Free Press reporter and fire crews inspire children at Doncaster schools careers week

Grange lane Infant Academy in Rossington welcomed workers from a number of professions through the doors to discuss their roles in Doncaster life with youngsters – with the aim of inspiring them to take up a career in the future.

The school’s vice principal Janice Murrell said: “The whole school got involved through the week.

"It started off with discussions in every classroom about different careers.

"KS1 children listened to staff aspirations from when they were primary age and looked at skills needed for different jobs. Some even participated in a ‘Guess That Job’ quiz from various clues.

“Each class looked at gender stereotyping within jobs and they found that anyone could aspire to be anything.”

Early years pupils had a visit from Little Cities and had a fantastic time exploring various departments – supermarket, vets, beauty parlour, café and Post Office through role play.

She added: “Our Year 1 pupils had the fantastic NHS staff bringing knowledge, X-ray and internal body stations to engage them all, as well as “bandage the bear” station which was definitely a hit!

“We also welcomed Darren Burke from the Doncaster Free Press to tell us all about how our literacy skills would help towards a career in journalism.

"Many questions were fired at him about his role and what writing for a newspaper means including who started the newspaper, what was your very first story, how is the newspaper made and do you earn a lot of money being a journalist?”

All year groups worked with the fire crew from Rossington Fire Station discovering some of the equipment on the fire engine and finding out how it is used.

She added: “The crew kindly volunteered their time, even though they had to attend a real-life emergency call in between of their visit.”

Pupils from De Warenne Academy also came to present their career aspirations to KS1 children and how important their learning in school will help them achieve their goals.

The jobs mentioned were nursery teacher, photographer, vet, Army, midwife, lawyer, and a poet.

She added: “Finally, the week finished as brilliantly as it started by pupils having the opportunity to talk to Mike Bell about his career in being a school nurse and a mental health nurse.

"His work involves working within schools, with families and in hospitals.

“What a wonderful, packed careers week we had at Grange Lane, no wonder our children know they can aspire to be anything.”