Work Experience for school-age pupils

The aim of work experience
Work experience is intended to give a student an experience of working life and the key skills needed in the workplace.  Within the limits of what is available, and demands for very popular areas of work, the choice is made to benefit a student’s education, rather than for job sampling or recruitment purposes.  Normally, companies where a student already has experience through a parent or a part-time job are not used.  This makes sure that they are having a real extension of their experience.  All students from those taking the fewest examinations to those who will take degrees, need real knowledge of the world of work.

Students eligible to take part in work experience
Students in the last two years of compulsory schooling can take part in work experience (from the start of year 10).

What students should do whilst on work experience?
As far as possible students undertake real tasks to give them an idea of the work carried out by the employer.  They should learn how the company is organised.  Some students may observe the more complicated parts of running a company and should gain an understanding of how enterprise, creativity and innovation help business growth.  A programme should be organised for the student, and employers should monitor what the student has achieved.  Every student should have a Work Experience Logbook in which they can record progress.  The employer could help by making sure that the student completes it and by completing the Employer Assessment section for the student.

Role of the parents/guardians
Parents/guardians can offer valuable support in finding placements.  Their written consent is needed before a placement can begin.  They will have information about the arrangements, and will know how to contact the school if their son or daughter reports a problem to them about their placement.  They will be asked to provide medical information which could affect the health, safety and welfare of their son or daughter whilst on a work placement.

Limits on the jobs student can do
The Education Act 1996 and local by-laws limitations on the type of work which students can experience.  The school’s Work Experience Co-ordinator can give advice on this.

How arrangements are made by the school
The co-ordinator or teacher responsible plans a scheme of work for the Health and Safety Preparation, Briefing and Debriefing of students prior to work experience.  When a company is known to be willing to take a student the teachers responsible for the student will send the company contact details of their work experience programme.  Parents, employers and students are asked to complete the approval and consent form which indicates that all parties agree with the arrangements.

Placement suitability visit
Work experience organisations have a duty to assess the ability of a work experience placement provider to provide for a student’s health, safety and welfare whilst on work experience.

Specific risk assessment for young workers
Employers need to inform students of their main duties and tasks, the type of work, any associated risks and their control measures and remind the students of their responsibilities whilst on placement.  Parents/guardians will also have to be told of these risks.  There is a section in the employers section of the approval and consent form to do this.  If parents/guardians or employers have any queries or difficulties they can contact the work experience co-ordinator.

Medical information on students
Each student’s health should be considered before a placement is chosen.  If a student is on medication the employer must be informed.  The parents will be asked to provide medical information which may affect the safety and welfare of their son or daughter whilst on a placement.

Reporting of accidents, incidents and dangerous occurrences
It is the responsibility of the employer to report any accidents, incidents or dangerous occurrences that occur on site following their normal procedures for such reporting covered by the RIDDOR 1995 Regulations.  The employer must report any such accidents or occurrences to the headteacher or work experience co-ordinator of the school, and the students home if a telephone number is provided.

Child protection issues
Schools should have given consideration to preparing students to deal with and report incidents that they feel uncomfortable with during their work placement.  Employers should take account of child protection issues under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000.

Insurance Arrangements
The employer’s insurance company must be informed of the employer’s intention to take on a work experience student.  Where a student will be travelling in a vehicle for the purposes of work the vehicle insurance must cover them.

There are six principal areas of risk that may arise in the course of work experience:

• Injury to students themselves
• Injury to others on the premises
• Injury to others not on the premises
• Damage to or loss of employers’ property
• Damage to or loss of other property
• Damage to or loss of employee’s property

Where a ‘liability’ can be demonstrated then:

• Injuries caused to others on the premises, others not on the premises, damage to others property and damage to employee’s property should normally be covered by the employer’s Public Liability Insurance policy.
• Damage to the employer’s own property should normally be covered by the employer’s Material Damage policy.
• Injuries to the student whilst on work experience will be covered by the employer’s Employer’s Liability Insurance Policy.

Teachers visits to placement provider
The LEA Work Experience Scheme requires the school staff to make visits to the employer during the placement in order to monitor and review the progress of the student.  Where a visit is deemed not to be ‘reasonably practicable’ (for example, a work placement out of the area) the school will contact the employer.

Hours of work
The Working Time regulations 1998 apply to students on work experience however, the number and pattern of hours worked is normally agreed by the provider, school and student.  If possible, normal hours should be worked, but students are allowed to work outside any hours specified by legislation.  If a company’s hours are 8am to 5pm, it is not expected that students arrive at 9am and leave at 4pm.

Pay, Tax and National Insurance
Students on work experience must not be paid.  As such it will not incur tax or NI contributions.  Employers can assist with travelling or lunch costs if they wish.

Length of work experience
There are no fixed requirements.  Five to ten days on a “block” is currently seen as the normal length of stay if work experience is to offer enough depth to be useful.  Students on an “extended” work experience placement need to work at least one day per week if the experience is to be of real value.

Lunch and break periods
Parents should discuss the arrangements for lunch and break periods with their son/daughter and make sure they are suitable.  If a student leaves the employer’s premises during lunch or break periods, no liability can be accepted by the employer or the school for any incident that may occur.

Out of the area work placements
If a student wishes to undertake work experience out of the area then parents/guardians are responsible to make the appropriate arrangements for travel and accommodation.  There could be problems with obtaining a Placement Suitability Visit in these cases, and the work experience co-ordinator should be the first point of contact if information on this is required.

Who to contact at the school if there is a problem
Each school has a Work Experience Co-ordinator who can be contacted at any time during the work placement.  Parents/guardians and employers should be given the name of the co-ordinator, and their contact telephone number, prior to the work placement taking place.