Work Experience

Yr 11-13 

FE, HE, Work Experience and Careers Guidance DATES FOR YOUR DIARY     2024-25 

Oct 3 Dame Allan's Futures Fair - Celebrating Equality, Diversity and Inclusion  Year 10-13 and parents visit 4-6.30pm

Nov 4 Year 12 Parents' Evening

Nov 4-9 Green Careers Week

Nov 7 Life in the Sixth Form (Year 11)

Dec Year 11 apply for Work Experience - virtual / real / project work

Jan 15-24 Year 11 Trial exam week 

Feb 3     DAGS Year 11 Parents’ Evening - 4pm

Feb 8 Sixth Form Jump In Day!

Feb 12    DABS Year 11 Parents’ Evening - 4pm

March 3-7 National Careers Week 

March 4 World of Work Mock interviews for all Year 11

March 6 Year 13 Parents' Evening

May 1 Deadline for all Year 11 Work Experience paperwork      Work Experience Placement Form

June 23     Year 11 recommended week for Work Experience or once GCSE exams are completed

Please complete this Plans for Year 11 WEX Work Experience 2025 Form 

                        In addition to or instead of on site placements, here's a structured virtual insights programme - Springpod  Virtual Work Experience / Sprints and Subject Spotlights

June/July/Aug     Year 11-12 Work Experience- real / virtual / insight /project (once the exams are completed)

During/after the placements-

The Employer/Student Review - really important for us to quote from when students apply for higher education.

Students have Work Experience Log books and a Digital Diary in the Activities on Morrisby to reflect on their placements.

• Planning / Timings

• Work Experience ideas and the Inspire Programme at Dame Allan's Junior School

• Common Principles of High Quality Work Placement

• Health & Safety—Duty of Care

• Costs of Health and safety checks

• Year 11 and Sixth Form Work Placement Guidance & Procedure

• FORMS to complete

• Contacts

Gatsby Benchmark 6: Experiences of the Workplace

· By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

· By the age of 18, every pupil should have had one further such experience, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.

Gatsby Benchmark 6: Experiences of Workplaces

55. In addition to school-based encounters with employers, pupils should have first-hand experience of the workplace. There is evidence that work experience gives pupils a more realistic idea of the expectations and realities of the workplace. This is particularly valuable for pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds who may not have access to a diverse range of role models.

56. Schools should ensure that by the age of 16, every pupil has at least one experience of a workplace, and one further such experience by the age of 18. Schools should pay particular attention to work placements for pupils with SEND.

“Work experience is a key component of age 16 to 19 student programmes and all students are expected to undertake work experience or some form of work-related training as part of their study programme” (Department for Education advice).

It is the student’s responsibility to find their work placement but we will provide guidance in this process in lessons, consultations and on the student website,  My Great Future.  There are many virtual placements listed in the Work Experience section. Students are encouraged to network with family and friends too. Work Experience Clinics take place each half term to support students further.

Work Experience

Yr 11 have been well prepared for Work Experience in careers lessons in school.  They are aware that we can expect a blended approach to Work Experience  - some virtual and if you’re lucky, some on site placements. Checks are possible for either. We request a signed form from parents for each placement that you inform us about, please. We can H&S check a placement scheduled in the summer holidays, but 8 weeks’ notice is always required.

Virtual Work Experience Solutions

The unusual and challenging circumstances of the pandemic saw most Work Experience placements cancelled / postponed. Going forward we are therefore thinking creatively about blended versions of virtual and/or on site Work Experience Programmes to support students with insight into the work place. Students can communicate with employers to see if they are able to offer online projects too. All these experiences are valuable when applying for Higher Education later and unis are expecting a blended approach of virtual and on site.

Details of exciting virtual placements and insights are updated on 

Virtual Futures Fair / World of Work Zone 

Student Portal / My Great Future / Work Experience (student sign in required). 

Working with parents/family

If students are invited to work with family/ parents you may not wish to have a formal Health and Safety check of  a placement , could need to complete a Work Experienece Placement Form in advance of the placement so that we can update our records. You must of course ensure that the placement is safe for a teenager to work in. Please read- the Government's Health and Safety guidance on placements-  HSE Work Placement Guide for Parents & Carers.

Reviewing placements and Activities

This is the Work Experience Review Form following the placement.

The following Forms are ready for students to complete on Morrisby-

•  Careers Journey Case Study - interview a member of the family about their job

• Work Experience Student Digital Diary

Keep in touch about Work Experience plans - wow@dameallans.co.uk 

Most Yr 11 placements will take place after the GCSE exams or within the half term breaks and school holidays. Recommended week- last week of June.

Year 12/13 take place in the holidays where possible.  Health and Safety checks of placement providers can be requested.

Work Experience Timeline -

• Apply for Work Experience in Dec (January onwards will be busy focusing on trial / summer exams)

• Hand in copies of CVs & letters of application by February to prepare for Mock Interview Day (1st week in March)

• Work Experience Clinics - November - March 

• Deadline for Health and Safety check paperwork for Work Experience - May

• Recommended week for Work Experience last week of June

Autumn Term

• Phone/ email the employer/ company to ascertain if they accept work placement students for a few days/week/on site or virtual / project based, and if so, ask for a contact name to write to (preparation of CV and letters of application is in Careers Journey lessons and consultations).

• Write letters of application to/email the employers/companies. Enclose your CV and await replies.

Spring Term/ 10 weeks prior to placement

• Attend interviews (online)  if requested.

• Accept a placement offer if you have been lucky enough to receive one.

• Hand in the Work Placement Form for Health and safety checks (forms found at the bottom of this page)  by Easter where possible

• The School will request any Health & Safety assessments to be completed by an external assessment organisation

• The School contacts the placement company/ organisation to confirm the placement.

4 weeks prior to placement

• The School sends final paperwork to the placement company/ organisation including a copy of the work placement form completed by the student/ parent and the Employer/ Student Review form; our letter offers our thanks for offering the placement.

• You will receive a letter confirming your placement details and a copy of the Health & Safety assessment report.

• Students must make contact with the employer a few weeks before the placement to confirm all details with the supervisor.

• Students must ensure they know their travel arrangements to the placement and what the dress code and lunch arrangements are.

Work placement week

• Students attend the work placement week and fill in their Work Placement Student Digital Diary- Morrisby Activity.

• The School will give the work place a courtesy call or visit to ensure that the placement is going well.

• Employers return Work Placement Employer/ Student Review (forms found at the bottom of this page) on line/post to school or return via student.

Work Placement Form - Student/ parent and employer complete the form to provide Dame Allan's with the information about the placement; provides parental consent for the placement; initiates the Health & Safety assessment; is shared with the employer to ensure that they have all the necessary details.

Work Placement Diary -completed by the student and provides a record of the tasks, activities and what is learnt on placement. Work Experience Diaries and how to write reflectively about your placement. 

Work Placement Employer/ Student Review (forms found at the bottom of this page) is given to both the employer and the student for the employer to provide a brief description of the work undertaken and to rate the student’s performance; for the student to reflect upon what they have gained from the placement.

Work placements allow students to experience the real demands of the working environment, independent from their peers and teachers. The placement needs to:

• • be purposeful, substantial, offer challenge and relevant to a student’s studies and career aspirations.

  • be managed under the direction of a supervisor to ensure the student obtains a genuine learning experience suited to their needs.

  • have a structured plan for the duration of the placement which provides tangible outcomes for the student and employer.

  • focus on the skills required for that occupational sector.

  • have clear roles, responsibilities and expectations for the student and employer.

  • have some form of feedback from the employer based upon the student’s performance.

Dame Allan’s Schools have a duty of care towards our students and also while on work placement during term time. Employers must confirm that the placement is suitable by carrying out their own Health and Safety assessments. Any further formal Health and Safety assessments can be undertaken on request by an external assessment organisation.

We follow the guidelines and regulations as stated in the Health & Safety Executive’s  What the law says about young people at work. This states that students on work experience must be given at least the same health, safety and welfare protection as other employees - HSE- Young people at Work.

Young people will be generally more vulnerable because of their age. It must also be taken into account that they lack the experience and awareness of risks, work knowledge and training and that they are unlikely to be as confident in refusing to do potentially dangerous tasks as an adult employee would be.

A Note about Private Contact Details

In Year 11 students are taught skills for life - how to write a formal CV and letter of application. For the purposes of work experience applications, we recommend that they protect their privacy as much as possible:

· Use school e-mail address for applications and initial correspondence.

· Do not include home address as the school email should suffice.

· Do not include Date of Birth on the CV.  Student's age can be included if relevant eg NHS 16+ placements.

 Health and Safety Assessments of Work Placements 

If you require a work placement assessment, it will incur a charge per placement, this covers the Health & Safety assessments.  A work placement may sometimes incur further fees if the employer/organisation is out of the area, is considered a high risk site requiring more extensive assessment or if paperwork is submitted late.  Please enquire for more information.

The agreed fee following parental agreement will be added to Parent Pay

Work Experience Guidelines and Procedures- Information for parents and students

Ideas for Work Experience placements

- students can log into My Great Future/Work Experience for ideas including virtual work experience

WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENT PLACEMENT FORM   

Work Experience Student Placement Form  (Printable version)

Work Experience Student Placement Form  (Online editable version - download this PDF)

WORK EXPERIENCE PARTNER PLACEMENT FORM (Dame Allan's partner placements)

Work Experience Partner Placement Form (Printable version)

Work Experience Partner Placement Form (Online editable version - download this PDF)

VIRTUAL AGREEMENT

Virtual Work Experience Company Agreement Form  (Printable version)

Virtual Work Experience Company Agreement Form (Editable version - download this pdf)

PLACEMENT REVIEW 

Work Experience Reference Request - Google Form

Work Experience Employer/Student Review (Printable version)

Work Experience Employer/Student Review (Editable version - download this pdf)

Tel: 0191 275 1500

Mrs Whitehouse - Head of Careers

Mrs Rodrigues - Sixth form and Careers Administrator

wow@dameallans.co.uk

Twitter: @CareersAtDAS