Primary school kids inspired to carve out creative careers

Camden and Islington primary school children enjoyed a taste of creativity away from the classroom at the Primary Careers Fair held at the British Library.

The event, pioneered by Executive Headteacher of Netley Primary School Bavaani Nanthabalan, has been running for three years.

It is designed to encourage pupils to consider alterative career routes at a young age and is supported by the Knowledge Quarter, a group of organisations pioneering learning.

Ms Nanthabalan said: “We want the children go away full of ideas for the future so they can create something similar in their own schools to share their experience.

“At least half the children selected to attend come from disadvantaged backgrounds and would not have been exposed to this before.”

Speakers at the event included MP Keir Starmer, chief executive of the British Library Roly Keating, and representatives running workshops from creative, technological and scientific organisations across the city.

Kenneth Tharp, chief executive of the contemporary dance venue, The Place, was also one of the speakers.

He explained that he hoped the students would go away with a new-found curiosity for the arts and science.

He said: “Too often I see young people being forced to choose between arts and science. I want the children to find out what matters to them.

“I said to them they should never be told they ‘can’t’ do something but they should be curious, adventurous and work damn hard!”

The students spent the day attending talks and getting involved in a variety of workshops and enthusiastically discussed their own career aspirations - which included pilots, doctors, music producers, models, footballers, vets, and dancers.

One pupil said: “It has been really fun for us and we have been able to do things that we would never get to do normally - I would definitely tell my friends to come along!”