Year 10 Work Experience
All students in Year 10 are expected to take part in the work experience programme as part of their work related learning education. The aim is to provide an ‘experience of work’ rather than specific job training.
Students have the opportunity to work with an employer for a short, unpaid period of time to find out more about industry and the workplace. They can observe and work alongside people as they go about their daily tasks and experience the disciplines of the workplace, such as attendance, time-keeping, regulations and the importance of teamwork, especially in a job or area of work that they might be interested in.
As a good variety of placements are increasingly difficult to obtain, students are encouraged to use their initiative and find their own placement. They will receive support from assemblies, lessons and the Careers Department in order to achieve this. Family and friends may help by setting up placements within their own organisations.
Work experience benefits students that are unsure about what sort of career path they would like to follow. They get an insight into what employers look for when they want to employ someone and how the subjects they study in school link to certain jobs. It provokes thoughts about jobs that have not been considered before and the skills and grades needed to plan for the future.
We are always looking for new placements for our students, so if any family, friends or employers can offer a placement to one (or more) of our students, or would like to know more about what is involved in providing a work experience placement, then please contact the Careers Leader - workexperience@northgate.suffolk.sch.uk.
The slides from our Year 10 Work Experience Information Evening can be found here.
Information for Students
You are responsible for finding and arranging your own placement to cover the full work experience duration. You will decide where you would like to go and what you would like to achieve in your time there.
The links below, along with support from assemblies, lessons and parents/carers will help you to contact employers by letter, telephone or in person and secure a work experience placement.
You must have permission to take part in the work experience programme by asking your parent/carer to sign and return the Parent/Carer Consent Form by Friday 16th February 2024. You will not be able to apply for placements without it.
Once you have found a placement, your employer will need complete an Employer Placement Form confirming who they are, where you will be working, who you will be reporting to, what you will be doing and when you will be doing it. This needs to be returned to school by Thursday 28th March 2024 so the necessary checks can take place. Your placement will not be confirmed until these checks have been completed.
Northgate has a dedicated Careers Department that will help you with application forms, interviews, placement suggestions and any questions you may have. The Careers Department will also support you through the process and make the necessary checks to ensure the placement is suitable.
The Careers team can be found in the Careers Suite, opposite the Library. Queries, questions or appointment requests may be emailed to workexperience@northgate.suffolk.sch.uk or alternatively telephone 01473 210123.
If you are unable to find a placement, you will be able to access the school's 'Work Experience Job Board', which goes live from March 2023, and apply for placements that the school has secured. You will be able to apply for these placements by submitting a CV with a cover letter explaining why you are applying for the placement.
Information for Parents/Carers
Northgate has a dedicated Careers Department that will help your child with application forms, interviews, placement suggestions and any questions you, or they may have. The Careers Team will also support your child through the work experience process and make the necessary checks to ensure the selected placement is suitable.
You must give permission for your child to take part in the work experience program by signing the Parent/Carer Consent Form and returning it by Friday 16th February 2024. Students will not be able to apply for placements without it. It is also important that we have their most up-to-date medical and emergency contact details, as this form may be shared with an employer if it is relevant to their health, safety and well-being in the workplace.
Students are expected to find and arrange their own placements to cover the full work experience duration. The Work Experience Guide and support from assemblies, lessons, parent/carers and the Careers Department will help students to achieve this.
If a student is genuinely unable to secure their own work experience, they will be able to access the 'Work Experience Job Board' which goes live March 2023 and apply for placements that the school has secured.
Placements will not be confirmed with students where there is not a signed Parent/Carer Consent Form, Employer Placement Form or valid insurances in place.
We are always looking for new placements for our students and if any parents or carers can offer a placement, or would like to know more about what is involved in providing a work experience placement, then please contact the Careers Department.
If you have any further questions regarding work experience or need any help, then please contact the Careers Leader via email (workexperience@northgate.suffolk.sch.uk)
Information for Employers
Work experience introduces young people to the work environment and is the most important factor in shaping their perception of the world of work. It is a valuable part of their education where they are able to experience working in an adult environment, with its different disciplines, routines, procedures, technology and social structures, in a safe and supervised way. Importantly, students can develop essential key skills for the current job market by observing and participating in real tasks alongside your regular employees.
Last June we successfully placed all of our Year 10 students with local, regional and national employers for work experience. We really appreciated the effort that employers put into the programme, helping our students to see first-hand what employers look for when they are recruiting and how the subjects they study in school link to certain jobs. For many, this was their first experience of the working environment and students came back positive and ready to focus on their studies for the future.
We do appreciate these are challenging times, and that it is difficult for businesses to devote time and resources to helping a young person get the most out of work experience. However, taking a work experience student should be straightforward and not as restrictive as you may think. Read our handy guide; it’s not exhaustive but will give you some guidance about the process.
Students are responsible for arranging their own placements and begin the process of contacting potential employers, using the skills they have learnt in their Careers lessons. Students may contact you directly during this process. If this is the case, and you have already offered the school a placement, please refer the student back to the school where they can apply for your vacancy through the school's 'Work Experience Job Board'. If you could direct all work experience communications through the Careers Department to avoid duplicate placements, it would be appreciated.
If you agree to take a student you will need to complete an Employer Placement Form and return it to Northgate by Thursday 28th March 2024. The Careers Department will request copies of your insurance certificates and young person risk assessments (where necessary) before the placement can commence.
If you can offer a placement to one (or more) of our students, or would like to know more about what is involved in providing a work experience placement, then please contact the Careers Leader via email (workexperience@northgate.suffolk.sch.uk)