Careers education activities for primary school pupils
In 2019, the North East Local Enterprise Partnership launched a two-year project with the aim of helping 70 primary schools from across the North East of England to run careers education activities for pupils. The project was the first of its kind in England.
The Local Enterprise Partnership
The Local Enterprise Partnership commissioned us to evaluate the project. Over two years, we worked alongside the project team and with primary school teachers to collect data and gather feedback on the careers activities that were delivered. When Covid-19 restrictions made it impossible for us to visit primary schools, we created online diaries so that primary school teachers could record and tell us about the careers activities they had undertaken.
We made regular presentations of findings to the Project Board.
North East Local Enterprise Partnership
The team led by David were approachable, flexible and willing to adapt planned approaches to communications in the face of changing circumstances.
Using our findings and recommendations, the project team was able to identify which types of primary schools made progress with their careers activities and which required more support. They learnt more about what careers activities are suited to which age groups. They learnt more about the costs associated with delivering careers activities in primary schools and were able to use this insight when deciding how to sustain and scale the project. We presented the evaluation findings to local and national agencies who are involved in careers education and skills policy. Our work has informed the Careers and Enterprise Company’s ongoing work to introduce careers education in primary schools throughout England.
For more information on the Primary Pilot and our evaluation of the project go to: Career Benchmarks: Primary Pilot - North East Ambition