Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) and Careers Policy

Policy Title | Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) and Careers Policy
Policy Owner | Executive Headteacher / Headteacher
Approved by | Directors of SV Academy
Applies to | Compulsory-school-age provision and Post-16 provision
Date Approved | September 2026
Last Reviewed | September 2026
Next Review | September 2027, or earlier if statutory guidance changes

1. Statement of Intent

SV Academy is committed to ensuring that every student receives high-quality, accurate and impartial information, advice and guidance so that they can make informed decisions about education, training, employment and their wider future.

Careers education, information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) is an integral part of the curriculum, personal development and transition planning at SV Academy. It is particularly important for students whose education may previously have been disrupted, who are attending alternative or commissioned provision, or who may need additional support to understand the range of opportunities available to them.

SV Academy will not promote its own courses, a particular provider, qualification route or career pathway at the expense of other suitable options. Guidance will be based on the student's interests, abilities, needs, aspirations and realistic progression opportunities.

2. Scope and Status

This policy applies to students in SV Academy's compulsory-school-age provision and to students in its Post-16 provision. The delivery model may differ between these provisions, but the principles of impartiality, inclusion, accuracy and high expectations apply to all students.

For pupils receiving secondary education, SV Academy must provide access to accurate, up-to-date careers guidance that is impartial, enables informed choices from a broad range of career options and encourages pupils to fulfil their potential. This reflects paragraph 2(2)(e) of the Independent School Standards.

For Post-16 students receiving DfE-funded 16 to 19 provision, pre-entry information, advice and guidance must support an appropriate learning programme and progression pathway. Evidence of the assessment and guidance process leading to the learning agreement or enrolment decision will be retained as required by the relevant funding rules.

SV Academy also uses the Department for Education careers guidance and the updated Gatsby Benchmarks as a quality-improvement framework and statement of good practice, while recognising that some statutory duties within that guidance apply specifically to maintained schools, academies, free schools or colleges.

3. Aims

• raise students' aspirations and help them recognise their strengths, interests and potential;
• provide impartial information about academic, technical, vocational, apprenticeship, employment and higher education routes;
• help students understand local and national labour market information and the skills employers value;
• support students to make informed choices at key transition points;
• prepare students for successful progression into education, employment, training or other appropriate destinations;
• reduce the risk of students becoming not in education, employment or training (NEET);
• challenge stereotypes and avoid limiting choices because of sex, disability, race, religion or belief, social background, SEND, care status, immigration or asylum background, or any other protected characteristic or personal circumstance;
• ensure that students with SEND and other additional needs receive appropriate and accessible careers support;
• involve parents and carers, referring schools, local authorities and other professionals where this supports the student's transition and is appropriate to their age and circumstances.

4. Principles of IAG and Careers Guidance

• Impartial: advice will not favour SV Academy, a particular provider, route or qualification where another option may better meet the student's needs.
• Accurate and current: information will be checked and updated so that students can rely on it when making decisions.
• Broad: students will be made aware of a wide range of education, training and employment routes, including apprenticeships and technical pathways.
• Personalised: guidance will take account of the individual student's starting point, needs, interests, qualifications, aspirations and barriers to progression.
• Inclusive and accessible: reasonable adjustments and additional support will be provided where required.
• Aspirational but realistic: staff will encourage ambition while helping students understand entry requirements and the steps needed to progress.
• Integrated: careers learning will be reinforced through curriculum subjects, tutorials, PSHE/personal development, employer activity, work-related learning and individual guidance.
• Safeguarding-aware: careers activity, employer encounters, external speakers and work experience will be planned with safeguarding and student welfare in mind.

5. Leadership and Responsibilities

Directors / Proprietor: provide strategic oversight and ensure the Academy has appropriate arrangements and resources to meet the Independent School Standards and any relevant funding requirements.

Executive Headteacher: provides strategic oversight of careers and IAG across the Academy, ensures that the policy aligns with the Academy's curriculum, personal development and destination priorities, and provides challenge and oversight of quality and impact.

Headteacher: is responsible for day-to-day implementation, ensuring that careers provision is embedded across the Academy, staff understand their responsibilities, students receive appropriate guidance, and weaknesses are acted upon.

Careers Leader / IAG Lead: coordinates the careers programme, maintains information and resources, organises employer and provider engagement, supports personal guidance, monitors participation and evaluates impact. The Headteacher will identify the member of staff carrying this responsibility.

SENCO and student-support staff: work with the Careers Leader to make sure guidance and transition planning are accessible and appropriately personalised for students with SEND or other additional needs.

Teachers, tutors and mentors: link curriculum learning to careers where appropriate, reinforce employability skills, identify students who need additional support and contribute to transition planning.

All staff: should avoid directing a student towards a route because it is convenient for SV Academy or based on stereotypes, and should signpost students to appropriately qualified or specialist advice when needed.

6. Student Careers Entitlement

Every student should be able to access a planned programme of careers education and guidance appropriate to their age, stage and placement. The precise content will be adapted where a student joins SV Academy part-way through a key stage or is attending a short-term commissioned placement.

• information about the full range of realistic next-step options;
• support to understand qualifications, entry requirements and progression routes;
• opportunities to develop career readiness, employability and essential skills;
• access to labour market and course information in an accessible format;
• meaningful contact with employers and people from the world of work where practicable;
• experience of workplaces or work-related learning where appropriate to the student and programme;
• encounters with further education, higher education, apprenticeship and training routes as appropriate;
• personal guidance at key decision points and additional guidance where circumstances change;
• support with applications, CVs, personal statements, interviews and progression planning where needed.

7. The Gatsby Benchmarks

SV Academy will use the updated Gatsby Benchmarks as a framework for developing and reviewing careers provision. The eight benchmarks are:

1. A stable careers programme.
2. Learning from career and labour market information.
3. Addressing the needs of each young person.
4. Linking curriculum learning to careers.
5. Encounters with employers and employees.
6. Experiences of workplaces.
7. Encounters with further and higher education.
8. Personal guidance.

8. Compulsory-School-Age Provision

For students in the compulsory-school-age provision, careers education will be appropriate to the student's year group, prior education, placement length and commissioning objectives. Students joining SV Academy mid-year or late in Key Stage 4 will receive timely guidance so that limited time at the Academy does not prevent appropriate transition planning.

Students will be supported to understand the options available after Key Stage 4, including further education, sixth form, apprenticeships, foundation apprenticeships where available, technical and vocational routes, employment with training, supported internships where appropriate, and other suitable programmes.

SV Academy will seek to ensure that each student has access to personal guidance before key decisions are made and, wherever practicable, at least one individual careers guidance discussion by age 16. Where a student has a home school or commissioner, SV Academy will liaise with them to avoid duplication and ensure that responsibilities for CEIAG and transition are clear.

9. Post-16 Provision and Pre-entry IAG

Post-16 IAG begins before enrolment. The purpose is to make sure that the proposed programme is suitable for the student's aspirations, prior attainment, abilities, support needs and intended destination.

Pre-entry IAG may include review of prior qualifications, baseline assessment, discussion of career goals, English and maths needs, SEND or support needs, programme content, progression opportunities, attendance expectations and the student's longer-term destination.

Where the Post-16 programme is funded through DfE 16 to 19 funding, SV Academy will retain evidence of the assessment and guidance process by which the learning agreement was reached. The student will be asked to acknowledge that pre-entry IAG has been provided before enrolment on the programme.

If SV Academy's programme is not the most appropriate option, staff will explain this openly and, where possible, signpost the young person to alternative education, training, apprenticeship or support services.

Post-16 students will receive continuing guidance throughout their programme and should have a further personal guidance opportunity by age 18, with additional support where required at significant decision points.

10. Employer Encounters, Work Experience and Work-related Learning

SV Academy will provide students with appropriate opportunities to understand the workplace and engage with employers, employees and industry professionals. Activities may include employer talks, industry projects, workplace visits, mentoring, mock interviews, careers events, work experience and vocational projects.

Work experience and other work-related activities will be selected because they have clear educational or developmental value. Placements will be organised and quality assured in accordance with safeguarding, health and safety, risk assessment and insurance requirements.

For Post-16 study programmes, work experience and other employability, enrichment and pastoral activity will be planned, timetabled and evidenced where it forms part of funded programme hours.

11. SEND, Inclusion and Additional Support

SV Academy will ensure that students with SEND, education, health and care plans, English as an additional language, care experience, disrupted education or other barriers are not given narrower choices simply because additional support may be required.

Careers planning for students with SEND will, where appropriate, link to EHCP outcomes, annual review processes and preparation for adulthood. Students may receive additional meetings, visual or simplified information, supported visits, help to communicate preferences, or involvement from parents, carers and relevant professionals.

Information about disability support, Access to Work, supported internships, reasonable adjustments and specialist progression routes will be signposted where relevant.

12. Curriculum Links and Employability

Teachers will make meaningful links between curriculum learning and future education, employment and training where appropriate. Careers should not be treated only as a stand-alone event.

Students will be supported to develop employability skills including communication, teamwork, problem solving, reliability, digital capability, self-management, creativity, resilience and professional behaviour.

English, mathematics and digital skills will be linked to real employment and progression contexts wherever this strengthens learning and motivation.

13. Information and Digital Resources

SV Academy will provide access to suitable online resources for researching courses, careers, apprenticeships and employment. Students may access government careers services, apprenticeship vacancy services, provider websites, university information, labour market information and other reliable sources.

From 1 October 2026, national careers support arrangements are changing as the government brings together the National Careers Service and Jobcentre Plus in England. SV Academy will signpost students to the current government jobs and careers service or its successor service as applicable.

Information available on SV Academy courses will be clear about entry requirements, content and progression. Students will also be shown external options so that SV Academy's own provision is not presented as the only route.

14. Confidentiality, Safeguarding and Information Sharing

Individual IAG discussions will be handled sensitively and with appropriate respect for privacy. However, IAG is not absolutely confidential.

If a student discloses information suggesting that they or another person may be at risk of harm, abuse, exploitation, radicalisation or another safeguarding concern, staff must follow SV Academy's safeguarding procedures and share information with the Designated Safeguarding Lead as necessary.

Information may also be shared with parents or carers, referring schools, local authorities, employers or other professionals where there is a lawful and appropriate reason to do so. Staff will follow data protection requirements and the Academy's privacy arrangements.

15. Recording, Monitoring and Evaluation

SV Academy will maintain appropriate evidence of careers and IAG activity. This may include individual guidance records, intended destinations, applications, employer encounters, work experience, provider visits, student feedback and confirmed destinations.

The Headteacher and Careers Leader / IAG Lead will monitor the quality and reach of the programme. The Executive Headteacher will provide strategic oversight of impact and improvement priorities.

Evaluation will consider student voice, destination information, participation in guidance, employer/provider engagement, curriculum links, the needs of students with SEND or disadvantage, and progress against the Gatsby Benchmarks where relevant.

The policy and careers programme will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where guidance, funding rules, provision or student needs change.

16. Feedback, Complaints and Compliments

SV Academy welcomes feedback on the quality of its careers and IAG provision. Concerns should normally be raised with the Careers Leader / IAG Lead or Headteacher in the first instance. Formal complaints will be handled under the SV Academy Complaints and Compliments Policy and Procedure.

Students will not be disadvantaged because they question advice, request a second opinion or choose a progression route different from that offered by SV Academy.

17. Contact Information

SV Academy, Modern House, 6 Eltham High Street, London, SE9 1DA

Telephone: 020 3031 8240

Email: info@sv-academy.com

Website: https://www.sv-academy.com

Students and parents can ask the Academy for the name and contact details of the current Careers Leader / IAG Lead.

18. Related Policies and Guidance

• SV Academy Curriculum Policy;
• SV Academy Enrolment Policy;
• SV Academy Attendance Policy;
• SV Academy SEND Policy / SEND arrangements;
• SV Academy Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy;
• SV Academy Behaviour, Rewards and Sanctions Policy;
• SV Academy Complaints and Compliments Policy and Procedure;
• DfE Independent School Standards Guidance (April 2026);
• DfE Careers guidance and access for education and training providers (June 2026);
• DfE Advice: funding rules for 16 to 19 provision 2026 to 2027;
• The updated Gatsby Benchmarks.

Appendix 1 - Student IAG and Careers Entitlement

EntitlementWhat this means at SV AcademyInformation | Accurate and current information about courses, qualifications, careers, apprenticeships, training, higher education and employment routes.
Advice | Impartial help to compare options and understand which routes may suit the student's strengths, needs and aspirations.
Guidance | Individual support at significant decision points, including pre-entry IAG for Post-16 students and transition planning.
Employer engagement | Opportunities to learn from employers, employees and industry professionals and to understand workplace expectations.
Experience | Workplace experience or meaningful work-related learning where appropriate to the programme and student.
Applications | Support with CVs, application forms, personal statements, interviews and progression planning where required.
Inclusion | Reasonable adjustments and additional support so that SEND, disadvantage or other barriers do not unnecessarily restrict aspiration.
Safeguarding | A safe service in which privacy is respected but safeguarding concerns are shared in accordance with Academy procedures.

This policy will be reviewed annually. Last reviewed: September 2026.