Junior Carers 2023

At Coley Primary, we are delighted to once again be invited to take part in Royal Berkshire Hospital’s Junior Carers programme. It is an initiative run by the NHS Foundation Trust to encourage school children to become School Health Ambassadors and to learn more about health topics and NHS Careers.

The Associate Chief Nurse, Mrs Sharon Herring visited Key Stage 2 children to introduce the programme and tell them some information about the NHS. The children were surprised to find out that there are over 350 different jobs in the NHS and that the NHS employs over 1.4 million people and is the biggest employer in the UK.

The children in Key Stage 2 were very excited about the programme and we had 42 applications for the role and only 14 places available.

The applications were a joy to read and after short-listing, we appointed our new Junior Carers.

Our shortlisting criteria included:

Suitability

Understanding of the role

Wanting to help others

Living out and understanding Coley values

Having career aspirations

Responsibility

Organised

Kind

Curious/keen to learn

Good knowledge of NHS and the roles within the NHS

Here are some snippets from our successful candidates:

Please explain why you would like to be a Junior Carer...

Brandon Y4

I would like to explore the RBH and practise like a doctor. I am very excited to be able to learn CPR and use medical equipment. Also, I really want to see people get better and be happy.

William Y5

I would like to be a Junior Carer so that I can learn how to take care of people when they are sick and help them feel and get better. I would love the opportunity to learn about the hospital, the people who work there as one day I would like to work in a job that makes the world a better place.

Ayaan Y6

I have always dreamed of becoming a surgeon and I feel that if I became a Junior Carer I could experience what it is like to be in a hospital working environment and maybe help others in the future.

Please draw something to do with the hospital...

Please write about one of your school values and why it is important to you: BELONGING, CURIOUSITY, COURAGE, PRIDE, RESPECT or HONESTY

Shraddha Y6

I believe respect is the most important value and it is because everyone and everything are equal and we should treat everyone how we would want to be treated.

Zainab Y5

Belonging

- right to feel loved and welcomed

- accepting everyone's individuality

- respecting everyone's beliefs

Belong is important to me because I love including people and making them feel comfortable within their environment.

Eva Y6

Honesty is important to me because if one is dishonest then one may never know the truth and the problem can never be resolved. Even if the consequences are worse, one must always be honest.

This space has been left for you to write anything else that would like us to know about you.

Aadhya Y5

Right now I want to be a doctor because everyday I think about how many lives they save. I got this from when I used to bang pans for the NHS during Covid.

Bhavanyaa Y5

I would be really thankful if I could be chosen as a Junior Carer. It would be a great pleasure to know more about the Royal Berkshire Hospital and all the different facilities. I have lots of interest, curiosity and patience in helping people. I can provide a helping hand to doctors and nurses in treating the patients.

Saishree Y5

I have wanted to be a doctor since I was 4. Not because they are famous or important people but because they help and treat people when they are sick or injured.

Eesha Y6

I think you should choose me as a Junior Carer because I am kind, patient and always willing to learn. I am a good worker both in a team and individually. I think this experience will be a wonderful chance for me to expand my knowledge, and this is why I believe I would be a good Junior Carer.

To say thank you to everyone who applied we awarded every one who applied with a certificate.

As Junior Carers, the children will get a Trust introduction from the Chief Executive and meet different people to learn about the different careers within the NHS. They will get to tour the Emergency Department and learn why we should use A and E; visit the Hospital Museum; see the Pharmacy robot; visit the Berkshire Cancer Centre and find out more about people living with cancer; learn about coronary heart disease and resuscitation techniques; learn about dental health and hand hygiene; visit different wards and different departments including Radiology; write a prescription for happiness/mental health; make sleep packs for the patients and learn about the importance of good sleep for recovery as well as completing a 15 step challenge to gather the children's feedback on a paediatric ward and help design the new hospital. Follow our journey by clicking on the links below.