James Rennie School's Work Day attended by over 20 local businesses

James Rennie School in Carlisle's Kingstown held the Work Day on Tuesday, May 21, with around 25 businesses from across the city attending the event

The school for pupils aged 3 to 19 who have severe or profound learning disabilities first held this event in 2021 as a way to help its students engage with the workplace and develop their wider skills such as communication.

Carlisle United Community Sports Trust were also in attendance. (Image: Matthew O'Hara/NQ)Oliver Wilson is James Rennie School's assistant head and discussed more about the event. 

He said: "It's been brilliant and it is growing and growing.

"If we go back a few years we had half a dozen companies who were engaging with this and now we have more than 20 companies.

"Our students get a ton out of it because they are making those connections, building those communication skills but also the companies get a lot out of it because they get to learn about our pupils. 

"We look at those potential limiting factors for our pupils and try to remove them because they have got an awful lot to offer and that is what it is all about.

Amongst the businesses that were in attendance at the event were Tesco, Pioneer, Persimmon Homes, and The Rebuild.

In addition, the Work Day was attended by further education suppliers such as Gen2 and Carlisle College, with the latter's liaison and transition coordinator Laura Whiteley expressing her delight at being able to be present at the event. 

She said: "It's really nice to see the school promoting equal opportunities and everyone is enjoying it.

"Pupils coming up to the table and asking for a water bottle or asking what my name is a massive achievement for them 

The James Rennie School students also enjoyed meeting firefighters from Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, officers from Cumbria Police's Neighbourhood Policing Team, and Ernie the Civil Nuclear Constabulary dog. 

Oliver Wilson and a pupil meet Ernie the dog. (Image: Matthew O'Hara/NQ)PC Alice Hannah was part of the Neighbourhood Policing Team that attended the event and explained how she hopes the students will feel more comfortable around the emergency services thanks to the Work Day.

She said: "We do these events a lot and it is vital to get those connections with the community and especially the more vulnerable parts of our community.

"It breaks down barriers and hopefully if they ever need us they can approach us and not feel scared or anything like that."