Choices, Choices, Choices

“What do you want to do when you grow up?” is a common question for teenagers and one that can be very hard to answer! How do you know what you want to be, where you want to work or what kind of working life you want to have, when your experiences of life are not fully formed?

Springfield School offers students a variety of careers guidance, work related learning and practical experiences to help with the multiplicity of choices available in the working world today. From Year 7 through to Year 11, Springfield provides careers education and guidance to all students.

How do you know if you want to be a graphic designer, an X-box games designer, a stonemason or a play-leader?

In Mr Cunningham’s Year 10 Careers class I had the opportunity to listen as the pupils were offered the chance to move to their very own desert island and list the three important items they would take with them. Some wanted mobile ‘phones and MP3 players, some included their friends and pets; others wanted food, water and a boat. “But” said Mr Cunningham, “there is no mobile ‘phone reception – it’s a desert island! - and there is no electricity and the batteries have run out on your MP3 player. You will also be pretty hungry and thirsty without food and water”. For those who had actually chosen food and water - rather wise choices I thought - they were told the water would arrive in a tanker ship and be piped ashore. Where would they store it? The food would only be chocolate and would be deliveredin a one tonne block. How would they keep it fresh and stop it from melting?

The purpose of this exercise was to help the pupils understand that choices have to be made carefully and based on key underlying information. Researching an option prior to making a decision will always improve the quality of your choice.

To increase pupils’ understanding as to what “work” is all about, Springfield has strong links with local businesses and all Year 10 pupils have the opportunity of a two week work placement. The school and the pupils work together to find suitable work placements - preferably in an industry in which the pupil is interested. This valuable experience is then shared with the year group during an annual off-site debrief session held at the Hilton Hotel in Farlington.

For Year 11 students Springfield has developed a programme called ‘Money4Life’ which aims to help students match their aspirations to the reality of how much those dreams would actually cost. ‘Money4Life’ provides a series of six lessons in financial literacy in partnership with a local business leader. The programme has a strong thread demonstrating that investment in education and training will help students in realising their full potential and achieving their dreams.

Overall Springfield School’s high standard in Careers training is recognised nationally by the independent body “Investors in Careers” who twelve months ago renewed certification of the school’s programme.

Gail Edginton – Parent Governor