Rustington primary school holds careers fair, a first for the school

Staff at Summerlea School designed a week of activities to help the 10 and 11-year-olds think about their strengths and talents, as well as their personal learning and thinking skills. It began with a visit from Worthing magistrates and ended in the careers fair, a first for the school.

Mrs Karla Strong, deputy headteacher, said: "The school puts a great deal of emphasis on developing personal skills for life, such as being creative, developing independent enquiry skills, teamwork and so on, and runs a reward scheme in recognition of these. It is a tough process whereby the children are interviewed and have to provide examples of when they have demonstrated these skills. When they can, they earn a bronze, silver or gold badge.

"As a school, we believe our children need to understand the purpose of their education and there is no better way of doing this than speaking to others working in other roles and sectors and providing good role models for future careers."

The careers fair saw year-six and gold badge winners engaging in fabulous conversations and questioning about aspirations and employability skills.

Among other things, the children met an author, paramedic, florist and animal behaviourists, learned first aid and talked to a cameraman and apprentices from Rolls-Royce.

Mrs Strong added: "They were even lucky enough to get to sit in a Rolls-Royce as they learned about the many skills and talents that go into producing one."

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