Work Experience
Work Experience
We develop students’ readiness for their lives after Spa through our work experience offer. Our Careers Lead is the Deputy Headteacher, Karen Esson, who works closely with the AHT for each key stage to develop works experience and careers learning.
All pupils in KS5 have an opportunity to work in The School House Café. The hours and tasks they complete are matched to their interests and needs. Some students complete ASDAN Employability qualifications as part of their Schoolhouse Café work experience placements.
Pupils have opportunities to work with organisations within the local community. In previous years, pupils have completed work experience at the Bede Centre and with the DePaul organisation.
Further opportunities are provided through The Park College link programme. All pupils complete Enterprise activities. Last term these culminated in planning and running a Winter Fair. Students also try a range of jobs relating to:
- Event management
- Catering
- College administration
- Cycle maintenance
- Garden management.
The Park College link programme has provided opportunities for Spa students to gain experience of working with partner organisations. These include:
- I’m at Work: Self Cook Supper Club
- Library and event management at CLPE
Careers
Pupils in KS3 and 4 develop their understanding and readiness for the world of work in the following ways:
- Learning about jobs and career paths in PSHE and in English
- Interviewing people about their jobs in PSHE
- ASDAN curriculum units
- Developing responsibility through jobs and tasks within the school
- Using the TEACCH program to develop independence and developing the ability to recognise when a task has been completed.
- Developing Communication skills ready for the world of work through specific Social Communication units.
We have a set of careers assemblies each year where employers and entrepreneurs present to our pupils. In Spring 2022 our series included presentations from: a robotics engineer, an author, a film and TV director, a digital designer and a football coach from Millwall.
Our summary of our careers overview is below. Further information can be obtained from our Careers Lead, Karen Esson.
We will review the impact of our careers program this year to include:
- number of pupils who accessed sessions with employers
- progress towards pupils' preperation for adult (PfA) targets as part of each pupils' annual review
- pupil surveys after assembly events and careers workshops
- parent surveys at the end of the academic year
This information will be shared in July 2023 for this academic year.
For the last academic year, all pupils attended our careers assemblies either in person or via Teams. All pupils were given the oppurtunity to ask questions of employeers. Engagement and attendance at the assemblies was high. For the 22/23 academic year we aim for all pupils to be able to attend in person.
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KS3 |
KS4 |
KS5 |
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Autumn |
Maths: Spa Community
Enrichment: Children in Need Enrichment: Student council meetings |
Community: visiting local area
Enrichment: Children in Need Enrichment: Student council meetings
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English: Maths: Visiting / Working in a shop Maths: Financial Literacy Soco: Job Interview techniques Art: Enterprise project Community: visiting local area
Enrichment: Children in Need Enrichment: Student council meetings Enrichment: Presentation evening, interviews with ex-pupils
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Spring |
Maths: Visting Local Amenities - Library PSHE: Citizenship: Being a Good Citizen
Careers Assembly Series – Employers presenting information about world of work Careers Workshops with SCOPE
Enrichment: Student council meetings
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English: Aspirations Community: visiting local area
Careers Assembly Series – Employers presenting information about world of work Careers Workshops with SCOPE
Enrichment: Student council meetings
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Maths: Functional Skills PSHE: ASDAN Personal Progress: Developing Skills for the Workplace Art: Enterprise project English: Functional Skills Community: visiting local area ICT: Functional Skills
Careers Assembly Series – Employers presenting information about world of work Careers Workshops with SCOPE
Enrichment: Student council meetings
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Summer |
Maths: Visting Local Amenities – Post Office SoCo: To know who helps in the Community
Enterprise: Summer fayre Enrichment: Student council meetings
Enrichment: Circus skills workshop (exposure to professionals)
Careers workshop with Central London SEN Hub
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PSHE: World of Work and Skills I Need for the World of Work English: Soco: Communicating with those who help in the Community Maths: Learning about Book Shops Art: Visiting a Gallery ICT: Functional Skills Community: visiting local area
Enterprise: Summer fayre Enrichment: Student council meetings Enrichment: Circus skills workshop (exposure to professionals)
Careers workshop with Central London SEN Hub
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PSHE: Maths: Visiting / Working in a homeware shop
Art: Enterprise project Community: visiting local area
Enterprise: Summer fayre Enrichment: Student council meetings Enrichment: Circus skills workshop (exposure to professionals)
Careers workshop with Central London SEN Hub
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Annually |
Annual reviews PfA added in Year 9
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Annual reviews PfA targets added and post-16 options discussed
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Annual reviews: PfA targets added and discussion around post-19 options discussed
Work experience in school house café |
Careers and Provider Policy
Central London Careers Hub
We are partnering with the Central London Careers Hub to ensure that all pupils (and families) have access to careers advice and support as well as expanding our work experience offer.
Scope Carers Pathways
We are partnering with Scope to offer carers advice to our pupils. Pupils in KS4 and 5 will complete a careers and jobs unit through PSHE with bespoke advice and group work in Spring 2 2023. Look out for more information in our Spring newsletters.
