governor responsible for Careers is Peter Slocombe, and our Enterprise Adviser is Evonne Pemberton, who supports the school by strengthening links between education and the world of work.

To explore courses and apprenticeships, students and families can also use the National Careers Service:
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/find-a-course

THE BLANDFORD SCHOOL

Careers Plan 2026 2027

A whole school programme for Years 7 to 13

Document owner	Strategic oversight	Approval and review
Paul Gilson Careers Leader	Duncan Smith Deputy Head and Strategic Careers Lead	SLT and Governing Body Termly monitoring and annual review

Plan period: September 2026 to August 2027

Prepared 28 September 2026 | Review date July 2027

1 Purpose and strategic intent

This plan sets out how The Blandford School will provide a coherent, inclusive and progressive careers programme for every student in Years 7 to 13 during 2026–27. It converts the school’s published commitments and existing provision into an annual delivery, accountability and evaluation framework. The central aim is that students understand the full range of academic, technical and vocational routes, develop the skills and confidence to pursue them, and move successfully to an appropriate next destination.

The plan supports the school’s published description of a vibrant, inclusive and ambitious community and its commitment to confidence, character, wellbeing and strong next steps. It also makes the REAP values practical within careers learning: Respect in professional conduct, Effort in preparation, Attitude in responding to opportunity, and Perseverance in navigating setbacks and applications.

Priorities for 2026 2027

· Publish a stable, visible and fully evidenced careers programme from Year 7 to Year 13, aligned to the updated Gatsby Benchmarks and the June 2026 statutory guidance.

· Increase meaningful employer and workplace experiences, progressing towards the government ambition of two weeks’ worth of work experience by the end of Key Stage 4.

· Guarantee impartial information about apprenticeships, technical education, further education, sixth form and higher education, including all statutory provider encounters.

· Strengthen personalisation from Year 9 onwards, with priority support for students who are disadvantaged, have SEND, are at risk of NEET, are looked after or previously looked after, or lack secure plans.

· Embed careers learning in subject curricula and show students how knowledge and transferable skills connect to local and national labour-market opportunities.

· Implement a progressive Unifrog learning journey from Year 7 to Year 13 and use its profiles, Locker, interactions and destinations records alongside Compass+, participation, student voice and stakeholder feedback to evaluate quality and improve the programme.

2 Published school position and cross reference

The school website was reviewed on 28 September 2026. The following published statements provide the foundation for this plan.

Website evidence	Published position	2026–27 response
School ethos and values	The school describes itself as vibrant, inclusive and ambitious, with confidence, character and wellbeing alongside academic success. REAP values are Respect, Effort, Attitude and Perseverance.	Use REAP as the employability and professional-behaviour language across encounters, preparation and reflection.
Careers programme	Structured careers guidance begins in Year 7. Individual careers guidance with the professional EDT adviser begins from Year 9.	Maintain universal early provision, with recorded personal guidance and prioritisation from Year 9.
Leadership	Paul Gilson is named Careers Lead; Duncan Smith is Strategic Careers Lead; Peter Slocombe is the careers governor; Evonne Pemberton is Enterprise Adviser.	Clarify delivery, strategic challenge and governor scrutiny through a termly reporting cycle.
Curriculum	The published curriculum is broad, balanced and ambitious and aims to develop knowledge, skills, independence and critical thinking. Year 7–13 curriculum plans are published.	Each faculty identifies and records at least two purposeful career-learning links per year group.
Sixth form enrichment	The website states that all Year 12 students receive one week of work experience; vocational students may complete regular placements. Enrichment supports university, apprenticeship and employment applications.	Deliver and evaluate Year 12 work experience, plus pathway-specific enrichment and employer engagement.
Destinations	The website publishes extensive examples of university, specialist training, employment and higher-apprenticeship destinations.	Use alumni and destination stories to widen aspiration; publish fuller aggregate and sustained-destination measures where available.
Careers Fair 2026	The first careers fair involved more than 35 employers, universities, colleges, charities, public services and training providers and served students across the school.	Repeat and expand the fair, balancing sectors, routes and meaningful preparation and follow-up.

Website development actions

· Publish this annual programme in a clear year-by-year format, including dates or term windows, intended learning outcomes and named contacts.

· Publish or clearly link a compliant provider access policy statement covering Years 8–13, access arrangements, premises, safeguarding, complaints and review date.

· Add programme impact information: student and parent feedback, participation, benchmark progress and aggregate destination data.

· State how parents, employers and providers can contribute, and include a current review date on all careers pages.

· Check that the careers page reflects the June 2026 statutory guidance, the updated Gatsby Benchmarks and the new emphasis on cumulative workplace experiences.

3 Statutory and quality framework

Delivery will be governed by the Department for Education’s Careers guidance and access for education and training providers, updated 23 June 2026. The programme will use the updated Gatsby Benchmarks, which have applied in statutory guidance since September 2025. The school must secure independent careers guidance for pupils and meet provider access legislation, including at least six opportunities for Years 8–13 to meet approved technical education or apprenticeship providers. The school must also publish a provider access statement.

Updated Gatsby Benchmark	The Blandford School implementation
1 A stable careers programme	Published plan; explicit leadership; student, parent, employer and staff feedback; termly monitoring.
2 Learning from career and labour market information	Age-appropriate LMI; local Dorset sectors; reliable digital sources; parents supported to discuss choices.
3 Addressing the needs of each young person	Systematic records; tailored support; equality, SEND and disadvantage; challenging stereotypes; transition follow-up.
4 Linking curriculum learning to careers	Subject-level career links; teachers supported with resources; English, maths and digital skills linked to pathways.
5 Encounters with employers and employees	Multiple purposeful encounters over time, with preparation, interaction and reflection.
6 Experiences of workplaces	Progressive in-person, virtual and project-based experiences; Year 12 placement; expansion towards two weeks by end of KS4.
7 Encounters with further and higher education	Meaningful access to FE, sixth form, HE, specialist and technical routes, including visits.
8 Personal guidance	Impartial adviser meetings at key decision points, with action plans and additional support where needed.

4 Governance and responsibilities

Role	Core responsibility
Governing Body and careers governor	Ensure statutory compliance; approve and review the published policy; challenge impact and equity; receive an annual report.
Headteacher and SLT	Set strategic direction; protect time and resources; integrate careers with curriculum, personal development, attendance, inclusion and destinations.
Strategic Careers Lead Duncan Smith	Provide SLT sponsorship; remove delivery barriers; monitor priorities and report to SLT and governors.
Careers Leader Paul Gilson	Plan and coordinate the programme; manage partners and events; quality assure encounters; maintain Compass+ and programme evidence; report impact.
Careers Adviser EDT Jess Allen	Deliver impartial personal guidance; produce action plans; prioritise identified cohorts; contribute themes and referral needs without breaching confidentiality.
Enterprise Adviser Evonne Pemberton	Advise on employer engagement, labour-market relevance and strategic development; support new employer relationships.
Heads of Year and tutors	Prepare students; promote opportunities; identify students requiring targeted support; record and follow up participation.
Heads of Faculty and subject teachers	Plan explicit curriculum links; include employer or workplace context; record representative examples and evaluate student learning.
SENDCO designated teacher and pastoral teams	Ensure reasonable adjustments, accessible information, early transition planning and targeted guidance.
Sixth Form team and WEX administration	Coordinate post-16 pathways, UCAS/apprenticeship support and Year 12 work experience, including safeguarding and risk processes.
Students parents carers employers and providers	Engage, contribute feedback and help improve relevance, access and impact.

5 Entitlement for every student

Every student will receive a planned sequence rather than isolated events. Activities will be prepared in advance, include meaningful interaction where possible, and be followed by reflection or an action. Participation and outcomes will be recorded centrally.

Year	Learning focus	Minimum planned entitlement
Year 7	Self-awareness, aspirations, stereotypes, REAP employability behaviours, introducing career sectors and pathways.	Careers launch through tutor/pastoral curriculum; employer story or assembly; subject links; reflection recorded.
Year 8	Skills, local labour market, technical routes, apprenticeships and higher education awareness.	Provider encounter; University of Bath visit for the cohort on 18 and 20 May 2027; curriculum encounters; careers fair.
Year 9	Option choices, strengths and interests, employability skills, route awareness and preparation for work experience.	Options support; individual or prioritised adviser guidance from Year 9; Year 9 Work Related Learning programme including CV writing and mock interviews, with date to be confirmed in the spring or summer term; Sturminster Newton Exchange skills day for selected students; provider encounter; fair.
Year 10	A sustained experience of the workplace, professional conduct, reflection and informed post-16 planning.	Five-day Year 10 Work Experience Week from 28 June to 2 July 2027; preparation and placement checks; post-16 and provider encounters; careers fair.
Year 11	Informed post-16 applications, transition, contingency planning and employability.	Targeted Lego Careers Workshop 21 October; adviser interviews; college, sixth form and apprenticeship information; applications; follow-up for students without offers.
Year 12	Experience of work, independent decision-making, HE and apprenticeship research, professional networks.	Work experience 8–12 March 2027; UCAS and apprenticeship programme; employer/HE encounters; fair; reflection and action plan.
Year 13	Successful progression, applications, interviews, finance, transition and resilience.	Personal guidance as required; UCAS/apprenticeship/employment support; mock interviews; destination confirmation and summer follow-up.

6 Unifrog progressive careers learning plan

Unifrog will provide the digital spine for a cumulative careers curriculum from Year 7 to Year 13. Each year revisits exploration, reflection and next-step planning at a higher level, so students build rather than repeat knowledge. Activities will be delivered through tutor time, PSHE, careers sessions and independent study. Staff will adapt the exact Unifrog Careers Year Plan resources to the cohort, and students will retain evidence in their profile and Locker.

Year	Developmental focus	Core Unifrog learning and activity	Recorded outcome
Year 7	Know myself and broaden horizons	Set up and learn to navigate Unifrog; complete an interests quiz; explore careers linked to interests and school subjects; challenge career stereotypes.	Profile established; at least three careers favourited; short reflection on interests and aspirations.
Year 8	Recognise skills and understand the world of work	Complete skills and work-environment activities; use the Careers Library and local/national labour-market information; explore technical, vocational and academic routes.	Skills reflection recorded; careers compared; questions prepared for a provider, employer or university encounter.
Year 9	Connect strengths, subjects and pathways	Review quiz profile; research GCSE subjects and post-16 routes; begin a CV and activities record; use Unifrog to prepare for CV writing, employer encounters and mock interviews in the Year 9 Work Related Learning programme.	Initial CV and activities record; option/pathway rationale; personal careers goal and action.
Year 10	Prepare for and learn from workplace experience	Develop CV and application skills; research sectors and placement organisations; record placement preparation, intended skills and safeguarding requirements; evaluate Work Experience Week, 28 June to 2 July 2027.	Completed placement preparation; personal targets; employer/student feedback and post-placement reflection stored.
Year 11	Make an informed and realistic post-16 transition	Compare sixth-form, college, apprenticeship and employment-with-training routes; shortlist options; prepare applications and interviews; record personal-guidance actions and intended destination.	At least two viable routes, including a back-up; applications tracked; current intended destination and guidance action plan recorded.
Year 12	Explore post-18 possibilities and build evidence	Compare university, apprenticeship, employment and gap-year routes; use subject and careers libraries, webinars and super-curricular resources; maintain activities, competencies and CV; prepare for Year 12 work experience, 8 to 12 March 2027.	Post-18 shortlist; updated CV and activities/competencies record; work-experience targets and reflection; intended destination reviewed.
Year 13	Apply successfully and manage transition	Complete and track university, apprenticeship or employment applications; refine personal statement, CV and interview preparation; investigate student finance and transition; confirm first-choice and contingency plans.	Applications and offers tracked; confirmed intended destination and back-up; final transition action plan; actual destination updated when known.

Implementation and quality assurance. Tutors and careers staff will assign activities at agreed points in the year. Completion and quality will be reviewed termly by year group and by SEND, disadvantage and other priority cohorts. Unifrog records will inform personal guidance, Compass+ evidence and programme evaluation; completion alone will not be treated as proof of learning, so key activities will include reflection, discussion or an applied outcome.

7 Annual delivery plan

Dates shown are confirmed where known. Term windows marked to confirm should be agreed through the school calendar and communicated at least six working weeks before delivery where staffing, rooms, transport or providers are required.

Timing	Activity and intended outcome	Cohort	Gatsby	Lead
September 2026	Y12 work experience launch assembly; student and parent information; placement search begins. Baseline Compass+ review and programme publication. Identify priority guidance cohorts.	Y7–13	1, 2, 3, 8	Careers Leader; Sixth Form; WEX team
1 and 10 October	Bournemouth & Poole College open-event promotion and prospectus distribution.	Y11–13	2, 7	HOYs; tutors; Careers Leader
21 October 12.15–13.15	Bournemouth & Poole College Your Future Delivered Lego workshop for about 30 targeted Y11 students; 12.00 set-up.	Y11	3, 5, 7	Careers Leader; HOY11; B&P College
Autumn 1 and 2	Y11 applications, college/sixth-form/apprenticeship awareness and adviser interviews. Y9 options-linked guidance begins.	Y9, Y11	2, 3, 7, 8	Adviser; HOYs; tutors
23–27 November	Dorset Careers Hub themed assembly week: Mon Y8, Tue Y9, Wed Y7, Thu Y11, Fri Y10, 08.45–09.15.	Y7–11	2, 5, 7	Careers Leader; HOYs; external speakers
By 18 December	Target almost all Y12 placements secured to support SWEP checks; medical placements managed as agreed exceptions.	Y12	3, 6	Sixth Form; WEX administrators
January–February 2027	Curriculum careers focus; National Apprenticeship Week activity; Y11 application and offer follow-up; early preparation for Year 10 work experience placements.	Y7–13	2, 4, 5, 7	Faculties; tutors; Careers Leader
March to confirm	Selected Y9 skills day at Sturminster Newton Exchange, delivered through Dorset Careers Hub.	Y9	3, 5, 6	Careers Leader; Dorset Careers Hub
Spring or summer term date to confirm	Year 9 Work Related Learning programme, including CV writing, applications, employability skills and mock interviews. This activity prepares students before their Year 10 Work Experience Week.	Y9	2, 3, 4, 5, 8	Careers Leader; HOY9; tutors; employers
8–12 March	Year 12 work experience week; safeguarding, employer contact, student reflection and evaluation.	Y12	3, 5, 6, 8	Sixth Form; Helen Gibb; SWEP; Careers Leader
19–23 April	Second themed assembly week using the same year-group order and 08.45–09.15 slot.	Y7–11	2, 5, 7	Careers Leader; HOYs; external speakers
18 and 20 May	Two University of Bath visits for the Year 8 cohort, 11.00–14.00 programme; depart 09.00 and return about 15.15. Group allocation to confirm.	Y8	3, 7	Careers Leader; trip staff; University of Bath
28 June–2 July 2027	Year 10 Work Experience Week (WRLW): five days of meaningful workplace experience, supported by advance preparation, placement checks, employer contact, student reflection and evaluation.	Y10	2, 3, 5, 6, 8	Careers Leader; EDT; employers; HOY10
July date to confirm	Whole-school Careers Fair, building on the 2026 event; provider mix mapped against routes and sectors; prepared questions and post-event reflection.	Y8–12	2, 3, 5, 7	Careers Leader; school team; providers
July 2027	Evaluate outcomes; complete Compass+ review; analyse participation, student voice and destination risks; report to SLT/governors; publish 2027–28 programme.	Y7–13	1, 3	Careers Leader; Strategic Lead; Governor

8 Curriculum learning and staff development

Careers learning will be visible within subject teaching, not confined to events. Faculties should select authentic links that deepen curriculum learning rather than adding superficial job lists.

· By October half term, each faculty maps at least two high-quality careers links for every year group it teaches and identifies where employability or technical skills are made explicit.

· Each faculty delivers at least one employer, professional, workplace or real-world problem encounter during the year, in person or virtually where appropriate.

· Teachers use up-to-date labour-market and pathway information and challenge gender, disability, class and ethnicity stereotypes.

· English, mathematics, science and computing show explicitly how attainment and disciplinary skills enable progression.

· Evidence is retained through curriculum plans, student work, photographs where consent permits, lesson resources and brief student feedback.

· A concise staff briefing explains the updated Gatsby Benchmarks, provider access duties, referral routes and recording expectations.

9 Personal guidance inclusion and targeted support

Personal guidance must be impartial, appropriately timed and linked to each student’s actual choices. It should result in a clear action plan that the student can understand and revisit. The programme will actively remove barriers rather than assume equal access.

Level	Provision and monitoring
Universal	Careers learning and encounters for every student; clear information for families; opportunity records checked for gaps.
Priority guidance	Students approaching option or transition points; unclear plans; no application or offer; low career readiness; persistent absence or engagement concerns.
Additional vulnerability	Disadvantaged students; SEND or EHCP; looked-after or previously looked-after children; young carers; students known to social care; risk of NEET.
Reasonable adjustments	Accessible formats, smaller-group or supported encounters, familiarisation, additional processing time, transport/access planning and joined-up transition work.
Equity checks	Compare participation, guidance, workplace experiences and destinations by year group, disadvantage, SEND and gender; intervene where gaps appear.

10 Employer provider parent and alumni engagement

· Maintain one central partner register showing sector, route, year groups, safeguarding requirements, previous activity, evaluation and next contact.

· Prioritise employers reflecting Dorset opportunities and wider growth sectors, while ensuring students encounter careers beyond the local labour market.

· Balance the careers fair and assembly programme across academic, technical, apprenticeship, public-service, creative, STEM, health, construction, land-based, digital and entrepreneurial routes.

· Use alumni and leavers to make progression relatable, drawing on the diverse destinations already published on the website.

· Give parents and carers timely information before option choices, post-16 decisions and work experience; invite feedback and signpost impartial resources.

· Quality-assure each encounter for preparation, meaningful interaction, route impartiality, safeguarding, accessibility and reflection.

Current employer engagement register

This is a working register of employers and employer-facing partners already engaged by the school or identified for 2026–27. It will be updated termly with named contacts, confirmed activity, participation, evaluation and the next planned engagement. Where an organisation attended the 2026 Careers Fair, continued participation in 2027 remains subject to confirmation.

Organisation	Sector	Current or planned engagement	Year groups	Status and next step
Eaton Aerospace	Engineering and advanced manufacturing	Careers Fair; possible STEM and workplace activity	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027 and explore deeper activity
Parker Filtration Group	Engineering and manufacturing	Careers Fair; employer insight and possible workplace activity	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Sarum Electronics	Electronics and manufacturing	Careers Fair; STEM careers insight	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Amberley Labels	Manufacturing, design and print	Careers Fair; local employment and technical roles	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Spetisbury Construction	Construction and trades	Careers Fair; construction pathways and workplace insight	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Southern Gas Networks	Energy and utilities	Careers Fair; technical, engineering and apprenticeship routes	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Vizst Technology	Digital and technology	Careers Fair; digital careers and skills	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
JP Morgan	Finance and technology	Careers Fair; finance, business and technology pathways	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Dorset Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust	Health and care	Careers Fair; health careers and progression routes	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Specsavers	Optical health and retail	Careers Fair; health, customer service and business roles	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Weldmar Hospicecare	Health, care and charity	Careers Fair; care, charity and professional roles	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Dorset Police	Public service and policing	Careers Fair; public-service careers and employability	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Royal Air Force	Defence, aviation and engineering	Careers Fair and small-group activity; technical and apprenticeship routes	Y8–Y12, with targeted Y10	Existing relationship; confirm 2026–27 contribution
Royal Corps of Signals	Defence, communications and cyber	Careers Fair; offered talks, workplace visits, work experience, mock interviews and STEM workshops	Y7–Y12	Existing relationship; agree a progressive programme
Civil Service	Public administration	Careers Fair; range of government careers and entry routes	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Hays Travel	Travel and tourism	Careers Fair; customer service, business and travel careers	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Sodexo	Hospitality, facilities and business services	Careers Fair; broad employment and apprenticeship routes	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Dorset County Football Association	Sport and community development	Careers Fair; sport, coaching and administration roles	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Dorset Library Service	Public service, information and community	Careers Fair; community and information-service roles	Y8–Y12	Existing relationship; invite for 2027
Cats Protection	Animal care and charity	Virtual sector encounter; animal-care and charity roles	Y9–Y10	Existing relationship; confirm future activity
Local employer mock-interview panel	Mixed sectors	CV feedback and mock interviews within Year 9 Work Related Learning	Y9	Employers to recruit and confirm
Year 10 placement employers	Mixed sectors matched to student interests	Five-day Work Experience Week, 28 June–2 July 2027	Y10	Compile through EDT, Equalex/SWEP and school contacts
Year 12 placement employers	Mixed sectors matched to progression plans	One-week Work Experience, 8–12 March 2027	Y12	Live placement database under development

Employer engagement by year group

Year group	Planned employer engagement	Current organisations or source
Year 7	Employer stories and themed assembly; introductory curriculum encounters	Royal Corps of Signals and other speakers to be confirmed
Year 8	Careers Fair and subject-based employer encounters	Employers in the register invited to the 2027 Careers Fair
Year 9	Skills day, CV writing, applications and mock interviews; Careers Fair	Local mock-interview panel, Careers Hub employer partners and fair exhibitors
Year 10	Five-day Work Experience Week; targeted employer sessions; Careers Fair	Individual placement employers, RAF and fair exhibitors
Year 11	Post-16 and apprenticeship encounters; Careers Fair; targeted workshop	Fair employers plus Bournemouth and Poole College as a technical-education partner
Year 12	One-week Work Experience; Careers Fair; progression encounters	Individual placement employers and fair exhibitors
Year 13	Application, interview and transition support	Employer and alumni contributors to be developed according to student destinations

11 Workplace experiences strategy

The June 2026 statutory guidance strengthens the expectation that schools reform workplace experience from September 2026 and work towards two weeks’ worth by the end of Key Stage 4. In 2026–27, The Blandford School will introduce a five-day Year 10 Work Experience Week from 28 June to 2 July 2027, supported by Year 9 work-readiness learning, while protecting the established Year 12 placement week.

Stage	Cohort	Core experience	Evidence
Explore	Y7–8	Workplace videos, employer visits, role-based challenges, university visit and reflection.	Record what students learned about work and skills.
Experience	Y9	Skills day, workplace or employer project, technical-provider contact.	Short reflection linked to strengths and options.
Prepare	Y9	Work Related Learning programme including CV writing, applications, employability skills and mock interviews, alongside the skills day and employer encounters.	Completed CV, interview feedback, reflection and next steps.
Experience	Y10	Five-day Work Experience Week from 28 June to 2 July 2027, with preparation, placement checks, employer contact and reflection.	Placement, attendance, employer feedback, student evaluation and hours/days.
Apply	Y11	Targeted workshops, interviews and transition activity.	Action plan and confirmed next steps.
Deepen	Y12	One-week placement, with preparation, safeguarding, employer evaluation and student reflection.	Placement record, employer feedback and next action.

12 Monitoring evaluation and success measures

Success will be judged by student learning, equitable participation and successful transitions, not simply the number of events. Baselines will be confirmed in Autumn 2026; targets below are the operating expectations for the year.

Area	2026–27 success criterion	Evidence	Review
Programme and compliance	Published annual plan and provider access statement are current; each term’s programme delivered or variance recorded.	Termly website and programme audit; calendar; governor report.	Termly
Gatsby progress	Compass+ self-assessment improves from the autumn baseline; evidence is retained for all eight benchmarks.	Compass+ and evidence log.	Autumn spring summer
Personal guidance	100% of students in identified priority cohorts receive guidance before the relevant decision point; all meetings produce an action plan.	Adviser records and Unifrog.	Half termly
Employer encounters	Every student has at least one meaningful employer or employee encounter during the year, with cumulative records checked.	Participation and reflection records.	Termly
Provider access	All statutory encounters are offered to eligible cohorts and attendance/non-attendance is recorded.	Provider log, invitations, evaluation.	Termly
Workplace experiences	Year 9 WRLW preparation is delivered and evaluated; Year 10 students complete the five-day Work Experience Week or an agreed equivalent; 100% Year 12 placement participation, except agreed safeguarding or medical alternatives.	Year 9 participation and interview feedback; Year 10 and Year 12 placement records; employer and student evaluations.	March and July
Curriculum careers	All faculties submit a mapped plan and at least one evidence sample; student voice confirms that links are understood.	Faculty audit and student voice.	December and June
Equity	Participation and guidance gaps by disadvantage, SEND and gender are identified and reduced through targeted action.	Dashboard by cohort and characteristic.	Termly
Destinations	All Year 11 and 13 students have an intended destination; students without a secure offer receive tracked support; sustained destinations reviewed when released.	Intended and actual destination records.	June to October
Stakeholder quality	At least 80% of sampled students report that key activities improved knowledge, confidence or next-step readiness.	Short evaluations and focus groups.	After key activities
Progressive Unifrog learning	Every year group completes its agreed core sequence; at least 90% of students have the expected year-group outcomes recorded, with targeted catch-up for gaps.	Unifrog activity and interaction reports; sampled student profiles and reflections; subgroup analysis.	Termly and July 2027

13 Risk management

Risk	Control	Owner	Priority
Provider cancellation or limited sector coverage	Maintain reserve speakers and virtual alternatives; map gaps each term; use Enterprise Adviser and Careers Hub networks.	Careers Leader	Medium
Staffing timetable or room pressure	Place dates in the whole-school calendar early; agree cover, rooms and technical requirements; publish operational briefings.	Strategic Lead	Medium
Unequal participation	Use cohort dashboards, targeted invitations, adjustments and follow-up activities; remove cost and transport barriers where possible.	Careers Leader and pastoral leads	High
Work placement not secured or fails checks	Early launch and staged deadlines for Year 10 and Year 12; employer database; appropriate checking lead times; suitable alternative experience.	Careers and WEX teams	High
Activities become one-off or unrecorded	Require preparation and reflection; record participation centrally; sample quality rather than count events only.	Careers Leader	Medium
Website becomes outdated or non-compliant	Named owner, termly check and annual publication date; governor oversight of provider access statement.	Strategic Lead	High
Data protection or safeguarding concerns	Use school safeguarding, consent, data-sharing, risk-assessment and visitor procedures; share only necessary information.	DSL and activity lead	High

14 First ninety days action plan

Deadline	Action	Lead	Evidence
By 9 October	Agree plan with SLT; publish annual programme and contact routes; confirm provider access statement owner and review.	Duncan Smith and Paul Gilson	Published and approved documents.
By 23 October	Complete autumn Compass+ baseline; map statutory provider encounters; confirm faculty careers-link expectation.	Careers Leader	Baseline and gap analysis.
By 6 November	Issue annual calendar and operational requirements; establish central partner and participation records.	Careers Leader and admin support	Shared calendar and live registers.
By 27 November	Deliver first assembly week; gather concise student and provider feedback; record encounters.	Careers Leader and HOYs	Evaluation and attendance evidence.
By 18 December	Secure almost all Year 12 placements; review vulnerable cohorts and students without secure post-16 plans; report Autumn progress to SLT.	Sixth Form WEX team and adviser	Placement dashboard and intervention list.

15 Review cycle

· Termly: Careers Leader reviews delivery, participation, risks, website accuracy and Compass+ evidence with the Strategic Careers Lead.

· Twice yearly: careers governor receives progress against this plan, compliance, equity and impact measures.

· After major activities: student, provider and staff feedback is sampled and used to adjust future delivery.

· July 2027: full evaluation is completed and the 2027–28 programme is published with lessons learned and confirmed dates.

· Autumn 2027: intended destinations are reconciled with actual destinations and students without a sustained destination are referred and followed up through appropriate local arrangements.

Sources and website references

All online sources accessed 28 September 2026. Internal dates and programme details should be checked against the final whole-school calendar before publication.

· The Blandford School Careers

· The Blandford School Our Curriculum

· The Blandford School Sixth Form Enrichments

· The Blandford School Student Destinations

· The Blandford School Careers Fair news report

· Department for Education Careers guidance and access for education and training providers updated 23 June 2026

· Department for Education What maintained schools must publish online

· Gatsby The Updated Gatsby Benchmarks

· Careers and Enterprise Company Provider Access Legislation

· Unifrog UK schools platform and Careers Year Plan https://www.unifrog.org/uk-schools