Careers and Aspirations at Pike Fold

At Pike Fold, we believe every child has unique potential. Our Careers & Aspirations programme helps pupils from Early Years to Upper Key Stage 2 explore their interests, discover the world of work, and understand the many possibilities open to them.

Our Vision

We are developing a strong, structured careers journey that prepares pupils not just for school, but for life. Inspired by the Gatsby Benchmarks, we adapt the same core principles used in secondary careers education to make them meaningful and age-appropriate for primary pupils.

Through this approach, we aim to ensure that:

• All pupils gain a broad understanding of the world of work, helping to raise aspirations and challenge stereotypes early.

• Careers learning is embedded across the curriculum, linking subjects such as history and geography to real-life skills and future opportunities.

• Children meet a wide range of professionals and employers, offering first-hand insight into different jobs and pathways.

By the time pupils leave Pike Fold, they are confident, informed, and ready to take their next steps with ambition and curiosity.

What We Do

• We embed our four core skills — Communication, Creativity, Collaboration and Problem-Solving — across learning to show how classroom skills connect to real careers.

• Our annual Careers & Aspirations Fair brings more than 20 professionals into school, giving pupils opportunities to speak with role models from diverse industries.

• We work with external professionals across sectors such as healthcare, mental health, construction, design, real estate, communications, and more, giving children a rich view of the working world.

• We use a range of careers-focused websites, including MYPATH, which helps pupils understand how each school subject links to real jobs. For example:

  • Maths supports careers in engineering, architecture, finance, coding, and data analysis.

  • English is essential for journalism, law, marketing, teaching, public relations, and creative writing.

  • Science links to medicine, veterinary work, laboratory research, environmental science, and engineering.

  • Art & Design connects to careers in illustration, fashion, animation, product design, and advertising.

  • History & Geography build skills used in archaeology, museum curation, tourism, urban planning, and conservation.

• Our whole-school approach builds progressively:

  • Early Years & KS1: introducing simple, playful ideas about jobs.

  • Lower KS2: connecting learning to real-world careers.

  • Upper KS2: deeper reflection on pupils’ strengths, interests, and future aspirations.

Why It Matters

Children start forming ideas about their future as early as age 3 or 4, and by age 6 they may already limit what they believe is possible. At Pike Fold, we work to expand horizons, restore aspirations, and show every child that their future is full of opportunity.

Through meaningful experiences, community engagement, high-quality resources like MYPATH, and consistent exposure to real careers, we ensure every child leaves Pike Fold believing they can become who they dream to be — and with the skills to achieve it.