As part of the statutory requirements for Work Related Learning students go out on a nine day work placement at the start of year 11. For our current year 10 students this commences on Tuesday 31st August 2010 (2 days before the rest of the school return to lessons).

Aims of Work Experience

• To give pupils a realistic view of the world of work and of the disciplines involved therein, so that they might be better prepared to face the transition to an adult work environment.
• To act as a resource and a stimulus for school-based work.
• To promote a better understanding between pupils and the local community, the school and the employers.
• To extend school activities into the world beyond the school gates and to identify job-seeking skills.

Objectives

• To show pupils the application of school (subjects) learning in real life situations.
• To show pupils how people use and communicate information and to communicate effectively with adults, both within the community and within the classroom.
• To develop key skills.
• To help pupils visualise themselves in new roles.
• To open pupils' eyes to traditionally stereotype careers in management or industry.
• To help pupils think more carefully about the demands of different careers.
• To generate awareness of the roles of industry in society.
• To develop basic economic awareness.
• To give pupils a more positive attitude to industry.
• To learn about industry -its organisation and practices.
• To see the need for negotiation and formal industrial relations.
• To realise the importance of standards of safety, cleanliness and order.
• To demonstrate a sense of self-discipline and responsibility in matters such as time keeping, reliability, presentation etc.
• To develop social skills - general (e.g. independence) and specific (e.g. use of telephone).
• To participate in activities leading to increased self-confidence.
• To see the importance of working co-operatively in groups.
• To identify personal aptitudes, likes and dislikes to assist in the selection of a career.
• To record and analyse job-associated activities.

Accessing Placements

Work Placements are facilitated through TRIDENT who we employ so as to ensure the placements have appropriate Health and Safety arrangements, Insurance and appropriate personal safety assurances in place. Students can access a placement in two ways:

Green Form

Students approach possible employers themselves either by letter or visiting the company and asking them if they would be able to take them on work experience for the dates selected. If the employer agrees to take them then they need to ask them to complete a GREEN TRIDENT Form to be obtained from Mrs S Johnson in Student services. This must be completed by the employer and then returned to student services by May 21st 2010. This will then enable TRIDENT to run all appropriate checks on the company so as to then approve it as a placement for the student.

White Form

This is completed online through: www.trident-online.co.uk. This facility will not be available until March 2010. Students will have time available in form periods to go on the website and select 6 choices of placement opportunities, because this is available online they are also encouraged to do this at home under the watchful eye of a parent/ guardian. This is because the students have to rank their choices in order of preference, they must also be able to get themselves to the placement and must be happy with their 6th choice if Trident are unable to place them with their highest preferences. Students must not select ‘Confirm and Print’ until they are entirely happy with their choices. Once these are confirmed the white form is printed off, personal details added and the form is then signed by parents and the student so as to confirm their choice. The white form is then submitted to Student Services by Wed 31st March 2010. Trident then process the choices and endeavour to place the student at there highest choice available, students will be able to see online which of their choices is being processed. There is however no guarantee that the placement being processed will be obtained and there are unfortunately a few students each year who are asked to select 6 more choices.

Data Form

Must be signed by both the parent and student before Trident will process any placements. Please Note:
We try to encourage students to try and find a placement independently through the green form process as his gives them greater ownership of the placement. This also means they are then doing the placement of their own first choice, however it is a requirement that all students also do the white form online selection as a back up for the green form because if there are Insurance or Health and Safety Issues with a company Trident and the school are unable to support the placement so the student will have to do a white form back up placement instead. (this is very rare but can happen)

Confirmation of Placement

Trident will not confirm placements until June/July dependant on how quickly the employers respond to the request for the placement. When a placement is confirmed it will appear with a star on the Online sheet and the student will receive a blue agreement form with accompany job description containing contact details for the company etc. The students then need to arrange an interview the employer (outside school time). At the interview they need to get the blue form signed by the employer and then return the form to Student Services to send to Trident. The student is not insured unless this blue form is signed and returned to Trident before commencement of the placement.

Trident Work Experience Certificate

This can only be achieved if the student completes a minimum of 8 of the 9 days of work experience and the report from the employer is positive.

SEN students:

The SEN department will support these students with their choices. Trident are also very accommodating and work closely with us to ensure that students with any level of special educational needs are placed with an employer that can help them to achieve a genuine work experience. If you have any concerns please talk to the SEN department who will then work with Mrs Deighton, Mrs Johnson and TRIDENT to support your child.

Working with Parents/close family relative

This is strongly discouraged as the student could get that kind of work experience at any other school holiday time etc. Unless it is a large company where once at work there will be no contact with that family member.

School/Nursery/Play School placements:

As work experience starts on 31st Aug, two days before many schools start back school placements will be limited or may only be available for the second week, therefore it may be necessary for a separate placement for the first week. Students are also discourages from going on placement to the primary school that they attended and many Head Teachers do not like this either, so we try to encourage students to try something new.

Tips from Mrs Deighton

If you know exactly where you want to go for work experience then do the leg work yourself and do it through the Green Form process.
Students get a huge amount from work experience and will learn about both the positive and negative aspects of the world of work. They may struggle with the new environment or conversely thrive with the opportunities that are provided for them. They may well have times during the experience when they feel they have nothing to do and this when they should show initiative by asking for more work or even initiating making themselves some work. Students may well have to make the tea, photocopy, sweep floors, clean shelves etc but these are all jobs that have to be carried out in a work place as well as making a new product, working the till, auditing, stock taking, delivering mail and dealing with customers, I hope that all students will make the most of the opportunities provided by their work experience and will remember at all times to be well mannered, well presented and use their initiative when appropriate.
For the students who are unhappy please let me know but always remember that it is only for 9 days not the rest of you life and it may have helped you realise what you don’t want to do rather than what you do want to do.
Please enjoy work experience and make the most of it.