We know how important it is to equip young people with career skills so they can flourish in their preferred professions after they complete their education.

So, why not start the journey to being career-ready in the primary years?

Developing skills such as collaboration, confidence and critical thinking at this point will help children to develop a growth mindset and independence in later life, with their own set of principles, decisions and judgements, rather than relying on others or blindly accepting what they are told.

Here’s how we do it:

Encouraging problem solving

We directly teach our children how to be confident, caring and effective individuals, ready for whatever the future holds. They are invited to hypothesise, discuss, take risks and develop confidently at their own pace.

This process doesn’t need to be complicated. They can work together to design and build structures and explain their actions and ideas while being questioned by the class.

For example, they plan a tea party. They invite another class or their parents, decide on the menu, prepare some treats and decorate the space. When their guests arrive, they ask what they would like and serve their guests. They grow, cook and eat vegetables and then invite others from the community to try what they have grown.

These types of lessons encourage pupils to take risks, work together, take on different roles and learn that if things don’t go to plan you try something new and keep going. Teaching young children problem-solving skills in the face of failure can support their emotional wellbeing.

As adults, our instinct can be to solve children’s issues for them. However, we should teach them to see us as a resource to help them solve problems on their own. Instead of solving it straightaway, teachers can ask children questions that model problem-solving behaviours, such as: “What have you tried already?” and “What tool might help with that?”.

Improving communication

According to research that we commissioned into the purpose of education, employers think good communication skills (88 per cent) are the most important for people to thrive in the workplace. Primary school teachers are well placed to support the development of communication and collaboration skills required through group projects.

However, it requires a shift in thinking, from “How do I support each individual child?” to “How do I encourage my pupils to support each other as a group?”.

This can be achieved by setting group tasks rather than individual activities and using these as opportunities to pose problems to the group that require a consensus, as well as supporting children to specify different roles for themselves when working together in play-based activities.

Fostering independence

It is also important for teachers to support children’s self-management skills by considering how they are supporting children to notice and meet their own needs.

Children are often used to having adults manage their responsibilities for them. By giving them the responsibility to manage tasks on their own, teachers are supporting them to develop their organisational skills and independence.

Teachers should also set expectations in class for children to manage their own belongings, offering only as much support as is necessary for them to begin to pack and unpack their backpacks, manage their clothes and retrieve materials for activities independently.

Starting the journey to career readiness in the primary years is not about narrowing children’s future choices but rather about broadening their horizons and fostering a mindset geared towards growth and adaptability. By embedding these principles early on, we set children on a path to prepare them for fulfilling and successful careers.

Sue Wakefield-Gray and Chelsea Wilson are heads of department at ACS International School Hillingdon

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