Kirkby-in-Ashfield pupils inspired to follow their dreams during their Young Enterprise and Careers Week

Children from Abbey Hill Primary School and Nursery, Kirkby-in-Ashfield, welcomed visitors, motivational speaker Baasit Siddiqui and ITV Central’s education correspondent Peter Bearne, as part of their second ever Young Enterprise and Careers Week.

Baasit and Peter spoke to the children about their respective careers within the education and television sectors, hoping to inspire them to pursue the careers of their dreams. During their visits, two children interviewed each guest for their new student-led YouTube TV channel ‘The Hill’, which launched last week. The children were excited to launch their channel using these interviews for the first two episodes.

Baasit said: “I was honoured to be invited to be the first guest for the children’s ‘Hill TV’ channel debut. Thank you and a huge well done to my interviewers - I was relieved that they didn’t give me too much of a grilling! I wish all the children the very best of luck for their future episodes.”

Baasit Siddiqui is well-known for his bespoke workshops for children, and motivational speaking as a passionate advocate for inspiring and motivating young people. He spoke to the children about his ‘Let’s Thrive’ series of workshops and ‘Books on the Box’ competition for Year 5 children. The children were so proud to present Baasit with copies of their own book, ‘Romans’, which they had published professionally.

One Year 4 pupil said: “We learnt that Baasit was a teacher and helped kids like us. I found him very inspiring.” Another pupil from Year 4 said of Peter: “He told us to be strong and confident about whatever we want to do in the future. I liked listening to him.”

Peter Bearne engaged the Year 5 children in talks about reporting and television, offering advice to the children as they begin their own new channel. The children were thrilled by his stories of reporting live in the air as he interviewed a Microlight Aircraft pilot thousands of feet in the sky. A Year 5 pupils reflected, “He was such an inspiring man. I was very happy to keep listening to him as he told us to follow our dreams.”

The following week, the children put their knowledge and learnings from Careers Week to good use by hosting their own‘Young Enterprise Market’. They proudly welcomed parents and carers from across the school community to buy products made by their ‘companies’, including friendship bracelets, sweet cones and fruit smoothies.

Zoe Godfrey, Vice Chair of Governors for Abbey Hill, commented: “I cannot stress how important the chance to be part of Young Enterprise Week is for the students of Abbey Hill.

"The idea that you can create your own job and business based on something you are passionate about is such a powerful message for the children. The careers education provided by the school gives the children hope that they can find their niche in today’s world of work.”

Headteacher Adam Jevons-Newman, said: “The purpose of Young Enterprise week is two-fold. Firstly, it’s to empower our pupils to take the skills and knowledge from our curriculum and then meaningfully and purposefully apply them in the context of running their very own business.

"Secondly, it’s an opportunity for them to meet with and learn from people working in jobs that might inspire them in thinking about their own futures.”

He added: “Our school motto is ‘Achieving our Dreams Together’ and with the launch of our own TV channel, many pupils are already achieving their dreams of presenting on TV.

"We’re really looking forward to exploring the interests and educational journeys of the children through this pupil-led channel and teaching our children to see themselves as creators, not just consumers of content. It's important that we deliver an education that prepares our young Abbeyhillians for the future.”