State school pupils 'are being failed by poor careers advice'

Alumnus: Larry Adeyemi returned to his old school in Isle of Dogs to give pupils advice
12 April 2012

State school pupils are more than four times as likely to be given bad careers advice than private school students, new research shows.

A survey has highlighted how the state system is letting down children by failing to raise their ambitions. It found 27 per cent of former state sector pupils had been given bad careers advice, against six per cent who were educated privately.

Thirty-nine per cent of state pupils said they had never met anybody with a job they would like to do, compared with 24 per cent at private institutions. Campaigners are pushing for all state schools to set up alumni networks, in which former pupils return to inspire current ones about their future, and give advice about choosing a career.

The poll, by educational services firm FutureFirst, also found 71 per cent from the state sector thought it would be difficult to get a decent career, compared with 63 per cent who went private. Jess Cordingly, managing director of FutureFirst said: "Access to role models is key to social mobility. The Government must reform the system, which is failing too many, and guarantee alumni-based careers advice in every school."

Future First has already set up alumni networks for nine London schools. It want to expand the scheme, which costs schools £6,000 a year, across the country. Ms Cordingly said: "The first question students ask is often, 'What road did you grow up on?' They can't believe the person standing in front of them is from the same place as them.

"There is a huge, untapped network of former pupils that can be leveraged. State school don't do this but private schools have done for generations."

Larry Adeyemi, 21, an intern at Cancer Research UK, told how he visited his former school, George Green's in Isle of Dogs, as part of the scheme.

He said: "I hadn't been back for five years. I was able to speak to the students about the charity sector and about going to university. I had a bit of careers advice when I was at school, but it was not tailored to individuals. Alumni networks are going to get bigger."

The Association of School and College Leaders union has warned more than two million young people could lose out on careers advice during a government shake-up. Ministers are replacing the Connexions youth service with a new All Age Careers Advisory Service. It will be introduced next April, but the union estimates about a quarter of Connexions offices have closed already, and frontline staff have been slashed.

A total of 1,543 current and former pupils, aged 16 and over, took part in the FutureFirst poll.

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