Careers
Evidence shows that children start to form ideas about their future as they start primary school. At Beeford CE (VC) Primary School we understand the vital role that is played by primary schools in enabling children to have high aspirations about their future, and to help our children develop into successful independent citizens. By linking lessons in an age-appropriate way to different careers, training and skills, our careers education inspires pupils to think about their future and the world of work. We also provide opportunities for pupils to meet employers and role models from a range of industries, helping to raise aspirations and link their learning to future skills, jobs and careers.
Here are some of the things we've been getting up to!
Employer Visit - Dr Mary Sowersby, Local GP
We had a fascinating visit from one of our local GP's. Dr Mary spoke to the whole school about her personal career journey and the skills and qualifications needed to be a Doctor. She answered lots of questions from the children about different career options within the medical industry and what type of training they would need to become doctors themselves.
Robinwood Residential Trip
During our Year 5 and 6 trip to Robinwood activity centre the children completed a qualities quest. After each activity they had to discuss as a team which qualities they had used to complete that activity. This links with our Careers curriculum as we have been asking the children to think about the different qualities they would need to do different jobs in the future. The children were surprised to discover that many of the qualities required for certain careers were the same as those qualities they themselves demonstrated at Robinwood.
Whilst we were there, we asked our group leaders to speak to the children about their own personal career journeys to becoming a Robinwood instructor. They all had very different but equally interesting experiences about the path they had taken to becoming an instructor. Many of the children left completely inspired!!
Employer Visit - Mrs Pygas, Banker
Our year 3 and 4 children enjoyed an afternoon getting to know all about the world of banking with Mrs Pygas. She spoke to them about how she enjoyed maths at school and had turned this into a successful career in finance! She explained how she became a banker, as well as the training and qualities required. The children then completed a fun budgeting activity to give them a taste of what working with numbers would be like!
Career Learning Log
Each child in school has a personal career log that is designed to grow with them throughout their careers education. Each time they explore skills or learn about the world of work they are encouraged to add to their log. This helps keep a record of all the different careers and industries they have learnt about, and also helps them understand where their own skills and attributes might be best suited.
Industry Visit - Side Oven Bakery
Our FSU children enjoyed a fun filled visit to a local bakery and got to have a go at being bakers for the day! They learnt all about the processes required to make bread. From farm, to mill, to bakery and finally to the shop.
The bakery is also a fully working farm so the children had a great insight into the farming industry, and got to experience what life is like for local farmers in our area. Side oven bakery was a fantastic place to show our children a range of different career paths in one place. The staff who work on the farm have very varied job roles and responsibilities, and the children got to see all of them in action. From animal care, to milling, arable farming, baking and selling the final product!
Lower Juniors Enterprise Week
Each year our children from year 3/4 take part in Enterprise Week. The children work in small groups to come up with a business idea and spend the week developing skills in design, marketing, producing, selling, team work, customer care, time keeping and advertising. The goal is to create a profitable business venture and successfully sell products to our school community on the Friday afternoon. Enterprise Week is an absolutely fantastic opportunity for the children to experience all that running a small business entails, as well as having some creative independence to come up with their own ideas and put them into practice.
Employer Visit - Staff Sergeant Chaplin of the British Army
What an absolutely fantastic visit we had from Staff Sergeant Chaplin! He spoke to the whole school about his personal career path within the army, and all about the opportunities the army can offer you in terms of qualifications and training. He also explained that within the British Army there are so many different career opportunities, the children were very surprised to hear that you can even be a British Army vet!
Role Play
Our younger children in school have a role play area as part of their continuous provision. Meaning they have access to a role play area to learn and play in all the time. The set up is changed regularly depending on the topics being looked at within the class, and they really do vary! We have had everything from doctors surgery to fruit and veg shop, cafe, post office, garden centre, opticians, dentist, crime scene investigator and even a chinese take away!
Employer Visit - Mrs McDonald, Senior IT Support Engineer
We had a fascinating visit from Mrs McDonald who introduced the children to the idea that IT and computer systems are a vital part of many other industries and how varied a career in IT can be. She explained in detail all about her work designing and maintaining computer systems used by the police force, helping the children understand how vital IT engineers are in helping all kinds of organisations operate effectively.
Employer Visit - Mr Dean, Recovery truck driver
The children were very excited to see a huge recovery truck arrive on the playground! Mr Dean explained all about the different types of recovery jobs he can be called out to and how his truck is used to help move all different kinds of vehicles.
Mini Police Project
Our year 5 children have recently taken part in an 8 week Mini Police program run by Humberside Police. It is a fantastic insight into the work of police officers, and the children had the chance to learn about many different aspects of policing. From crime scene investigation, to online safety, They even learnt to recite the police promise!
Industry Visit - Food and Farming
In the last few years our year 5 and 6 children have enjoyed trips to the 'Food and Farming' show at Driffield showground. Throughout the day children get to learn about the many different sectors within the farming industry, in particular the processes involved in producing the food we eat. The trip introduces children to lots of different people who have different jobs within the industry, and they each explain their roles and the skills they require to do the job they do.
