Career Related Learning Intent

At Hipsburn Primary School, we value career-related learning (CRL) and the role it plays in preparing children for their futures.  We recognise the value in broadening pupils’ horizons, raising aspirations and helping them understand the world beyond the classroom. Our intent is to provide a broad and rich career-related learning programme that exposes children to a variety of roles, pathways, and possibilities for their future.

In 2025, Hipsburn received a certificate from the North East Combined Authority to mark our participation in the ‘Start Small, Dream Big Pilot Project’. The project has shaped our implementation of CRL, ensuring we are introducing children to a wide-range of careers at a young age. Pupils learn about careers that promote high aspirations, challenge stereotypes and reflect information from the local labour market.

We offer a vibrant range of career-related experiences that help pupils understand how learning connects to life. These include:

  • Engagement with local employers, parents, and community businesses who share their current role, pathway to role, experiences and expertise.

  • Participation in National Careers Week, where children take part in hands-on workshops and interactive sessions learning about careers such as farming, seismic navigation, shop ownership and physiotherapy. As well as this, children have had interactive talks from land agents, the military and train drivers as well as many more.

  • Access to live seminars and talks with authors and professionals from different sectors, helping children see real examples of inspiring career journeys.

  • Embedding career-related learning across the curriculum by making clear, purposeful links between subjects and the wide range of careers connected to them.

Through these opportunities, we aim to:

  • Raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes about who can do which jobs.

  • Help children recognise the value of skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, creativity, and perseverance.

  • Equip pupils with early knowledge about the breadth of careers available to them as they grow.

  • Strengthen links between the curriculum and the wider community.

Overall, our CRL programme ensures that all children experience a broad, inclusive, and inspiring introduction to the world of work, helping them build confidence, ambition and curiosity about their futures.