Since September 2004, there has been a legal requirement that all students experience work-related learning between the ages of 14 to 16 at Key Stage 4.
What is work-related learning? It is planned activity which uses the context of work to develop skills, knowledge and understanding which will be useful in working life.
What can work-related learning include? A broad range of activities, from better understanding the economy, through work-related application of the National Curriculum, to careers education and work experience.
From this come the three parts of the Key Stage 4 legal requirement, which states that every young person should be able to:
• Learn through work by direct experiences, such as work experience • Learn about work by providing opportunities for students to develop their knowledge and understanding, for example through vocational courses and careers education • Learning for work by developing employability skills, such as mock interviews and work simulations
Work experience is an opportunity for High Arcal students to learn through work by spending a period of time outside the classroom, learning about a particular job or area of work. During a placement, students are able to find out what skills and attributes employers look for.
Students get the chance to develop their self-confidence and communication skills whilst on placement which are valuable skills in the world of work, as well as in further and higher education.
Students studying particular courses may be required, as part of their course to do an extended placement, as well as a placement during work experience week.
All students in Year 10 do Work Experience during the last week of the summer term, which for 2009 is 13th-17th July.
Contact Miss O’Brien (Careers and Work Related Learning Co-ordinator) or Mrs Busby (Work Experience Administrator) on 01384 817046 if you need to discuss Work Experience.
