Work Experience
All Year 10 and Year 12 students spend one week with an employer to see what the working world is really like. This usually takes place during the summer term. For 2023 the dates of the work experience will be 24th -28th June 2024. The deadline for students to arrange placements is 1st March 2024 this is so all the necessary Health and Safety and safeguarding checks can be carried out.
Further information can be found in our Work Experience Guide. If you have any queries please email wex@johncolet.co.uk
Placements are arranged using the Unifrog Placement tool and students will be shown the process during tutor time.
Video about Unifrog's Placement tool
Why do work experience?
Work experience provides you with an excellent opportunity to increase your knowledge of enterprise and business as well as identifying and developing new skills. Your placement may help you to decide what you do/don’t want to do in the future: either way, it will help you understand what to expect when you enter employment. For Year 12 students it can also give an advantage when applying for work and university.
What will Students gain?
Acquire and develop employ-ability skills
Learn about the working world
Business awareness
Gain confidence
An opportunity to meet new people and work with adults
Learn new skills
Your work experience may lead to a job opportunity
All students should receive a good reference to help with future employment (part-time or full-time)
Organising a placement
All Year 12 students are expected to find their own work placements and advise the school. Year 12 students will not be able take a placement working with parents or where they have a part time job. We do encourage placements for Year 12 students to be linked to a future career interest and/or university or apprenticeship course.
Year 10 students are encourage to find their own work placements in the first instance. This is a great way of using your contacts (family, wider family, friends etc) or you could try approaching employers yourself in order to secure a placement that you really want.
Points to bear in mind when choosing a placement:
Students are encouraged to find their own placement where possible – that way students will get the placement they want.
A placement does not have to be related to future career plans – the main aim is to develop confidence and to develop employ-ability skills whilst working.
Sort out your placement early - MAKE SURE YOU MEET THE DEADLINES.
Get help if you are stuck.
There are no lessons during the week of work experience: students who do not have a placement will complete a series of virtual work experience tasks.
Insurance and Health and Safety
Employers providing work experience placements must be approved by the school and have appropriate employer liability insurance.
Staff Visit
JCS staff will try to visit all Year 10 students during their work experience placement. If for any reason a visit can't happen, a call with the employer will take place to find out how the student is getting on. For Year 12 students staff will call employers to find out how the student is getting on.