Campaign to inspire primary school children about future careers gathers pace

Over 550 primary schools have joined a new scheme which aims to widen the horizons and aspirations of primary school children by helping them make the connections between their lessons and their futures.

Some 554 primary schools and 620 primary school teachers have joined a new scheme which aims to widen the horizons and aspirations of primary school children by helping them make the connections between their lessons and their futures.

Primary Futures was launched last month and has been developed by school leaders’ union NAHT in partnership with the Education and Employers charity. It is completely free to all state primary schools and is part of the Inspiring the Future programme which has already registered 13,500 volunteers and 75 per cent of state secondary schools.

Through Primary Futures primary schools will be able to access a vast network of volunteers from different backgrounds and professions – from young apprentices to chief executives, archaeologists to zoologists or employees from small, medium sized or multi-national companies.

The scheme has been developed by NAHT’s immediate past president Steve Iredale and seven other head teachers who, over the last year, have run a series of pilots in 16 schools across the country. In his school, Athersley South Primary in Barnsley, Iredale said: “One of our first volunteers was a female paramedic from Wakefield. She was able to relate the children’s learning in literacy and numeracy to her job. The children could see a real link as she highlighted the importance of writing patient notes neatly to avoid the threat to someone’s safety caused by illegible case-notes. The pilots have been a great success hence we are now rolling out the scheme nationally.”

Russell Hobby, general secretary of NAHT said: “For children of primary age, making a connection between what they learn in the classroom and how it relates to the world of work isn’t easy.  Primary Futures is intended to change that. It is not about specific careers advice, or fixing on one path for the future at age 11. It is about raising and broadening horizons about what can be achieved. Children also benefit from understanding the practical requirements of the working world so they can be motivated to improve their literacy and numeracy. ”

Nick Chambers, director of Education and Employers, a charity set up five years ago to build effective partnerships between schools and employers, said: “Primary Futures grew out of discussions with NAHT about how best employers could support primary schools. Head teachers were keen to invite volunteers from outside their immediate communities to give children the chance to meet people from a range of professional backgrounds but found it difficult and time consuming. This scheme developed by the profession aims to make it very easy for schools to access very easy for schools to access volunteers – and for people to volunteer."

If you want to become a volunteer and inspire children like yours about your profession or let your local primary school know about the scheme, information on signing up is available here.




Comments [1]

  • Ruth Kulume-okwanga says:

    This is great because it helps and guides the children to be open minded as they make choices for their future.
    I seek to talk to young people and inspire them for the nursing profession where I have worked for over thirty years of continious service.
    I want to change the perception about nursing in Africa as an effort to retention of the health worke-force
    Thanks Ruth


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