Work Experience
Work Experience Placements: Guidance for 2020
As part of the curriculum and future training for the world of work, students are encouraged to find their own Work Experience Placements. By law all our Work Experience Placements have to have Insurance, Health & Safety checks by Work Experience Support Services (WESS) paid for by Joseph Leckie for each student. No student can attend a placement which has not been passed by WESS.
1. Researching a placement
Find a placement by either;
- Logging on to Work Experience
- (See log on database). See Mrs Matharu if you have forgotten your log in details.
- Using family and friends’ contacts and completing a Work Experience Placement Form.
- If you visit a work place in person, please ask them to complete a Work Experience Placement Form.
2. Applying for a Placement
Having chosen two possible placements, you can either;
- Write your own letter
- Use the Work Experience template letter. Please give your letters to your Form Tutor for checking then pass to Mr Edge who will post them for you.
- If writing an email, please ask Mr Edge or Mrs Matharu to proof read before you send. Copy in b.edge@josephleckieacademy.co.uk to the email that you are sending.
3. Processing a Placement
When you receive a written confirmation from an employer or a completed Work Experience Placement Form, return these documents to Mr Edge. Your placement details will then be sent to WESS (see step 4).
4. Insurance, Health & Safety checks (WESS)
WESS will check that the placement provider has the correct documents and can provide a safe environment for a student.
Please discuss any placements outside Walsall with us first.They are more difficult to check and may cost in excess of £40 to process.Joseph Leckie is not able to cover this cost which would have to be paid by Parents/Guardians.
If students have any problems or parents/guardians have any concerns, then please contact Mr Edge.
Email: b.edge@josephleckieacademy.co.uk
Telephone: 01922 721071 (ext.205)
Useful information for Parents/Guardian and Students
Work Experience Monday 13th July to Thursday 16th July 2020
- All students will been given a Work Experience letter with Consent Form attached, which need to be returned to Mr Edge ASAP.No consent, no work experience.
- All students will be given access to the WESS Work Experience Database. This site can also be accessed on a home computer.
- All students need to write at least two letters to a possible placement provider as soon as possible. Do not leave this to last minute as placements become full. Students please do not write to same placement as your friend as some placements only take one student at a time.
- All students must inform Mr Greaves or Mr Edge when they have a confirmed placement.
- All placement information will be sent to the WESS for checking. All paperwork has to be completed for the WESS by the end of April 2020. Do not leave this to last minute as we can get charged extra for late Health and Safety checks.
- All placement providers will be informed of any medical and any learning difficulties relating to our students.
- All parents/guardians will be notified of confirmation of placement which will include contact name, contact telephone and address of placement. All students are advised to attend a preliminary visit; to introduce themselves, become familiar with travel arrangement etc. but ALL preliminary visits MUST be after school time in order to avoid missng lessons. (unless not required by placement but parents/guardians will be notified).
- All students will be briefed prior to attending their Work Experience about what is expected of them i.e. punctuality, behaviour and clothing (some placement may require safety footwear i.e. garages).
- All students will receive a Work Experience Diary, which MUST be completed and returned to the Academy at the end of their Work Experience.
- All students who successfully complete their Work Experience and hand in their diary will receive a Work Experience Certificate to add to their Careers Portfolio.