Secretary of State for Education, The Rt Hon Nicky Morgan MP joined 40 other volunteers at Priestmead Primary School in London for the latest high profile Primary Futures event.
Primary Futures is a nationwide initiative aiming to raise children’s aspirations and help them understand the link between their learning at school, future opportunities and finding a fulfilling job or career in later life.
Speaking at the launch of Primary Futures Week in October 2014, Secretary of State for Education, Nicky Morgan said: “I am delighted to support Primary Futures. We want schools to connect with industry and the business community in order to inspire children to consider the vast array of different opportunities available to them. Professional people are giving their time for free to show children that there should be no limit to what they want to do with their lives. These visits will help to show children what they can achieve. It is exciting to see schools taking the initiative in this way.”
Russell Hobby, NAHT general secretary said: “There is widespread agreement that there’s a real benefit in talking to children at an early age about the jobs they might do when they’re grown up and how important their primary school learning really is in terms of future opportunities. Providing the right kind of inspiration can really broaden horizons which is where Primary Futures is proving to be so successful. Careers advice shouldn’t have to wait until children get to secondary school.”
Professor Louise Archer of King’s College London said: “Efforts to broaden students’ aspirations need to begin at primary school. Our research shows that by the age of ten – even though they enjoy science as a subject – most children already see science careers as ‘not for me’. The current focus of most career-focused interventions – at secondary school – is likely to be too little, too late.”
Steve Iredale, who leads Primary Futures for NAHT said: “In the past four months alone we’ve registered over 2,000 primary schools who have sent over 6,500 invitations to volunteers to invite them to come into our schools to inspire the next generation. Putting children’s primary school learning into the context of real life is massively important regardless of their background. If you are a school or would-be volunteer who has not yet registered to join Primary Futures, this week is a great opportunity to do so.”
See Flickr photo album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/edu_employers/sets/72157651099545006/