In the summer term, Years 10 and 12 students will undertake a week's Work Placement, where the will gain an invaluable insight into an industry of their choice and gain experience of the workplace. Students are encouraged to find their own work placement and are given support from the Work Experience Coordinators, Mrs C Ebanks-Powell (Careers Leader) and Mrs K Matharu (Careers Administrator)) as well as their pastoral team including the Head and Assistant Head of Sixth Form.

​Students should follow the following steps in order to find and secure a placement:

1. Complete and return the parental permission form. Year 10 And 12 students will be given a form which needs to be completed by their parents/carers in the first half term. This form should be completed, signed and returned to the student's form tutor.

2. Research a placement. Year 10 and 12 students should start to research and search for possible placements as early as possible. Students will be encouraged to use their family and friends extended networks to see if any placements can be sourced in this way. They will also be given a log in to the WESS placement database where they can search for companies that have offered work placements in the past. For any log in queries please see the Careers Administrator. You can also search First Careers for national work experience opportunities. 

​3. Apply for a placement. Once a student has found a business who they think would be an ideal placement then they should write/email them to ask if they are able let them undertake a placement on the required dates. Click here for a letter template (this can also be copied into an email). Please note that students may need to write/email/contact more than one business until they have a confirmed placement for the dates of Work Experience.

​4. Confirm the placement. Once the business is happy to host the placement, students should ask them to complete the Work Experience Placement Form. Once this form is complete  the student will login to their UNIFROG account and add the information using their completed form. The Careers Leader & Careers Administrator - they will then organise the placement to have a health and safety check done.. Once the placement has been processed Careers Leader & Careers Administrator will confirm that the placement has been accepted with the business and the student. Students are encouraged to keep in touch with the business in a professional way and they may want to arrange a time to visit the business before the Work Experience Week - this should be arranged outside of Academy hours.

 

​Useful information for parents/carers and students:

1. All students will been given a Work Experience letter with Consent Form attached, which need to be returned to Mrs Ebanks-Powell ASAP. No consent, no work experience.
2. All students will be given access to the WESS Work Experience Database. This site can also be accessed on a home computer.
3. Do not leave writing letters / emails to potential placements 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.
4. All students must inform Mrs C.Ebanks-Powell or Mr Edge when they have a confirmed placement.
5. All placement information will be sent to the WESS for checking. All paperwork has to be completed for the WESS by the 26th April 2024. Do not leave this to last minute as we can get charged extra for late Health and Safety checks.
6. All placement providers will be informed of any medical and any learning difficulties relating to our students.
7. All parents/guardians will be notified of confirmation of placement which will include contact name, contact telephone and address of placement. All preliminary visits to placements MUST be after Academy time in order to avoid missing lessons - this may not be required by the placement.
8. 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 for example mechanics).
9. All students will receive a Work Experience Diary, which MUST be completed and returned to the Academy at the end of their Work Experience.
10. All students who successfully complete their Work Experience and hand in their diary will receive a Work Experience Certificate.