Pupils at William Ford Church of England Junior School were recently given an exciting insight into careers within the performing arts when actor Paul Macklin visited the school to speak about his journey into the industry.

Paul shared how his passion for performing began at the age of just seven and how that early interest grew into opportunities working in theatre productions, touring performances and appearing in film as an extra. Through stories from his own career, pupils were able to gain a real understanding of what life in the creative industries can look like.

During the session, Paul spoke honestly about some of the challenges he has faced along the way, including managing different medical conditions and more recently discovering that he has ADHD. His openness helped pupils see that challenges do not need to prevent someone from achieving their ambitions.

Importantly, pupils also learnt that the performing arts involve many different careers beyond acting itself. Paul explained how productions rely on a wide range of roles including script writers, choreographers, stage designers and those who create backdrops and visual effects.

For pupils who enjoy music, drama and performance, the visit helped show how their interests could potentially develop into future opportunities.

Visits like this form part of the school's wider work to inspire pupils about the many different careers available to them. By meeting people who have followed their passions and turned them into professions, pupils are encouraged to believe that their own interests and talents can open doors in the future.

We would like to thank Paul Macklin for giving his time to visit the school and inspire our pupils.