PRIMARY NEWS
Fairfield Prep School pupils learn it’s never too early to think ahead
Fairfield Prep School recently launched Fairfield Futures, a week-long learning initiative encouraging Year 6 pupils to begin considering life beyond Fairfield.
Led by Sarra Jenkins, Director of Future Pathways at Loughborough Grammar School, and Rachel Ferraby, Director of Clinical Applications also at LGS, Fairfield Futures was developed in response to the latest research showing that pupils start thinking about, and even discounting certain universities and courses, from as early as Year 6.
Comprising a combination of presentations, skills workshops, interactive research sessions, and games, pupils learnt all about the various options available to as post-18 pathways.
Fairfield families also got involved to share their career journeys and experience; parents, including an ophthalmologist, doctor, professor and lawyer, provided career summaries and took part in Q&A sessions with pupils. They were quizzed on topics such as what is the best thing about your job? and ‘what might your job look like in 20 years’ time? Pupils also learnt about apprenticeship opportunities whilst getting stuck into the ‘apprenticeship arcade’ games, and heard from Professor Griffiths from Loughborough University about a career in academic research, as well as Dr Fraser, a local General Practitioner. There was also an online talk from a geotechnical engineer.
Inspired by all the career and future pathway knowledge that they had absorbed, pupils enjoyed getting hands-on to create a two-minute video showing what they had learnt about different careers and the routes required to get there.
Aarav said: “It’s made me think a lot more about the future, I want to become a banker or a cricketer. I think I might do an apprenticeship and then I might get a job after that.”
Mutiara was also inspired. She said: “It’s made me think about what I want to do with my life. I have always wanted to be a badminton player, and this week has made me think about what I will do after that. I’ve learnt a lot! I’m thinking about doing an apprenticeship and University.” Aashni agreed the week was helpful. He said: “This week has made me think about all the different things I can do after A-levels, and all the different degrees I can do.”
The fantastic Fairfield Futures week culminated in a final ‘futures’ talk June 2024
where parents were welcomed to join the session where they heard about the current trends in post-18 planning, along with important career- planning milestones to mark in the calendar.
Nearly one third of primary school teachers report more pupils showing up to class hungry
A new report suggests a growing number of primary school children are showing up to class hungry.
NFER’s report, entitled ‘The ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis on schools’ is based on a survey of 1,282 teachers and senior leaders across mainstream primary and secondary schools.
It offers insights into how the increased cost of living is contributing to pressures on schools and looks at how staff are responding to these challenges .
This is a follow-up to a report NFER released last autumn and reinforces the seriousness of schools’ financial positions identified in other recent studies.
This year, 31 per cent of primary school respondents said more children were showing up to class hungry, with 40 per cent reporting an increase in pupils arriving without adequate clothing.
Worryingly, 79 per cent of primary school teachers (and 62 per cent of secondary school) said they were spending their own money purchasing items for pupils. 19 per cent of primary teachers said they were specifically spending money on pupils’ pastoral needs, for example clothing or food. The report also suggests that the financial position of schools is continuing to deteriorate and that most primary schools are cutting spending on targeted learning support and learning resources to plug holes in budgets. Budget pressures are also hampering school leaders from making much needed improvements to school buildings. Almost half (46 per cent) of primary senior leaders and a third (33 per cent) of secondary senior leaders report making cuts to planned spending on building improvements and new buildings in response to current cost pressures. NFER’s Co-Head of UK Policy and Practice, Jude Hillary, said: “This report clearly highlights the high level of need among young people, and the risk of it becoming an entrenched and persistent challenge for pupils, families and staff, particularly in more disadvantaged schools.”
www.education-today.co.uk 9
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