What do a journalist, restaurant manager, psychologist, medical physicist and landscape gardener all have in common?
It’s not a cheesy joke intro… they all took part in When I Grow up Day at St Mary’s CE Primary School in Hornsey last Thursday (February 1).
More than 500 children took part in the all-day event, which was organised by Miss Busia and Ms Plimley at the school, and saw pupils joined by 25 grown-ups from a range of careers.
They visited each class with presentations and props for the children to experience and explore, followed by an opportunity for their audience to ask any burning questions.
Each class then took part in a range of different careers-themed activities, from artwork to A-Z scavenger hunts. Children in nursery, reception and year one got the chance to dress up as what they wanted to be, while year six attended a ‘speed dating’ careers fair, with groups of children spending five minutes chatting with each of the visitors.
The huge range of careers on show included air ambulance; hairdresser; clergy member; PCSO; restaurant manager; talent agent; journalist; TV & film designer; author; literary manger; learning and development advisor; psychologist; events producer; landscape gardener; architect; entrepreneur; doctor; IT/web developer; water aid programme manager; medical physicist; textile designer; chemical engineer, and a clinical trial manager.
Year five pupil Hannah said:
“It was great. I really liked hearing about other people’s jobs because they told us how they got into their careers. It gave me more of an idea of what I want to be when I grow up.”
Isabel in Reception added:
“I liked hearing about the adults’ jobs. The air ambulance man was very interesting. I want to be a French Teacher.”
Year two Teacher Gemma Simmons said:
“It’s such a positive and beneficial experience for the children. A few years ago when I asked the children what they wanted to be the answers were singers and footballers. Now the children have more choices because they have a variety of adults who come in to speak to them.”