A new law that would ensure that schools pupils have access to careers advice from post-16 institutions has advanced to its second reading.
The Careers Advice (Access to Schools) Bill, which was introduced by Nic Dakin, MP for Scunthorpe, in Parliament today, requires schools in England “to provide access to their premises and pupils to post-16 education establishments and other providers”.
Under the Ten Minute Rule, Mr Dakin said that the Bill would “go that bit further” than Lord Baker’s amendment to the Technical and Further Education Bill, which requires schools to allow “a range of education and training providers” access to their students. The Bill’s second hearing has been scheduled for 24 March.
“[The Bill] would ensure that school pupils have access to information from the providers of post-16 pathways, locally, direct to them,” Mr Dakin said. “It will require schools in England to provide access to their premises and pupils to post-16 education establishments and other providers. This would significantly improve the quality of the information available to young people when they make decisions about their future. As such, it would be a great step forward.”
‘An entitlement to careers education’
Earlier in his speech, Mr Dakin said that students had an “entitlement” to quality careers advice, and said that his Bill would remove obstacles laid down by schools to prevent students from obtaining information about educational opportunities in their area.
“A student should have an entitlement to quality careers education that meets an agreed standard wherever they go to school,” Mr Dakin said. “However the ambition of my Bill is not to transform the whole of careers education, information, advice and guidance so that every young person has a consistent entitlement to quality advice wherever they go to school. Would that I could.
“No, my Bill has a much more limited ambition…it seeks to ensure that at the very least colleges and post-16 providers can talk directly to school students about the opportunities available to them in their area. Sadly, too many schools, particularly those with their own sixth forms, put obstacles in the way of students receiving this crucial information.”
Want to keep up with the latest education news and opinion? Follow TES FE News on Twitter, like us on Facebook and follow us on LinkedIn
