Work Experience at Chulmleigh College

The term ‘modern work experience’ comes from the UK's 2025 Statutory Guidance for work experience. Modern work experience is made up of three elements: 

1. Equalex framework

The Careers & Enterprise Company’s framework for designing and delivering whole-school, high quality, modern work experience activities.

2. Two-week guarantee

Every child should have:

• One week work experience activities in Years 7-9
• One week work experience placement in Years 10-11

3. Gatsby Benchmark 6 (or ‘meaningful’ experiences)

The quality standard for workplace experiences, for example: they should involve two-way interaction between a young person and an employer.

At Chulmleigh College, all pupils in Years 7-9 have the opportunity to meet with different forms of employment through school trips and visits, the careers curriculum and activities in pastoral time and meaningful encounters with people from different careers sectors in our Careers Focus day.

In Year 10, pupils complete a 5-day placement in the workplace. The upcoming work experience will take place Monday 12^th July - 16^th July 2027.  Families will be invited to relevant information evenings to ensure that they have all the relevant information to support their child during the process of securing a work placement. We are so pleased to hear the positive feedback from employers who host our young people and know that these experiences stand our pupils in good stead for the future.

In addition to the above, pupils have access to a wide range of virtual work experience delivered by the platform Unifrog. Pupils are also informed of opportunities and events in the local area via our school newsletter Optime and are encouraged to take up as many of these opportunities as possible. We can provide a space in school for pupils who wish to complete a virtual work experience during school time; pupils should contact Ms Thorncroft directly for details.