Gatsby Benchmark 3
Addressing the Needs of Each Young Person
Pupils have different careers guidance needs at different stages. Careers programmes should help pupils navigate their concerns about any barriers to career progression. In addition, opportunities should be tailored to the needs of each pupil, including any additional needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils, young people with SEND and those who are absent.
What Benchmark 3 means in practice
Schools must provide personalised careers support - not a one-size-fits-all programme. The updated benchmark (renamed from 'each pupil' to 'each young person') adds two things: careers programmes should actively help pupils navigate barriers to progression, and pupils who are absent are named alongside SEND, vulnerable and disadvantaged groups as needing tailored opportunities.
What evidence is required
- Systematic records of participation, individual advice given, and agreed decisions
- Records transferred and integrated when pupils change school mid-phase
- Pupils able to access their own records ahead of key transition points
- Aspiration, intended and immediate destination data collected per pupil
- Sustained and longer-term destination data used in programme evaluation
- Evidence of tailored support for vulnerable groups (SEND, PP, LAC) and persistently absent pupils
Activities that satisfy Benchmark 3
- 1:1 guidance meetings with a qualified careers adviser
- Targeted interventions for students at risk of NEET
- Personalised action plans after guidance sessions
- Monitoring of progress for disadvantaged groups
How Chapter tracks it
Benchmark 3 evidence, without the data entry
Chapter combines each pupil's app engagement, attendance, guidance and quest activity into a NEET-risk score, with Pupil Premium and SEND flags. Filter by group or year to find gaps and evidence targeted support per pupil.
In Chapter Schools
Guidance SessionsEvidences it
The systematic record of individual advice given and decisions agreed, which is the heart of this benchmark.
DestinationsEvidences it
Aspirations, intended, immediate and sustained destinations per pupil, plus NEET risk.
StudentsEvidences it
The per-pupil journey record pupils themselves need access to ahead of transition points.
Pathway intentionsEvidences it
Holds each pupil's Plan A and Plan B in their own words - route, level and fallback - which is the 'decisions agreed' half of the benchmark for every pupil, not only the ones who had a 1:1.
Rejection reflectionsEvidences it
Captures what a pupil would change after an unsuccessful application, which is individual advice acted on rather than advice merely given.
Quick Log
Fast capture of targeted support for a named pupil, so short interventions still become evidence.
In the Chapter game
In-game profile, CV, skills audit & goalsEvidences it
Interest profiles, CVs, skills audits and goals a pupil completes in the game write BM3 evidence for that pupil automatically.
Skills Garden
Shows which skills each pupil is actually growing in the game, so tailored support targets the right pupils.
Frequently asked questions
What does Gatsby Benchmark 3 require schools to do?
How do you evidence personalised careers support for Gatsby Benchmark 3?
Does every student need a 1:1 guidance session to meet Benchmark 3?
Related Gatsby Benchmarks
Stop reconstructing Benchmark 3 after the fact
Build a demo school and watch Benchmark 3 evidence itself from real activity, alongside the other seven.