Careers support set to be extended to reach primary school children

Primary school children are to gain access to age-appropriate careers guidance under new plans from the Department for Education (DfE).

Evidence shows that children start to form ideas about their future as they start primary school and the new careers programme hopes to encourage them to think about future jobs early, nurture aspirations and challenge stereotypes. Content will also provide opportunities for pupils to meet employers and role models from a range of industries.

The primary school scheme will be rolled out for Year One, Year Two and Year Three pupils across 55 disadvantaged areas of the country where school outcomes are the weakest and have been for some time and delivers on a commitment in the Schools White Paper. It will support more than 600,000 pupils in over 2,200 primary schools, giving them the kick start they need to boost their ambitions, and is backed by £2.6 million.

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon said:

To deliver the future workforce that this country needs, it is essential that careers advice and work experience helps young people from all backgrounds to climb the ladder of opportunity.

The changes we are making to boost our careers programme will raise ambitions from an early age for thousands of children in primary schools across the country, while providing opportunities to unlock talent, think about skills, engage with employers and discover different workplaces.

The announcement follows a recent change in law from 1st January which guarantees secondary school children and sixth formers have the chance to meet with technical education providers to ensure they understand the full suite of post-16 options and career paths available. This is in addition to a new requirement that all schools offer pupils at least one experience of a workplace by age 16, and a further work experience by age 18.