CHILDREN at a Nottingham school have been inspired to think about their future with visits from a Jamaican diver, Paralympic athlete and hijab-wearing dental worker.
They are one of several schools in the city and county to have taken part in a ground-breaking Government-backed project called Our Future that aims to connect youngsters in some of the most disadvantaged areas with the world of work.
And as funding for the project comes to an end, schools have been sharing how Our Future has impacted them and how they intend to use the free Primary Futures platform, from UK-based charity Education and Employers, and career-related learning resources developed for primary schools in the future.
“Our school is situated in an area of high deprivation,” said Ruth Pickering, deputy headteacher at Windmill L.E.A.D. Academy in Sneinton, “the children need good role models in their lives.
“Careers-related learning in primary schools is so important and often over-looked. Our children are keen and really engaged when we had visitors into school sharing their experiences; a Jamaican diver, a Paralympian and a periodontist – a dentist who specialises in preventing, diagnosing and treating gum disease – who came into school wearing a hijab. A lot of our pupils wear hijabs, so it was refreshing to see.
L.E.A.D. Windmill Academy have embraced the Our Future project.
“Previously we had arranged our own careers programmes but that was extremely time consuming. Now, thanks to the Our Future project, we have been connected with key employers and have access to a whole range of resources including lesson PowerPoints, activity worksheets and videos.”
The Our Future project – delivered by a consortium of experts including Learn By Design, a market-leading education outreach company, dmh associates, who are specialist in careers policy, research and practise, and Education and Employers – began as a pilot scheme in nearby Derby but, earlier this year, was rolled out across Derbyshire, and to Nottingham and Nottinghamshire too.
More than 60 schools and multi-academy trusts, including those with special educational needs provisions, have participated in the project, with over 10,000 children and teachers supported through a range of inspirational career-related learning activities that cover topics such as STEM, English and the environment.
Early research into the impact of the Our Future project shows that 74% of pupils agreed with the statement ‘I can do any job I want when I grow up’, which is an increase from 61% before taking part. Eighty six per cent of pupils agreed that doing well at school will help them to get a better job when they leave school, too.
Dr Deirdre Hughes OBE, of dmh associates; who have led research into careers-related learning in primary schools, said: “Over the last two years, the Our Future programme has worked in some of the most disadvantaged areas of the city, inspiring volunteers, teachers and senior leaders, too.
School pupils in Derby and Nottingham have been taking part in the Our Future project
“We have supported more than 10,000 children and teachers – just like Ruth and her team at Windmill L.E.A.D. Academy – through a range inspirational career-related learning activities. From this, we know what works and what more needs to be done to improve children’s life chances.
“The project has been a huge success and we hope that it has left a lasting legacy here in Nottingham.”
Primary schools in Derby can continue to contact the Our Future delivery team and Education and Employers offers all state primary schools in the UK the opportunity to access volunteers via the Primary Futures platform. They’re always looking for new volunteers to share their expertise, too; this can be done by signing up to Inspiring the Future – educationandemployers.org.uk
Learn By Design offer a range of interactive and engaging career-related learning activities that schools can explore while senior leaders can keep up to date with their research and careers work by signing up to the dmh associated newsletter at dmhassociates.org.
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