Careers Curriculum at Airy Hill Primary School
At Airy Hill Primary School, we are committed to raising aspirations and ensuring every child is well prepared for the next stage of their education and their future working life. Our careers curriculum provides pupils with a broad understanding of the world of work, exposure to a diverse range of professions, and the key skills and attitudes they need to thrive.
Our approach is rooted in our commitment to children’s rights. As a Rights Respecting School, we ensure that our careers work upholds key UNICEF Articles, including:
- Article 28 – The right to education
Children are entitled to a high‑quality education that prepares them for lifelong learning. - Article 29 – The aims of education
Education must develop each child’s personality, talents and abilities to the full. Our careers curriculum is designed to help children explore their strengths and future aspirations. - Article 12 – Respect for the views of the child
Pupils have opportunities to express their interests, talk about their ambitions and influence aspects of their learning. - Article 17 – Access to information
We ensure pupils have access to accurate, age‑appropriate information about careers and the wider world.
These principles underpin every element of our careers offer.
Careers Education in Line with the Gatsby Benchmarks
While the Gatsby Benchmarks were developed for secondary schools, we use them as a framework to ensure our early careers provision is strong, ambitious and meaningful:
- Benchmark 1: A Stable Careers Programme
Careers learning is embedded across the curriculum from EYFS to Year 6, ensuring consistency and progression. - Benchmark 2: Learning from Career and Labour Market Information
Pupils learn about local employment opportunities, including the historical and modern fishing industry, the growing construction sector, and careers connected to the coast, heritage and environmental care. - Benchmark 3: Addressing the Needs of All Pupils
Our careers offer is inclusive and ensures all children—whatever their background or level of need—see themselves as capable of success. This directly supports Article 2 – Non‑discrimination. - Benchmark 5 & 6: Encounters with Employers and Experiences of Workplaces
Children meet a wide range of visitors, such as Whitby Foodbank, WHISH, the Coast Guard, North Yorkshire Police, the NSPCC, and Taylor Wimpey, who delivered an assembly on construction, site safety and the varied jobs involved in building new homes.
Our partnership with the local mine provides STEM‑rich assemblies and workshops related to engineering, geology and teamwork.
Beyond school-based learning, pupils attend the annual Careers Workshop at Scarborough Spa, which has a strong focus on STEM careers. Children engage in practical activities, meet real employers and explore exciting opportunities in science, technology, engineering and maths—broadening their horizons beyond the immediate Whitby area.
This aligns strongly with Article 32 – The right to protection from work that is harmful, through the explicit teaching of safety and awareness in workplace contexts.
Curriculum Integration
Careers education is woven throughout our subjects and year groups. Pupils develop essential transferable skills such as:
- communication
- teamwork
- resilience
- creativity
- problem‑solving
These skills help them recognise their strengths, raise their aspirations and understand how their learning connects to future opportunities. This supports Article 6 – Development of the child, ensuring children are equipped to achieve their full potential.
Transition to Whitby Secondary School
Preparing pupils for the next stage of their education is a key part of our careers programme and supports our responsibility under Article 3 – The best interests of the child.
We work closely with Whitby Secondary School to ensure a smooth transition through:
- visits from secondary staff
- joint projects and transition activities
- opportunities to experience secondary-style learning
- information sessions for pupils and parents
- detailed sharing of pupil strengths, needs and learning information
For pupils who require additional support, we provide an enhanced transition programme. This may include extra visits, small‑group support and personalised opportunities to build relationships with key staff, ensuring every child feels confident, secure and ready for their next step.
Preparing Children for Their Future
By the time pupils leave Airy Hill, they are confident, knowledgeable and ambitious. Our careers curriculum ensures that all children begin to build the understanding, cultural capital and essential skills they need to thrive in secondary school and beyond—fully upholding their rights under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.