Next week is National Careers Week, and we have been preparing for it with some special events. The Inspirational Learning Group hosted workshops for Years 5 to 8 this week, taking a whole day to give them a project to see through to completion in groups. Teamwork, decision making, design skills, copywriting, event planning, and social media strategy were just some of the skills that they practised. The children in Middle School had to design a new feature for a theme park, and the Upper School had to design and market a new product for a global brand.
As a career, or indeed a vocation, going into healthcare is a decision that will involve high academic expectations and long years of training, but ultimately the reward of helping others in ways too numerous to list. We were very pleased to welcome the Little Lifesavers team, many of whom are St C’s parents, to teach a variety of first aid and potentially life saving skills to children from Reception to Year 8. My sincere thanks to the medical professionals who took time out of their already busy schedules to make this possible for us.
We have Careers Assemblies tailored to each section of the school over the course of next week; it will be interesting to see what ideas the children have for their futures. The question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” should never simply be answered with “Famous!” – you should be famous for something, and something that requires hard work and talent in equal measure.
One of the most interesting Assemblies I have ever attended was when a Creative Director at Google came to speak to a hall full of children. As he stood with four year olds at his feet and teenagers at the back of the room, he observed that, for those closest to him, about 50% of the careers that they will go into do not even exist yet. This is an exciting and yet slightly unnerving thought. Who knows where virtual reality and AI will lead us? One thing is certain: human creativity and humans’ natural desire to care for each other will not be diminished, only enhanced by ever-developing technology.
The last full week of term sees a concert, a play, an exhibition, and a Parents’ Evening, but I suspect the most anticipated event is World Book Day next Friday. I look forward to seeing some fantastic costumes on display!
Ms Elizabeth Lyle, Head