Primary Futures connects primary schools with inspirational, diverse volunteers from a range of careers, who come into school to talk to children about their jobs and show how what they are learning at school can lead to an interesting, exciting future. Our in-school activities feed children’s curiosity, break down gender stereotypes and opens their eyes to future possibilities.
Virtual sessions for 2021
The sign up process is very simple. You sign up here then after adding some details about you and your school it is time to make the visit/visitors work for you. What this is means is you will be asked what type of professions you think your children will be interested in finding out more. For example, if you are currently focus on raising in the attainment and interest of STEM subjects for girls in your school your search criteria will seek to pair you up with adults who work in those industries.
Is it too early to start talking careers in primary school? Not at all. Primary Futures is great for challenging stereotypes and research from the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFRE) suggests Children begin to form stereotypes about occupations, careers and universities from the age of six- that’s Key Stage one!
Organsing visits from volunteers throughout the year can help support your School Improvement Plan (SIP), encourage your most vunerable Pupil Premuim/ Disadvantaged children and also motivate the harder to engage groups in your school to see a career path they could one day follow.
Developing skill sets early
Not only do visits have a greater impact on the ability to link current skills to developing future talents, the very nature of the visit shares a personal story that helps children to relate and remember the experience. How did you become a scientist? What did you need to acheive? Did you ever fail? These questions help to draw out valuable life lessons for children who can start to develop their skill set and personality early on.
Hosting activities such as ‘Classroom Coversations’ allow children to ask questions based on their own intersts and curiosity. Many of the skills, talents and mentality are often shared with a school’s behaviour policy, motto or mission statement.
After visits from volunteers 80% of pupils now understand how Maths/English/Science can be useful in many jobs and the link between learning and the wider world.
Find out how you can get your school involved at:
www.primaryfutures.org
Primary Creative Curriculum 