16^th September 2024

Dear Parent/Guardian

Work Experience 2025 – OPTIONS LETTER – FSM Pupils

We would like to offer the opportunity for your child to engage in a week of Work Experience at the end of Year 10. We have made an arrangement with the Education Business Partnership (EBP) for one weeks’ Work Experience to take place in the final week of this school year (week commencing Monday 14^th July 2025). We believe that Work Experience is an invaluable opportunity for pupils to gain an insight into the workings of the real world and gives them greater depth when applying for colleges, apprenticeships and employment.

OPTION 1: Own Placement - £26.00 – to be taken from Bursary

The first option is to secure an Own Placement for your child through either family, friends or other connections.

Last year we found that the students who undertook Own Placements really benefitted from their chosen, tailored experience. They were in a specific area of work they wanted to be and were provided with an excellent insight into the world of employment. This option is also less risky in terms of placement cancellation.

EBP will undertake their health and safety checks and make sure that all necessary insurances are in place, but because you have sourced the placement yourselves, the rate is reduced by almost half.

If you choose this option, please tick the box on the reply slip below so that I can collate numbers for those opting for the Own Placement option and arrange to get the paperwork to you.

 OPTION 2 - Placement through EBP job bank - £52.00 – to be taken from Bursary

This option gives your child access to the EBP online job bank where there is a selection of jobs to choose from in different sectors.

Your child will make applications online and EBP will then chase the employers in order to get a confirmed placement sorted. If you choose this option, your child will need to attend a logging in session. Please see reply slip for options on this. If your child is interested in participating in the Work Experience scheme via either option, then please return the reply slip.

I very much hope that your child chooses to engage in this wonderful opportunity. Work Experience is so important when it comes to applying for part-time jobs and Post 16 study. It gives our young people the opportunity to showcase transferrable skills that they have learnt and examples of situations they have been in that shows them to be so much more than just their academic ability.

Yours Faithfully

Mrs L Halford

Careers Adviser