During the week ending Friday 9 July 2021, we launched Work Experience to (new) Year 10s in assembly. We plan for this important opportunity to take place Monday 4 to Friday 8 July 2022.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, we have been unable to run Work Experience for the last two summers but we are hopeful that this year's (new) Year 10 pupils will have the opportunity to experience the world of work. 

Work Experience is extremely useful in equipping our pupils for the world of work and encouraging them to think about the next steps after school and about their future aspirations. It helps our young people understand the skills and personal qualities expected by employers and will help them expand their own communication and social skills, as well as developing their self confidence.

Pupils are expected, with the help of parents/carers, to find their own placements and it is advisable to confirm these as soon as possible, especially if in areas such as animal work, art and design. Individuals who have the best experiences tend to be those who organised their placements early and find something they are interested in.

We fully understand that due to the pandemic there are many unknowns which may make it difficult for companies to commit to taking a placement next summer. However, we will work with organisations to try to make this happen.

We recommend using the Summer break to think about what is realistic, which careers you'd like to find out about, what interests you have, which organisations you could approach, what contacts you have and who you could ask for help and ideas.

Once a placement has been found, each pupil should complete the placement request form (see Letters), which requires input from the pupil, the organisation and a parent/carer, and return it to the Pastoral Office.

The absolute final deadline for confirmation of a placement is 31 January 2022. Pupils should contact Mrs Burfoot (Year 10 Year Leader) or Miss Brace (Assistant Head) if they need advice.

'It is exciting to be planning this again and feels like a step back to 'normal'. We fully understand it is going to be more challenging this time but feel strongly that this is a vital learning experience for our young people.' Miss Brace

Each year our pupils experience a wide variety of different companies and organisations, reflecting their individuality. Some of our pupils during their work experience in July 2019: