04 December 2025
Social Mobility Select Committee reflects importance of careers guidance
The Social Mobility Select Committee has published its report ‘Social Mobility: Local Roots, Lasting Change’, looking at social mobility and in particular the integration of work and education opportunities.
It reflects that the focus on a narrow range of core subjects at GCSE limits the skills developed and leaves some pupils discouraged, with the hurdles for English and Maths creating a barrier. It also identifies that government alone can’t remove all the barriers and cites the need for each part of the country to address local challenges. It therefore cites educational refiorm and devolution to local government as key levers.
It includes a section on careers guidance, reaffirming its importance but inconsistency - ‘Good quality careers guidance is also highly significant in raising awareness and guiding ambitions, but is very patchy across the country.’ (p.33). While there has been some progress in schools, evidence also showed that support is ‘incredibly fragmented’ and ‘massively varied’.
It's recommendations include ‘As part of the launch of its new Jobs and Careers Service, the Government should seek to improve the consistency in the provision of careers guidance and education. It should aim to conduct an audit of good practice and ‘what works’ and develop a program and timetable for improvement based upon this. Good quality advice on subject choices, as well as jobs, must be available to all young people.’
Read the Social Mobility Select Committee report.
It reflects that the focus on a narrow range of core subjects at GCSE limits the skills developed and leaves some pupils discouraged, with the hurdles for English and Maths creating a barrier. It also identifies that government alone can’t remove all the barriers and cites the need for each part of the country to address local challenges. It therefore cites educational refiorm and devolution to local government as key levers.
It includes a section on careers guidance, reaffirming its importance but inconsistency - ‘Good quality careers guidance is also highly significant in raising awareness and guiding ambitions, but is very patchy across the country.’ (p.33). While there has been some progress in schools, evidence also showed that support is ‘incredibly fragmented’ and ‘massively varied’.
It's recommendations include ‘As part of the launch of its new Jobs and Careers Service, the Government should seek to improve the consistency in the provision of careers guidance and education. It should aim to conduct an audit of good practice and ‘what works’ and develop a program and timetable for improvement based upon this. Good quality advice on subject choices, as well as jobs, must be available to all young people.’
Read the Social Mobility Select Committee report.
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