Work experience at Meadow High School

In order to ensure that students have an individualised learning programme, work experience is a very important part of the curriculum at Meadow High School. Students that are able to travel to employers independently are given the opportunity to participate in work experience at least one day a week, for the whole of the academic year. If requested by the employer  and the placement is proving beneficial,  then this can be increased.

Work experience covers all 8 aspects of the Gatsby benchmarks so it is very important that students are given access to this opportunity.

During their 1:1 guidance interview work experience is discussed and the possibility of students attending explored.

1 day per week is timetabled for years 13 and 14 students to access the day at a work experience placement. The placement is picked according to the students' requests and requirements and across different sectors such as retail, catering and hospitality, construction, administration, education, care and others.  

We work with a wide range of employers including:

• British Airways
• Align
• Rural Activity Garden Centre
• Chimes shopping Centre
• Boots
• Hillingdon Hospital
• Local Vets
• Local Florists
• B and M
• Heathrow Marriott Hotel
• Local Hair Salons
• Local Schools
• Primary Sports Development Trust
• Many more

These opportunities are primarily based off site and encourages our students to develop ‘employability skills’ in preparation for their transition beyond Meadow School. The responsibilities associated with finding and securing employment are developed through our World of work sessions, work experience and Vocational Pathways. All of these together create a holistic, individualised programme that allows the students to explore options and opportunities that are available to them.

Students often ask for specific placements, and we try to accommodate them whenever possible.This will depend on Health and Safety checks, appropriate insurance and safeguarding assessments.

The Pandemic has made this difficult as employers were wary of taking on students, but thankfully this is now beginning to improve. Those year 13 and 14 students who are unable to access work experience independently are given the opportunity to attend a placement with a job coach or another member of staff. These placements are normally based in a block and not necessarily for the whole of the academic year.

Students in other year groups (year 10 upwards) can also request work placements and if this is feasible and beneficial to the individual it will be investigated. Work placements will help students with their employability skills .

Students are also given the opportunity to engage with the many different partners that we work with who deliver group activities and virtual work experience. These include:

• Department for Works and Pensions
• Educational Development Trust
• Careers Cluster
• Local Authority
• SCS Railways ( The Skanska, Costain and STRABAG)
• BAA
• HS2

These are just a few of the main partnerships that we are involved in, and we use every opportunity to engage the students in many different experiences.. These include visits, virtual workshops, job fairs, teaching sessions, Q and A etc.