Dream, believe, achieve and the possibilities for your future are endless.

At Laurel Avenue we hold the values of possibility and ambition at the core of every learning opportunity. We aim to instil in our pupils the belief that they can do and be anything they set their minds upon.

As part of the ‘Start Small Dream Big’ project we are developing a whole-school approach to deliver careers related learning and provide employer opportunities for pupils to learn about and experience a range of careers during their primary education.

Currently we provide opportunities for children to experience Further and Higher Education and will develop links which will allow pupils to access real-life work places and engage with a range of employers from the Early Years to Year 6.

Our aim is to embed careers learning firmly within our curriculum, providing children and their families with the knowledge and skills to enable their career aspirations to become reality in the future.

We know that even at the young age of three or four, children are already starting to form their first aspirations. By six they are starting to have opinions on what they think they can or can’t do in the future. And by the time they’re 10, young people start to make decisions which could go on to limit their future options. We believe it is vital to provide children with knowledge about the world of work and to develop a range of skills and aspirations that will benefit their future learning and their ability to meet the needs of the labour markets they will step in to.

We are working with North East Ambition Institute and Teach First to engage in staff CPD and create a bespoke programme for the needs of our pupils which meet the eight Gatsby Benchmarks for careers related learning. As a result, we will ensure that Laurel Avenue pupils have the best possible early knowledge and guidance to help them understand the exciting opportunities that are open to them as possible career options as they grow up.

By linking learning, skills and careers we will encourage pupils to consider ‘Can I…?’ ‘Could I…?’; not choosing a career at this young age, but rather thinking about the opportunities available now and those which will be there in the future.

We aim to introduce skills builders across the curriculum with a particular initial focus on STEM careers, developing existing good practice, established school links and current local market information.

Through completion of a series of online modules, the careers lead will develop a strategic overview of careers related learning in our school; undertake audits and surveys in order to create action plans and implement a priority project in January 2024. Our evidence shows that pupils’ career aspirations, direction and goal-setting are broadly in line with the national picture of primary children with main aspirations linked to a limited range of careers such as sport, the arts, caring professions such as doctors, nurses and vets and the emergency services.

Staff CPD, careers events; employer encounters and a curriculum plan directly linking careers learning into our curriculum will all be developed within the second stage of the project.

Strategic Objectives

1. Reducing bias and challenging stereotypes

Data collected at the end of a year group shows children display an understanding of a diverse range of careers without bias or stereotype.

2. Linking careers in the curriculum 

Explicit careers related learning opportunities are embedded throughout all age phases across termly areas of learning to allow pupils to explore possibilities which would otherwise remain unknown.

3. Increasing meaningful employer encounters 

An established directory of links to local employers is in place and used to support awareness of possibilities and promotion of local job markets.

4. Engaging parents and carers

Parents are active participants in their child’s careers related learning through regular communication and events.