Why Peer Review Works: Three Schools Strengthening Careers Leadership Together
10 Aug 2026
Careers Leaders and senior leaders from St Cecilia’s, Chelsea Academy and St George’s Catholic School used a structured peer review to examine their provision, agree priorities and build a professional support network.
Strong careers education depends on more than a calendar of activities. It needs visible leadership, a whole-school approach and time to consider whether the programme is meeting the needs of every learner.
That time can be difficult to protect, as Careers Leaders are often coordinating delivery while also making the case for careers across curriculum teams, senior leadership and governance. The Central London Careers Hub’s Peer-to-Peer Review Programme creates a dedicated space for three schools to step back, examine their provision and learn from one another.
With support from the Central London Careers Hub’s Wini Opoku, St Cecilia’s, Chelsea Academy and St George’s Catholic School engaged with the initiative, with both their Careers Leader and a member of the senior leadership team taking part. Together, they used the Internal Leadership Review Maturity Model, Compass and the Future Skills Questionnaire to explore careers leadership, curriculum integration and priorities for improvement.
A structured day for honest reflection
The schools first came together on 3 February 2026. Before the session, each school prepared evidence and a presentation on its current careers programme. During the review, colleagues shared what was working, where they faced barriers and which Gatsby Benchmarks or whole-school priorities needed greater attention.
The format combined peer feedback with constructive challenge. Because each school brought its own context and experience, participants could compare approaches without expecting a single model to fit every setting. A solution that worked in one school could prompt a new idea in another; a shared barrier could become the starting point for joint problem-solving.
By the end of the day, each school had agreed actions and priorities to take back into its planning. The Careers Leaders and senior leaders worked through those decisions together, strengthening the link between day-to-day delivery and strategic ownership.
"A great space to share and learn from colleagues, celebrate our successes and think about ways to improve”.
Follow-up made the difference
The programme did not end when the first review day ended. The three schools reconvened in June to present their progress, explain what they had put into practice, and outlined plans for the 2026–27 academic year.
Each school had time to demonstrate how its priorities had developed. St Cecilia’s presented the actions it had taken, the barriers it had overcome and the next steps it intended to take. The follow-up gave all three schools a reason to maintain momentum and a supportive audience with whom to test their thinking.
This second stage is an important part of the model. An action plan can easily be overtaken by the pressures of a school term. An additional touchpoint turns the plan into a shared commitment and creates an opportunity to recognise progress as well as refine what comes next.
Careers leadership as a whole-school responsibility
Bringing Careers Leaders and senior leaders into the same process helped position careers as a strategic whole-school priority. Participants could consider how careers connect with curriculum planning, learner needs, staff engagement and school improvement, rather than treating it as a series of standalone events.
The review tools provided a common language. The Internal Leadership Review Maturity Model supported discussion about leadership and systems; Compass helped schools reflect against the Gatsby Benchmarks; and the Future Skills Questionnaire brought learner insight into the conversation.
Together, those perspectives enabled schools to look at both the infrastructure around careers and the experience of the young people it is intended to serve.
Another participant called the day “inspirational and impactful”, valuing the specific advice, the chance to identify shared challenges and the practical next steps for engaging senior leaders, governors and the wider school community.
Building a network, not just an event
The programme also responded to a wider need: Careers Leaders benefit from trusted peers with whom they can exchange resources, discuss barriers and sense-check plans. By working closely together and then returning to share progress, the three schools began to form an ongoing buddy network.
That relationship can outlast the formal review. Schools can continue to celebrate successes, share solutions and offer challenge when momentum slows. The Hub can support the network with relevant tools and expertise, while the direction remains grounded in the priorities identified by the schools themselves.
What other schools can take from the model
The Peer-to-Peer Review Programme offers a replicable approach to improvement:
- Involve both the Careers Leader and senior leadership.
- Use evidence and recognised frameworks to structure the conversation.
- Create enough time for honest discussion.
- Finish with specific, owned actions.
- Reconvene to review progress and plan the next phase.
The most valuable outcome is not a perfectly polished presentation. It is a stronger culture of reflection and collaboration. When schools make space to examine careers provision together, they can see their own strengths more clearly, learn from different approaches and turn ambitious intentions into practical priorities for the year ahead.