Pupils to learn about work

Head teachers want primary school pupils to learn more about the links between learning and the world of work.More than 1,000 schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland have signed up to a project putting them in touch with local employers.

The National Association of Head Teachers says it wants to raise the aspirations of children.

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan says the project will “inspire children” to think about different opportunities.

There have been widespread calls for improvements to careers advice in school – the education secretary recently saying that this had been overlooked for too long.

A report from an advisory body set up by the government said last month that careers services for young people needed to be urgently improved.

Archaeologists to zoologists

The Primary Futures project has been launched by head teachers, with the Education and Employers Taskforce, to develop a scheme to link schools with the workplace.

NAHT general-secretary Russell Hobby says that primary school children are “right at the age where they are beginning to develop their aspirations and ambitions”.

The project will create links between schools and employers, providing primary teachers with people they can invite to talk about their jobs.

A survey for the head teachers’ union found that there was widespread demand from primary schools to make connections with local employers – if it was straightforward to arrange.

They were also keen to have careers links which could show pupils the value of improving their skills in literacy and numeracy.

Primary Future is promising a wide range of potential job types to invite into schools, from “archaeologists to zoologists”. CBI director-general John Cridland said he wanted all businesses to “increase their engagement with schools because they have a key role to play in raising ambition and inspiring pupils to pursue exciting careers”

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