​Ferguslie Pre-Five Centre provides a skills-based learning approach for children aged from 3 to 5 years, actively seeking to connect learning to the world of work whenever possible. Through a variety of play contexts and in connection with professionals and local businesses, they engage in projects that inspire enterprising attitudes and creativity. At the same time it introduces children to a range of jobs people hold within the wider community.

It supports professional reflections around the Career Education and Work Placements Standards as well as School / Employer Partnerships.

How to use this exemplar

This exemplar aims to inspire reflective thinking by practitioners engaged in curriculum development. You are invited to use this exemplar to reflect on the following questions:

• In what ways does the curriculum provision and timetabling in your establishment incorporate career education for all learners?
• To what extend are partners involved in delivering meaningful, work related experiences for learners, the delivery of skills and qualifications as well as prospective career opportunities?

​Explore this exemplar

What was done?

A holistic approach was taken by the centre to developing skills and engaging children in play around the world of work providing inspiration and creative engagement opportunities that foster positive attitudes for learning, life and work, important stepping stones for career education from age 3 to 18.

Children are at the heart of this approach, influencing the direction of projects by leading the learning. Some of their projects include the creation of a ‘dog house’, their business venture, the ‘Rainbow Café’ for the local community and creating a nursery newspaper.

The Tackling Poverty agenda has further motivated staff to support children in developing the necessary skills and confidence to succeed. The opportunities and experiences put in place in partnership with parents supports the development of skills for everyone involved, ensuring that no matter what their stage of development, they are equipped to lead their own learning and celebrate their achievements.

“At Ferguslie Pre-Five Centre our children have a natural curiosity about the world around them and we, as a staff, have put an increased emphasis on the development of children’s skills through play. They engage in projects that develops a depth of learning and to scaffold this, we connect to and work with businesses and professions. Local schools and colleges also support the projects children engage in and they understand who can help them achieve.” Partners and parents make valuable contributions to the curriculum and opportunities to involve the local community in children’s learning are maximised. ” Judith Thomas, Head of the centre

Additional materials

View the video on YouTube to hear more about the nursery’s approach to developing skills for learning, life and work employability.

2016 Scottish Learning Festival presentation: Career education at Ferguslie Pre-five Centre (6.5 MB)