Glossary

Gatsby Benchmarks

The Gatsby Good Career Guidance Benchmarks

The Gatsby Benchmarks are 8 standards that define what excellent careers education looks like in UK secondary schools and colleges. Developed by the Gatsby Foundation in 2014 following research by Professor Sir John Holman, they form the basis of statutory careers guidance requirements in England and are used by Ofsted as an inspection framework for careers provision.

Key facts

There are 8 Gatsby Benchmarks, numbered 1–8
They were introduced via the 2017 Careers Strategy and became statutory guidance in 2018
Schools must work towards meeting all 8 benchmarks by the end of Year 11 (and Year 13 for sixth forms)
Compass for Life is the free DfE/Gatsby self-assessment tool for tracking compliance
Fewer than 50% of secondary schools in England fully meet all 8 benchmarks (Gatsby Foundation, State of the Nation 2023)

Frequently asked questions

What are the 8 Gatsby Benchmarks?

The 8 Gatsby Benchmarks are: 1) A Stable Careers Programme, 2) Learning from Career and Labour Market Information, 3) Addressing the Needs of Each Pupil, 4) Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers, 5) Encounters with Employers and Employees, 6) Experiences of Workplaces, 7) Encounters with Further and Higher Education, and 8) Personal Guidance.

Are the Gatsby Benchmarks a legal requirement?

Yes. Since 2018, the Gatsby Benchmarks have been embedded in statutory guidance for schools in England. Schools are legally required to work towards meeting all 8 benchmarks. Ofsted uses Benchmark compliance as evidence of the quality of a school's careers programme during inspections.

How do schools track their Gatsby Benchmark compliance?

Schools can use the free Compass for Life self-assessment tool provided by the Gatsby Foundation and DfE. Many schools also use dedicated careers software — like Chapter Schools — that automatically maps every activity, event, and guidance session to the relevant benchmarks, providing a real-time compliance dashboard.

Track your Gatsby Benchmarks automatically

Chapter Schools maps every activity to all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks in real time and generates Ofsted-ready evidence — no spreadsheets required.

Book a free demo