Work Experience (including Virtual)

Work Experience

Experience of the workplace is an invaluable part of careers education, which helps students to develop their personal and social skills, key skills in a work environment, and their overall employability. In addition, they learn more about their own expectations of their working life, and what they value in a career. They will also find their placement useful as evidence of skills and experience in future jobs and college interviews.

Students are encouraged to take up work experience opportunities independently throughout their time at The Blue. Time is also set aside at key points in the school calendar to enable students to focus on their workplace learning. All workplace experiences and learning should be enjoyable and relevant to students.

The National Careers Service has created a useful guide to different types of work experience, which you may find useful when planning your work experience: nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/types-of-work-experience

Year 10

In the summer term of Year 10, all students go on a work experience placement for a week.

Students are expected to investigate potential placements for themselves and to approach employers in person, or by email or phone to set up their placements. Help is available for students who would like ideas and advice about finding or applying for placements, but we expect the majority of students to set up their own placement, as this is an important part of the experience.  There is material on Google Classroom which students can refer to when contacting an employer by email or telephone to ask if they are able to take a work experience student.  Once the student has found a placement then they must fill out a Work Experience Placement Form.

In order for students’ work experience placements to go ahead, parents need to complete the Parental Consent and Medical Form, which gives permission for students to go on placement and informs us of any medical or other needs that may affect them on placement and that we need to inform the employer of. Employers should complete a Employer Agreement Form confirming the details of the placement and their intention to host a student.

The Careers office will monitor intended placements, and will carry out pre-placement Health and Safety checks where this is deemed necessary. During the placements, students’ tutors will visit to check that everything is going well and that there are no safeguarding concerns.

Key Dates for Work Experience 2024/25:

July 7^th-11^th 2025: Work Experience week (Enrichment week)

Over the year, students will participate in activities during tutor time, assembly and on school theme days, which will help them prepare for their work experience placement. They are also very welcome to contact the Careers Office for suggestions about possible placements which suit their current career ambition or skills and hobbies.

Virtual Work Experience

Owing to the events of the past 2 years, huge strides have been made in the provision of virtual work experience and these now represent fantastic opportunities for students at all levels to learn more about the types of careers they do (and do not) want to pursue when they leave The Blue School.

Parents and students are encouraged to contact the careers office for help finding online placements in a specific industry: careers@theblueschoolwells.co.uk.

Click here for more details about virtual work experience in different industries.