How FuturInstant Aligns with the Gatsby Benchmarks
The Gatsby Benchmarks are an evidence-based framework for world-class careers guidance in England, used in over 4,700 schools and colleges. The table below sets out how FuturInstant supports each benchmark.
| Gatsby Benchmark | How FuturInstant Supports This |
|---|---|
| A Stable Careers Programme | FuturInstant provides a consistent, repeatable platform that can sit at the heart of your careers programme. Students complete the same assessment and insight journey year on year, with progress and results stored in one place. Progress and assessment data help schools support and evidence a structured careers offer. |
| Learning from Career and Labour Market Information | Our Results and careers sections expose students to labour market information through personalised career matches, sectors, salary ranges (entry to experienced), job outlook, and growth data. Students explore a wide range of real careers with information on outlook, education pathways, and skills, helping them make informed choices based on evidence. |
| Addressing the Needs of Each Student | Every student receives a personalised experience. Assessments are tailored by age tier (displayed as Key Stage on the dashboard), and results are unique to each student’s strengths, skills, and interests. The Six Stories assessment and Student Insight questionnaire surface individual preferences and behaviours, so guidance can be targeted to each young person. |
| Linking Curriculum Learning to Careers | The Six Stories (e.g. Logic, Teamwork) and achievement themes (e.g. Responsibility & Follow-through, Collaboration & Social Navigation) connect how students think and behave to skills and careers. Teachers and careers leads can use these themes to link curriculum subjects and classroom activities to future pathways, making career learning part of everyday teaching. |
| Encounters with Employers and Employees | FuturInstant does not replace face-to-face employer encounters; it prepares students for them. By clarifying interests, strengths, and possible career directions, students arrive at employer events and talks with better questions and clearer goals. Careers leads can use our outputs to target which employers and sectors to bring in. |
| Experiences of Workplaces | Our Progress section and career progress tasks generated encourage students to take practical next steps (e.g. research, tasters, applications). Starring careers and skills creates a shortlist that can inform work experience choices and discussions with employers, supporting meaningful workplace experiences. |
| Encounters with Further and Higher Education | Career profiles include education pathways and levels (e.g. job zone, required knowledge), helping students see the link between qualifications and careers. This supports conversations about post-16 and post-18 options and helps students understand why different education routes matter for their chosen pathways. |
| Personal Guidance | FuturInstant supports personal guidance rather than replacing it. Results (strengths, skills, career matches, and perspectives from parents and teachers via the Perspectives feature) give careers advisers and designated staff a clear, evidence-based starting point for one-to-one interviews. Students can bring their FuturInstant profile and starred careers into guidance sessions to make discussions more focused and productive. |
Further information
For full details of the Gatsby Benchmarks and statutory guidance, see:
Usage and evidence for schools
To strengthen your evidence for Gatsby (e.g. Benchmark 1: a stable careers programme), we recommend a school or trust-level dashboard that shows:
- How many students have started or completed the Six Stories assessment and Student Insight
- Completion rates by year group or cohort
- Take-up of Perspectives (parent and teacher invites sent and completed)
- Usage of Results and Progress (e.g. careers explored, actions generated)
Such data helps careers leads and senior leadership demonstrate consistent delivery and identify gaps. If you are interested in a school dashboard or usage reporting for your setting, please get in touch.
Contact
If you would like to discuss how FuturInstant can support your school or college in meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks, or to explore a school dashboard for usage and evidence, please contact us at info@futurinstant.com.