Supporting Your Child at Home

Careers at Ysgol Afon Wen: Supporting Your Child’s Future from Age 3 to 16

Why Talking About Careers at Home Matters

Career conversations are not just for older pupils; they are essential from the very start of your child’s learning journey. Engaging in discussions about careers at home helps pupils:

• Build awareness of the many possibilities available to them.

• Connect their learning to real-world opportunities, making education more meaningful.

• Develop confidence in their interests and abilities.

• Encourage curiosity and exploration, which aligns with our value of being Ready to embrace new challenges.

• Foster responsibility as they start to consider their personal strengths and future goals.

By talking about careers early, parents and carers can help pupils understand how their interests and talents can lead to fulfilling and successful futures. This ongoing dialogue supports our school vision of creating an environment where every pupil flourishes and feels Happy, Healthy, and Respectful of their own and others’ aspirations. Read below to find some activities which you could do at home to support your child further with careers and work related experiences (CWRE). 

Focus: Exploring the world of work through play, stories, and everyday experiences

Suggested Activities for Parents:

1. Job Role Play – Set up a "pretend job" area (e.g. vet clinic, post office, café) to encourage imaginative thinking about jobs.
   
   

2. What Do You Do? – Talk about your job or invite a family member to explain what they do at work in simple terms.
   
   

3. Book Explorers – Read stories featuring different jobs (e.g. firefighters, farmers, artists) and talk about what the characters do.
   
   

4. "Help Around the House" Tasks – Involve your child in age-appropriate responsibilities to build independence (e.g. setting the table, sorting laundry).
   
   

5. Dress-Up Days – Let your child dress up in clothes or uniforms linked to different roles and talk about what those jobs involve.
   
   

6. My Dream Job Drawing – Ask your child to draw or talk about what they might like to be when they grow up.
   
   

7. Ask Questions – Encourage curiosity by asking, “What do you think a dentist does?” or “Why do people go to work?”
   
   

Focus: Broadening horizons by building awareness of the world of work, skills for life, and how learning links to future opportunities

Suggested Activities for Parents:

1. Skills Spotting – When doing homework or chores, talk about the skills being used (e.g. problem-solving, teamwork, organisation).
   
   

2. Job Bingo – Create a bingo sheet of different jobs and tick them off when seen in real life, on walks, or on TV.
   
   

3. Career Conversations – Talk regularly about different types of work, including those in your family or local community.
   
   

4. Mini Interviews – Encourage your child to interview family members about their jobs, skills used, and how they got into their roles.
   
   

5. Financial Basics – Introduce pocket money management, saving goals, and budgeting for small items.
   
   

6. TV with Purpose – Watch documentaries, reality shows or news features about different industries and discuss what you learned.
   
   

7. Create a CV Wall – Create a “Wall of Skills” at home where your child adds a skill or achievement each week to build their confidence and self-awareness.

Focus: Preparing for future careers, making informed choices, building independence and exploring opportunities. 

Suggested Activities for Parents:

1. Explore Careers Wales – Use careerswales.gov.wales together to explore jobs, required skills, and qualifications.
   
   

2. Pathway Planning Chats – Discuss post-16 options (college, sixth form, apprenticeships) and the pros and cons of each. Attend open days.
   
   

3. Budgeting Basics – Support your child to understand payslips, tax, saving, and financial planning through real-life examples.
   
   

4. Work Experience – Secure a work experience place for your son/daughter early for the school's work experience week in Year 10.

5. CV and Interview Practice – Help them write a simple CV and practise answering common interview questions with confidence.
   
   

6. Career Goals Board – Create a visual board where they can plan short- and long-term goals for learning and work.
   
   

7. Real Job Research – Ask them to find out about 3 jobs they’re interested in: what qualifications are needed, average salaries, and future demand.
   
   

8. Volunteering and Experience – Encourage taking part in school committees, part-time work, or volunteering to build transferable skills.