Unique partnership sees pupils go behinds the scenes of major employer

Staffordshire pupils some of first in UK to take part in unique venture

Pupils from The Hart School, Rugeley, have become some of the first in the country to take part in a new behind the scenes venture by a major local employer.

The school has formed a “unique relationship” with Rugeley’s Amazon’s Fulfilment Centre, on Power station Road, to give its young children a snapshot of real working life and to get them thinking more about their future careers.

Year 7 pupils learnt exactly what happens from the moment you click “buy” on Amazon’s new-look Extended Tour programme and saw the huge breadth of careers deployed from the warehouse floor to the HR department and ICT offices.

Embracing opportunities for pupils

The Hart School Principal Chris Keen said: “We’re very proud that one of our strengths as a school, which has been highlighted by Ofsted, is that we prepare our children very well for life after school.

“This unique relationship with Amazon is one example of how we embrace any opportunities which support our young pupils in helping them choose and achieve their career aspirations, whatever they may be, when they leave us.

“The pupils found the tour educational and fun. The size of the building and the technology being used really caught the children’s imagination.”

“So cool – it was brilliant” – Year 7 pupil

One Year 7 pupil Lucy Graham said: “It was so cool to go to Amazon! I loved seeing all the different things on the shelves, the boxes, and miles of conveyor belts – it was brilliant.”

Every year group at The Hart School, which was rated good by Ofsted in April 2018, will get to go on the new-look behind the scenes Amazon tour.

The school is based on one site in Penkridge Bank Road following a successful move in September to unite students, teachers and resources to help it further build on its successes.

Amazon has previously run smaller tours, but the Extended Tours have only just launched and are in the process of being rolled out across the country.