Work experience provides an excellent opportunity for students to gain an insight into the working world; develop important skills and boost confidence. It is also a chance to be working with adults where listening skills, respect, maturity and resilience are vital.

Whilst we understand that students obviously wish to work in an area that interests them, this is not always possible, as some of our Year 10s discovered. It is not necessarily important that the placement mirrors their career aspirations, but that they gain experience and knowledge and the above skills in whatever they do.

Taking place in early March each year, Fyling Hall students worked in a variety of different places including; Whitby Museum, an Architect’s office, Waterstones in Scarborough, North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Grosmont, where our students helped to maintain the trains and even had a drive of one! Two of our students worked at the Wooden Horse Nursery in Whitby. They enjoyed playing in the sand with the young children; eating pancakes but also ensuring the youngsters were happy…

It was a busy week for one of our pupils working at Whitby Pavilion during the Eskdale Festival! She served lunches; used the till and developed excellent customer service skills. Our student at Universal Garage, Whitby, looked the part with steel toe cap boots, a face mask and used various tools (including ones to help take off the wheels then the tyres from a car) whilst being supervised by the supportive staff. One of our Year 10s worked in a local hotel, looking very professional in his black uniform. Another of our students worked at East Barnby Outdoor Education Centre, taking part in canoeing, river walking, making campfires and helping children use the dry ski slope there. Again, communication skills were necessary; patience with the children and teamwork being essential too.

Working hard on a farm was how one student spent his week; rounding ewes, feeding sheep, making lambing pens, planting and much more. This student remained willing and determined throughout the week. We had another of our students on a council run farm in Birmingham, looking after livestock and doing general farm maintenance. A local primary school was where we had another placement. Our pupil helped out in Year 6 which was initially daunting for her but she soon gained confidence and did very well as a new teaching assistant!

A week spent at Scarborough Hospital, working alongside many different professionals was a unique experience for one of our Year 10s. He spent time in the Children’s clinic; met a Superintendent Radiographer; had a meeting with Child Health to go through the journey of a patient and went on a round of the Special Care Baby Unit. This and much more had been ‘tailor made’ for our student. A fantastic opportunity.

All our students who went out into the big wide world of work during our Work Experience week did a fantastic job. From shadowing a Personal Trainer to working in a museum; participating in property maintenance, working in a robotics factory to serving meals in a Whitby café, together with our students who were on site at school in our kitchen, stables, Games department and Junior school, they covered all areas!

A huge well done to every student, we are very proud of them all and hope they have learnt a lot and can look forward to a positive future.

Quotes from Y10 Work Experience employers;

‘It’s been a pleasure to have .. working in our team this week. He is polite, enthusiastic and keen to learn.. Good luck for the future!’

‘They were a delight. We would definitely be able to accommodate some of your students in the future.’

‘It was a pleasure to have your students working with us. They were well behaved and showed great enthusiasm. They worked well with our team and worked safely on all tasks. We would be happy to have more students again next year..’

‘Thank you for your wonderful student – we would be glad to accommodate any future placements.’

‘It was a pleasure to have … doing work experience. She was a very pleasant young lady and entered into all the tasks we gave her with enthusiasm. She seemed to really enjoy her time with us and was credit to herself and the school.’

‘He’s no problem and is working hard.’

‘She has been brilliant. She has shown great enthusiasm and has been able to show junior students simple tasks and has also been able to help with riding instruction.’

‘She is bright and on the ball and all the students we’ve had from Fyling Hall are wonderful!’

‘… has been fabulous. She just gets on and is interested. I can’t praise her enough.’

‘He is awesome; taking everything in; hands on; confident and is loving it.’

‘She has been the best work experience student we have ever had. She has been inquisitive, hardworking, polite, funny, kind and so much more… She is an amazing young woman and she has a bright bright future ahead. A real testament to Fyling Hall.’

‘…. was extremely helpful, polite and charming. We were very impressed by his use of English, his sense of humour and his ability to recognise and understand the significance of different accents. We would have no problem accepting another student next year.’

Mrs Julia Jackson, Librarian/Careers