Thumbs up for careers morning

Exeter Junior School enjoyed its inaugural Year 5 Careers Morning on 17 June.

This year, the focus was on 'how we use science in our jobs' with three interactive sessions run by PC Nick Taylor, Civils Manager and past pupil Jerry Bricknell and Alice Mills, the Ogden Science Outreach Officer for the College of Engineering, Mathematics and Physical Sciences at the University of Exeter. 

PC Nick had pupils taking their finger prints and looking at the unique patterns found on them and linked this to genetic finger printing used by the police.

He said how impressed he was with how interactive the sessions were.

"The pupils were really interested and interesting, engaged at all times," said PC Nick.

1984 leaver Jerry tasked pupils with creating a bridge out of paper and other materials in order to hold a small car!  This was a fun activity which demonstrated the science involved in engineering. 

Jerry is a civil engineer who studied Maths, Physics and Chemistry A Levels at Exeter School and has worked on many engineering projects across the West Country in recent years.

Pupil Albert Cooper-Wedge said he really enjoyed working as a team making a bridge in Mr Bricknell's session.

Dr Alice got pupils imaging what a scientist might look like and then looked at how astrophysicists look for life on planets. 

She asked the children to draw what they thought a scientist looked like and most of them drew men in a lab coat, with sticking out hair wearing glasses!

Dr Alice said: "Why didn't you draw yourselves? You are all scientists, you do it every day. You could all make it your career."

Exeter School Careers Adviser Ruth Cheesman said this was a successful and engaging morning.