Students, staff, trustees, further education colleges and employers contributed to John Kyrle’s whole-school involvement in National Careers Week. As part of its motto of Happy, Healthy, Successful the school wants to enable students to gain an insight into a host of possible career opportunities and to support students wherever their dreams and aspirations may lead them.

Headteacher, Nigel Griffiths has taken assemblies with all year groups talking about careers. He discussed with students the attitudes, skills and qualifications that they can develop over time whether they are set on a future career path or just considering options. Mr Griffiths gave examples of former students who have gone on to have careers in areas as diverse as zoology, insurance, quantity surveying, taxation, estate agency, medicine, mechanics and engineering.

Mr Griffiths took the opportunity to encourage students to speak to their tutors and teachers if they are considering teaching as a future career. He told students about the six members of his teaching staff who now work for him having been his former students at JKHS! As well as Mr Griffiths’ assemblies, Year 10 student, Jack Hall delivered an excellent series of assemblies to younger students. During these he described his own ambitions and how engaging in a variety of extra-curricular activities has helped develop his confidence in a variety of areas.

Students at JKHS also had the opportunity to meet with visiting employers and representatives from the armed forces and further education in order to help gain an insight into potential future pathways.

In addition, a careers council has been set up at the school. The school is working towards the Gatsby Benchmarks set down by the Government and the focus is upon reviewing careers provision across the school and gauging the views of students, parents and carers.

This group contains student careers ambassadors, Debbie Boyd, Jack Hall and Fiona Weller; careers advisor, Hayley Knapper; assistant headteacher and careers lead, Trixie Clarke; trustee, Diane Hudson and STEAM staff ambassador, Sara Sharples.

Parents and carers were kept updated about activities via the school’s Twitter page.