Year 10 Work Experience Week

Year 10 students completed a week of work experience just before February half term. A valuable part of the students’ careers education throughout their time at Bishop Luffa, this is an opportunity for students to develop employability skills and find out about the world of work.

Students worked hard to secure their placements and successfully organised work place experiences with a whole range of employers including: Arun Vets, Barfoots, Chichester Community Development Trust, Chichester College, Chichester Golf Club, Chichester University, Goodwood, Heirlooms, HNW Architects, Marks and Spencer, Petworth House, SGN, St Richards Hospital Superdrug and many more. Several of the students returned to their old primary schools to find out more about working in education and both the ex-pupils and their primary teachers enjoyed catching up with each other again.

Overall, the week was a huge success.

Some of the highlights identified by students during their placements included: keeping physically active, going in the ships and docks, building bikes, soldering, choosing artwork for an exhibition, helping with the animals, learning how to use photoshop, social media management, being outdoors all day, statistics, the people, and teaching children.

Employers were impressed with the students commenting: ‘had great customer service skills’, ‘polite and well mannered’, ‘naturally intuitive’, ‘the whole team was extremely impressed’, ‘an excellent ambassador for your school’, an exceptional and delightful student’, ‘very keen to learn and work’.

Some students were offered part time jobs and further work experience opportunities. We are very proud of all the Year 10 students for making the most of their work experience and for being excellent ambassadors for Bishop Luffa School.

Reflections from Tom Congalton 10KI:
“My work experience at Birdham Primary School was thoroughly enjoyable. In the months anticipating it, there was a little frisson - ‘Aren’t I a bit immature to work? Won’t the adults look down on me? How different will it be to school?’ but when I got there all of that flew out the window. They took me seriously and kept me very busy. The kids were great fun too.

It impacted me by making me consider becoming a teacher. It also taught me discipline, time management and showed me that work isn’t as scary as I first thought. I’d highly recommend it to anybody who enjoys working with kids, but to nobody who likes order and control rather than chaos and mischief! I can’t think of anything to improve Bishop Luffa work experience other than having less PHSE lessons building up to it. We have two but one is enough.”

We are very grateful to everyone involved in supporting our work experience programme. Please get in touch with hoppa@bishopluffa.org.uk if you work for a company who may be able to offer a work experience opportunity in the future.

Angie Hopp, Careers Coordinator