Measurable Impact and Data-Driven Insights for Schools

Through IndEX, schools gain the ability to measure, analyse, and evidence the true impact of their employer engagement activities. The platform’s integrated CRM records every interaction, tracking learner participation, skills developed, curriculum links, key concepts, and alignment with both the school’s Ofsted priorities and their Gatsby Benchmarks.

The Gatsby Benchmarks offer a national framework of eight guidelines aimed at enhancing careers guidance in secondary schools and colleges, ensuring that all young people receive high-quality career support. With IndEX, data can be reported directly against each benchmark, providing clear evidence for Ofsted, governors, parents, and funding bodies. This data not only enables the school to demonstrate compliance but also details what every individual learner has experienced.

The eight Gatsby Benchmarks are as follows:

1. A stable careers programme – recording structured employer engagement as part of the school’s planned careers strategy.

2. Learning from careers and labour market information – evidencing how employer-led activities inform learners about current and future opportunities.

3. Addressing the needs of each learner – showing how provision is targeted and inclusive for all learners.

4. Linking curriculum learning to careers – mapping activities directly to subject specifications and assessment objectives.

5. Encounters with employers and employees – capturing the quantity, quality, and variety of employer interactions.

6. Experiences of workplaces – tracking visits, placements, and projects linked to industry.

7. Encounters with further and higher education – evidencing contact with universities, colleges, and training providers.

8. Personal guidance – recording mentoring or one-to-one career advice from professionals.

Alongside the benchmarks, IndEX allows schools to monitor progress against wider educational priorities, including:

• Diversity and Inclusion – monitoring representation across ethnicity, gender, and socio-economic groups.

• SEND – recording participation and outcomes for learners with special educational needs and disabilities.

• By Level and Ability – ensuring engagement is accessible across all Key Stages, qualification levels, and abilities.

• Social Mobility – evidencing outreach to disadvantaged learners and communities.

• Women into STEM – tracking female participation in science, technology, engineering, and maths engagements.

By analysing this information, schools can refine their employer engagement strategies, identify gaps in provision, and ensure opportunities are equitable, inclusive, and impactful. The ability to segment and present robust data strengthens school improvement planning, supports funding applications, and provides compelling evidence for inspections and stakeholder reporting.

What makes IndEX unique is its simplicity. With a single click, data already stored in the CRM is automatically analysed and transformed into concise, visually clear reports. These highlight impact at a glance, whether for Ofsted, governors, or parental updates, reducing the administrative burden and ensuring that every story of employer engagement is backed by reliable, data-driven evidence.