2023/2024 Academic Year
Pathways question
In the FSQ, we ask learners about their awareness of various pathways, including Apprenticeships, A Levels, T Levels and other vocational routes such as BTECs. The next question (as shown in the image below) asks a follow up question to learners who have considered their options, about which option might be right for them. Answering this question has changed from an open response (where learners used to write free text) to a list of various pathways that learners can select from. This is to help Careers Leaders analyse and use the data more easily. Learners also have the opportunity to write other pathways they’ve considered if this is not on the list. These changes apply to the Starting Secondary, Transition from KS3, GCSE Years and Post 16 version of the FSQ.
2022/2023 Academic Year
Removal of traineeships option question
From August 2023, the government will no longer fund a standalone national traineeships programme. Therefore, we have removed traineeships from the question that measures understanding of options after Year 11. This applies to the Starting Secondary, Transition from KS3 and GCSE Years version of the Future Skills Questionnaire.
New confidence-related questions
In response to feedback from Careers Leaders, we have added some new questions to different versions of the Future Skills Questionnaire that address students' confidence and their curiosity about future options.
A question in the Starting Secondary, Transition from KS3, GCSE Years and Post-16 version of the FSQ, that asks young people about their future job/career interests, has been changed from an open response option (where young people could write free text), to closed responses aligned with NCS ‘Explore Careers’. This is to help Careers Leaders analyse the job/career interests of their students more easily.
New questions added to each questionnaire type:
- Starting Secondary and Transition from KS3 (2 new questions):
- What types of jobs/careers are you interested in at the moment? (Pre-defined answers based on NCS ‘Explore careers’ options)
- Do you feel optimistic when you think about your future career?
- GCSE Years (3 new questions):
- What types of jobs/careers are you interested in at the moment? (Pre-defined answers based on NCS ‘Explore careers’ options)
- Do you feel confident about your next step after year 11?
- Do you feel optimistic when you think about your future career?
- Post-16 (4 new questions):
- What types of jobs/careers are you interested in at the moment? (Pre-defined answers based on NCS ‘Explore careers’ options)
- Do you feel confident about your next step after school or college?
- Are you satisfied with the choice you made for your post-16 pathway?
- Do you feel optimistic when you think about your future career?
- SEND (1 new question):
- Do you feel positive when you think about your future?
- Do you feel positive when you think about your future?
You can view each questionnaire type online and download PDF copies from the following article:
What is the Future Skills Questionnaire?