Ofsted has published an independent review of careers guidance in special schools, independent specialist colleges (ISCs) and pupil referral units (PRUs).
The report outlines the challenges these settings face in providing careers guidance to children and young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and highlights examples of good practice.
The report finds that a young person’s own voice is central to good careers guidance in specialist settings. Where staff develop a close and trusting relationship with learners and their families, career plans are practical and ambitious. All of the providers visited by inspectors had a highly personalised approach to careers guidance, with the curriculum tailored to meet learners’ individual needs.
In the settings visited by Ofsted, leaders prioritised work experience and many were building relationships with employers. But the results were mixed, with some employers lacking the knowledge or confidence to offer learners with SEND high-quality work experience.
