Whether you're new to the Future Skills Questionnaire or well-experienced in FSQ delivery, there’s something in this article to support you on your FSQ journey. We’ve spoken to colleagues across a range of settings to hear how they use the Future Skills Questionnaire within their careers programme, creating a bank of case studies to support and inform your practice every step of the way...
Raising the profile of careers in your setting
“FSQ has raised the profile of CEIAG and the role of the Careers Coordinator instantly, allowing change to occur swiftly and with impact.”
Caroline Colvin, Careers Coordinator at The Stonehenge School
In an ever-evolving educational environment, it has never been more important to raise and maintain the profile of careers. Hear from two practitioners about how they use FSQ to quickly raise the profile of careers in their settings, signposting both themselves and the resources available to learners, and ensuring that colleagues are aware of key priorities:
Caroline Colvin, The Stonehenge School: Raising the profile of CEIAG
Amanda Billet, The Priory Academy LSST: A cross-federation approach
Delivering FSQ effectively
“It’s all in the planning: build in the time to do it and brief those involved. Get the planning right and it will go smoothly!”
Nicky Thompson, Careers Leader at Springwood High School
In every conversation we have had with careers leaders, one critical aspect of delivery has been emphasised: effective preparation. Every setting is different and the success of FSQ can be cohort-dependent, so it’s important to know your learners and plan accordingly. Hear how effective planning has led to high FSQ completion rates in the settings of two practitioners we spoke to:
Laura Wrigley, Herne Bay High School: A progressive careers journey
Nicky Thompson, Springwood High School: Strategic planning
Fostering a whole-staff and whole-setting approach to careers
“Careers is everyone’s responsibility.”
Julie Stephenson, Deputy Headteacher, Presdales School
The Future Skills Questionnaire supports settings to place careers at the heart of education, encouraging a whole-staff approach to ensure the best next steps for learners. Read how two practitioners feel FSQ has helped to empower staff in their settings, encouraging staff to embrace their role as a source of careers information and to acknowledge the significance of their contribution to a whole-setting approach to careers:
Hannah Gordon, Fitzwaryn School: Delivering a joined-up approach
Julie Stephenson, Presdales School: Fine-tuning for any careers programme
Communicating your findings with stakeholders
“A culture of careers is cultivated and developed over time. Central to this is clear communication, not only to inform all stakeholders of your aims, but to include them in your vision.”
Beth Ward, Careers Lead, Teesdale School and Sixth Form
Quality communication with all stakeholders is fundamental to your success when delivering FSQ. Whether it’s ensuring that parents and carers are aware of FSQ delivery, or highlighting headline data to SLT and governors, high-quality, clear communication is essential to fostering an inclusive, supportive approach to careers. Hear how two practitioners use communication to involve key stakeholders in their settings’ careers provision to support their learners and secure positive outcomes:
Beth Ward, Teesdale School and Sixth Form: Communication, communication, communication!
Cath Young, Kingsbury Green Academy: Communicating to create impact
Using FSQ data: targeted intervention
“FSQ helps us identify in greater detail what our learners are interested in and what they might be concerned about, providing data that allows us to plan and deliver targeted intervention.”
Andy Cole, Associate Assistant Principal, Attleborough Academy
With the user-experience at its heart, FSQ and the wider Compass+ package is designed with busy careers leaders in mind. The learner perception captured by the Future Skills Questionnaire is presented through visualisations that make analysis and interpretation of trends and patterns straightforward and instantly actionable. Read how two practitioners use FSQ data to identify learners for targeted interventions, tailoring careers activities to their learners’ interests and needs:
Andy Cole, Attleborough Academy: FSQ as an essential diagnostic tool for careers
Andrew Cox & Kim Hoxton, Samuel Laycock School: Using data visualisations
Using FSQ data: how learner perception can inform future planning
“We have a careers programme consisting of events that happen every year, but the qualitative data from FSQ allows us to flesh this out with relevant and targeted activities to enrich our learners’ experiences.”
Katy Wittenberg, Transition Coach, The Limes College
Learner perception is a powerful tool when planning and building a careers programme, and the Future Skills Questionnaire allows learners to share this in a user-friendly, secure manner. Hear how two practitioners use FSQ data to inform and develop their careers provision, creating bespoke activities that are relevant to their learners and their specific context year-on-year.
Caroline Knox, Coombe Wood School: Creating a tailored careers programme
Katy Wittenberg, The Limes College: Creating learner-centred CEIAG
Using FSQ data: evaluating your careers provision
“As learners complete the questionnaire themselves, responses are unbiased, adding value as they can provide a true reflection on the strength of your careers programme. Don’t be offended by the results, it’s not personal – just take action and make change happen.”
Mark Davies, Careers Leader, Towers School
No matter your setting or context, at the heart of all good educational practice is an effective evaluation process. Alongside the Compass evaluation and Internal Leadership Review, FSQ provides robust data to effectively evaluate your setting’s careers provision. Success can be both measured and celebrated, further raising the profile of careers and encouraging a whole-staff, whole-setting approach. Furthermore, areas for development can be quickly and easily identified, leaving busy careers leaders with more time to address any gaps that may be highlighted. Read how three practitioners use FSQ to evaluate their careers provision.
Mark Davies, Clevedon School: Supporting planning at key transition points
Louise Delaney, Jesmond Park Academy: Shining a light on the learner experience
Rebecca Griffiths, Wade Deacon School: You can’t argue with data!
Supporting meaningful quality assurance conversations
“FSQ has supported conversations with SLT, helping secure time and resources to further drive improvement within our careers programme.”
Michael Thompson, Head of Careers, The Sir John Colfox Academy
Whether it’s a line-management meeting, a presentation to SLT, governors or Trust members, or an Ofsted inspection, data-evidenced impact will strengthen your conversations. FSQ not only provides invaluable learner perception, but also gives careers leaders a platform from which to demonstrate the actions they have taken and their vision going forward. Read how two practitioners use the data and learner perception captured by FSQ to support meaningful quality assurance conversations.
Michael Thompson, The Sir John Colfox Academy: Supporting conversations with SLT
Kevin Murray, Towers School: Don’t reinvent the wheel
Compass+ Impact Story - The Value of The Future Skills Questionnaire
Hear from Simon Wareham, Assistant Headteacher at Southmoor Academy, and how he has used FSQ in his school to monitor and measure impact: