PLEASE NOTE: This guidance is for Compass and Compass+ users who complete the Compass evaluation for Schools or the Compass evaluation for Special Schools only.
In order to establish a baseline data set for the government’s vision of a work experience guarantee for every young person, four supplementary questions will soon be added to the Compass evaluation under Gatsby Benchmark 6.
The data gathered from these questions will be aggregated nationally to help measure progress towards the guarantee for every young person. It will also provide valuable insight to CEC and policy makers to help shape future systemwide investment and support for schools and employers.
The four supplementary questions will ask about the variety of meaningful workplace experiences learners have had by the end of Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.
Definition of ‘Meaningful’ for Benchmark 6
A meaningful experience gives the young person the opportunity to explore what it is like to work in that environment, what skills are valued in the workplace, their recruitment processes and what it takes to be successful. This could be achieved through visits to workplaces, work shadowing and/or work experience. Throughout the careers programme these experiences could be in person or a combination of in person and virtual, where appropriate.
Both the young person and employers should be supported to prepare for the experience. Additional or different support may be needed for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
A meaningful experience will:
- have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
- be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
- involve extensive two-way interactions between the young person and employees
- include opportunities for young people to meet a range of different people from the workplace
- include opportunities for young people to perform a task set by the employer or to produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace
- include the employer providing feedback to the young person about their work
- be followed by opportunities for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through their experience
- Schools, colleges and independent training providers (ITPs) can take into account any part-time work a young person may have, if it genuinely offers them a meaningful experience.
A variety of meaningful experiences means that the young person has had an experience of the workplace with more than just one employer.
The four supplementary questions will be added to the Compass evaluation for Schools and the Compass evaluation for Special Schools only.
The questions are the same for both evaluation types.
The questions are unscored and will not contribute towards your Compass evaluation results.
The questions have not been added to the Compass evaluation for Post-16 because the guarantee is currently applicable to learners up to the end of year 11 only.
No questions will be removed from the Compass evaluation as part of these changes – questions will be positioned after existing questions in the GB6 section .
The four supplementary questions are:
1. Approximately what proportion of pupils have accessed a variety of meaningful workplace experiences by the end of KS3 totalling:
- 5 or more days, or equivalent
- 3-4 days, or equivalent
- 2 or less days, or equivalent
- No workplace experiences
2. Approximately what proportion of FSM pupils have accessed a variety of meaningful workplace experiences by the end of KS3 totalling:
- 5 or more days, or equivalent
- 3-4 days, or equivalent
- 2 or less days, or equivalent
- No workplace experiences
3. Approximately what proportion of pupils have accessed a variety of meaningful work placements by the end of KS4 totalling:
- 5 or more days, or equivalent
- 3-4 days, or equivalent
- 2 or less days, or equivalent
- No workplace experiences
4. Approximately what proportion of FSM pupils have accessed a variety of meaningful workplace experiences by the end of KS4 totalling:
- 5 or more days, or equivalent
- 3-4 days, or equivalent
- 2 or less days, or equivalent
- No workplace experiences
Response options for all four questions are:
- None
- A few (1-25%)
- Some (26-50%)
- Most (51-75%)
- Overwhelming majority (76-90%)
- Almost All (91-99%)
- All (100%)
- Don’t know
The data gathered from these questions will be aggregated nationally, to measure progress towards the work experience guarantee, to provide insight and to shape support for schools and employers. These questions will not contribute to your overall Benchmark score.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
You may find it helpful to print a copy of the Compass evaluation questions when preparing to complete your next evaluation. View and download all Compass evaluation types here > Compass evaluation type questions