April 2007

Dear Parent/Guardians,

WORK EXPERIENCE 2008

I am writing to give you the details for Work Experience 2008. The dates for Work Experience are Monday 3rd – Friday 14th March 2008 inclusive. Your son/daughter has been given the general outline of the scheme but I felt it would be useful to re-iterate them to you.

The organisation that deals with Work Experience administration is now Havering Business and Education Partnership and they have set the deadlines, which I must honour. Any required paperwork received after the date due could jeopardise your son/daughter’s work experience.

• By the time you receive this letter all pupils, through their PSE lessons will have received the general form for Work Experience. ALL PUPILS MUST COMPLETE THIS FORM REGARDLESS OF THEIR OPTION FOR WORK EXPERIENCE. The form should be signed by you and returned to me by the end of June. The form is fairly straightforward and all pupils have been advised to tick the ‘yes’ box for wanting their own placement. This allows them to keep their options open for as long as possible.
  
• Pupils who wish to find their own placement ( much the most popular option) must return the completed green form to me – they will then be issued with a Private Placement Form. The closing date for return of Private Placement Forms is October half term. After that date, under no circumstances can the form be accepted, and the pupil will have to accept a placement found for them by HBEP.
  
• Please consider the following points regarding Work Experience:-
1. Work experience is finding out about the world of work rather than career selection.
2. If HBEP decline a private placement for whatever reason I must support their decision.
3. I do strongly encourage pupils for find their own placement as HBEP will find them a job purely based on their first form completed which may not particularly suit them.
4. If pupils select to do two different placements (which is fine) they will be charged for the second one, currently the cost is £25. This is to cover additional paperwork and visits to the organisations.
5. If a student is sent home from a placement due to unacceptable behaviour/attitude then parents may be charged for the placement. The employers decision is final.

As in previous years it is likely that we will offer the opportunity for pupils to do their Work Experience in Berlin, but at the moment I do not have the final dates/details but I hope to have them by the end of the month. These are generally the same as the normal Work Experience. There will be a meeting for those interested in going to Berlin at the beginning of next term.

I hope I have given you a general outline concerning work experience but obviously I cannot cover all aspects and I will be very happy to answer any individual enquiries either by phone or in person. A copy of this letter can be found on the school’s website. Please contact me at school should you have any questions

Yours sincerely

Geoff Doll

Work Experience Co-ordinator