Enrichment

At Ormiston Denes Academy, all students follow a programme of careers education, information and guidance during their five years at the academy. Our careers provision ensures that students are exposed to the Gatsby Benchmarks (nationally recognised measures within careers education) which have been designed to give them the skills needed: 

• To manage their careers and to be able to investigate learning and career opportunities 
• To make informed judgements about learning and careers options 
• To understand how these choices will help them achieve their aspirations 
• To enable them to successfully manage the transition to Post 16 further education and, if applicable, into higher education.

Gatsby Benchmark 6 focuses on ‘Experiences of the workplace’ and states the following: 

Every pupil should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks. 

By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have. 

Benefits of Work Experience 

• Gives insight into the skills required for a particular job 
• An opportunity to test out a job to see if a student likes it 
• Broaden their knowledge of available jobs 
• Increase awareness of their own skills and strengths 
• Helps students understand how the subjects they study at school link to certain jobs 
• Gives insight into what the work of work is really like, and employers expectations 
• Can increase students’ confidence and motivation to do well at school 
• Puts students in contact with potential future employers 
• Gives students useful experience for their CV, and a good placement can provide referees 
• Helps student appreciate the skills needed to succeed in a job 

Process for Work Experience 

1. Read the work experience packs (parents, carers and students)
2. Spend time thinking about what sort of job you may like to consider, and what sort of environment you would like to work in, i.e. outside, retail, office etc. 
3. Research availability in the local area (or further afield if you can travel).
4. Contact employers, either in person, by email or a phone call. 
5. Be proactive and contact employers as soon as possible. Remember that we have a large year 10 student population also looking for places, as well as several other local schools also undertaking work experience in the same week so you will have competition!
6. Once a placement has been sourced, ask the employer to complete their section of the form. 
7. Parents or carers, and the student, needs to then complete the back of the form, and return to Mrs Richings at the academy. 
8. Remember you need to meet the deadline for placements, of 29^th February 2024. But remember not to wait until last minute to find your placement or you may not get the placement you would like. 
9. The form will then be processed, health and safety checks carried out, and confirmation sent to the employer. 
10. You will need to re-contact the employer closer to work experience, to ensure that you are fully prepared for your placement. Some placements will require students to wear certain uniform or personal protective equipment, and students will be responsible for obtaining these (if an employer does not provide it).
11. A few weeks before students go on placement they will have further information provided in PSHE lessons, such as health and safety, behaviour and conduct, safeguarding and expectations
12. Students will also receive a work experience log book that they will begin to complete before work experience and keep with them for completion whilst on the placement. 
13. Students go on placement, completing their log book during the course of the week. This is an important part of the process as it allows students to reflect on their experience and the role they have taken on. 
14. Students to ask employers to complete the reference pages of their log books before the final leave the placement. This will also ask the employer to comment on attendance and punctuality, key skills and how the student has presented themselves. 
15. School staff will contact placements during the course of the work experience week to ensure students have settled in well, are meeting expectations and to inform the employer about the work experience booklet that students should complete. 
16. Students return to school after placement and will discuss their work experience booklet, complete an evaluation, as well as having the opportunity to write a thank you letter to the employer. 

Parental Support for Work Experience.

Parents play an important part in Work Experience. The areas you may be able to help in  

are: 

• Read all of the documentation that has been sent home with students. 
• Talk to your child about subjects they like and dislike and why they prefer certain subjects over others. 
• Talk about the skills they are good at and skills they would like to improve – how can these skills be used in the workplace? 
• Talk to them about the benefits of work experience and the opportunities it could lead to. 
• Encourage students to speak to their form tutor, year team or careers team Mrs Richings, Mr Cooper and Mrs Gibbons) regarding work experience. 
• Pass on any contacts you feel may help your child. 
• Encourage them to start their research early to consider where they may go, supporting them as needed. Get them to compile a list of possibilities. 
• Support them in preparing a letter, email or what they might need to say in a phone call (they would also have had help in school for this). 
• Remind them to set deadlines, the earlier they can get a placement the better it will be for them. If they leave things until last minute, other students may have already secured the placements they want. 
• Support them to arrange their own work experience (instead of parents and carers making the contacts to employers) as this will help develop independence. 
• Rehearse any phone calls they might like to make (see hints and tip sheet) 
• If they choose to contact by letter or email, proofread them before sending out (see hint and tips sheet). 
• Before the placement starts make sure that they: 
• Know how they are going to get there. 
• Know how long it will take to get there. 
• Have contacted the employer for the final details. 
• Make sure they have any required clothing, uniform or personal protective equipment. 

As a parent or carer, you will want to make sure that your son or daughter gets the most out of their work experience placement. The following tips will help you support them; 

• Make sure they are up and left home in order to arrive at placement on time. 
• Work days are often longer and harder than school days, recommend a good night’s sleep. 
• Talk daily about their experiences, and how they are doing. Reassure as needed. 
• Remind them to complete their log book daily. 
• Contact the school immediately if your child if having any problems during the placement. 
• Contact the school and the employer immediately if your child is unwell and unable to attend the placement. 
• Although the majority of placement are successful, if your child isn’t enjoying their placement, help them to stay positive by focussing on the new skills they are developing, the reference they will get from the end of it, and of course a reminder that most people don’t enjoy their work 100% of the time. 
• After the placement discuss what they have learned from the experience. 
• Discuss if the choice of career chosen form work experience has had an impact on career aspirations – is it something they would still like to do or have they changed their mind? 
• Discuss what skills they used in the workplace.