Catch22 reserves the right to amend this policy, following consultation, where appropriate.
Date of last review: October 2025
Date of next review: August 2026
What is the policy about?
Catch22 Colleges are committed to providing high-quality information, advice, and guidance (IAG) regarding careers and education. Our aim is to enable learners to reach their full potential, make informed choices, and understand the range of services and support available to them. The IAG provided aims to boost learners’ self-esteem, confidence, and resilience while supporting their progression.
Who does this policy apply to?
This policy applies to all staff involved in the delivery of information, advice, and guidance to learners, including Recruitment and Progression (R&P) Officers, teaching staff, and external partners. It is embedded across the curriculum and reflects the Gatsby Benchmarks for good career guidance.
Policy requirements
Aims
Catch22 Colleges aim to:
- always be accessible and visible to learners,
- provide impartial, professional, and friendly advice and guidance,
- raise awareness of available services and support learners in accessing them,
- equip learners with the information they need to make informed choices for their future,
- ensure staff are knowledgeable and professional in meeting learner needs,
- enhance learners’ chances of progression into employment or further education by building their resilience, social responsibility, and employability skills, and
- deliver specialist sessions in partnership with external agencies.
Careers Education Information, Advice, and Guidance (CEIAG)
CEIAG is an integral part of Catch22 Colleges’ curriculum and IAG. It is embedded in the curriculum and delivered by R&P Officers, teaching staff, and external partners. The CEIAG provision is designed to:
- ensure learners receive a programme that meets their needs and provides opportunities for progression into further education or employment,
- provide learners with information on local labour markets and high-quality advice on future study opportunities, apprenticeships, and employment pathways,
- tailor advice and support to individual learners’ needs at various stages of their programme,
- link the curriculum to local job markets, integrating this into delivery and schemes of work,
- offer learners opportunities to gain work experience and engage with employers, and
- make learners aware of further and higher education opportunities available to them.
Implementation
Catch22 Colleges are committed to supporting learners in planning their progression and next steps by:
- delivering advice and guidance sessions embedded within the curriculum,
- encouraging learners to pursue career and educational pathways aligned with their aspirations and strengths without stereotyping,
- collaborating with referral agencies to support learners in making informed decisions about their next steps,
- preparing learners for employability and life by fostering resilience, wellbeing, and a strong understanding of workplace responsibilities,
- providing tutor-led support, effective pastoral sessions, and opportunities for work experience,
- conducting individual learner review meetings to discuss opportunities, current educational performance, and goal setting,
- holding offboarding interviews to discuss learners’ next steps and prepare them for both short-term and longer-term opportunities, and
- aligning work experience opportunities with individualised discussions regarding CEIAG.
Staff training
R&P Officers are trained to deliver CEIAG effectively. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) opportunities are provided for other staff members involved in CEIAG delivery.
Monitoring and evaluation
The provision of IAG and CEIAG will be regularly monitored by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and management. Monitoring will include:
- Learning Walks.
- Learner Review Observations.
- Learner Voice feedback.
- Learner and referral agency surveys.
- Compliance checks and standardisation processes.
This helps to ensure that the CEIAG provision consistently meets the needs of learners and aligns with the College’s mission for continuous improvement.