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Chesswood Junior School

Chesswood Junior School

Work Experience, Work Placements and Volunteering

Introduction

Chesswood Junior School welcome adults and young people who would like to gain experience in school and in return support our children, whether full time for a short period of time or one or more days a week over a longer period of time. We often support requests for placement for a variety of reasons:

  • Volunteering in school - adults wishing to learn more about teaching before committing to training, parents and young people (usually ex-pupils) wishing to give time to support our children. 
  • Work placements - adults and young people completing educational courses, for example, teaching assistant qualifications, childcare qualifications, Duke of Edinburgh Awards.
  • Work experience - Year 10 and Year 12 school/college placements.

Chesswood is very popular for work experience, work placements and volunteering. Due to our large size and multiple departments we can offer a wide variety of placements in different roles: within a specific year group class (Year 3 to Year 6), or within our specialist PE and Music teaching departments, or within IT, premises and administration teams.

If you would like to arrange work experience, work placement or volunteering with us, please contact Mr Chris Yelling, Assistant Head, cyelling@chesswood.w-sussex.sch.uk with details of what you require and when.

BEFORE YOU START YOUR PLACEMENT - Safeguarding

GUIDE

Link

Personnel Information Form

Before attending the school, you must complete our Personnel Information Form to comply with our safeguarding policy and to provide us with personal information in case of emergency while on placement. LINK

DBS LINK

If you are required to complete a check with the Data and Barring System (DBS) you will need to bring the documents highlighted in this DBS letter. LINK

Keeping Children Safe in Education

If you ar over 16 years old, you must read KCSIE Part 1 to comply with our safeguarding policy. LINK

Safeguarding

If you ar over 16 years old, Safeguarding at Chesswood must be understood, this is covered as part of the induction. LINK

Code of Conduct

Safeguarding underpins all aspects of life at Chesswood. Please read the Code of Conduct to understand how you should behave whilst on work or volunteer placement. LINK

SCHOOL BROCHURE

To understand more about us, we ask that you read our School Brochure before attending. LINK

 

Placement Information

GUIDE

Link

Induction

On your first day of your placement, you will undergo the induction process - the staff and student handbook will be shared and can be revisited whenever necessary to understand the information within. LINK

BRIGHT SPARKS CODE

Quick reference if required. LINK

Behaviour Hand

Quick reference if required. LINK

Regulation Rainbow

Quick reference if required. LINK

Chesswood Feedback Code

Quick reference if required. LINK

Fire Evacuation Procedures

Quick reference if required. LINK

 

Frequently Asked Questions for School Work Experience Placements

Who will be my supervisor?

Please contact your school Careers Leader/Work experience Coordinator for this information.  It will be the teacher you are placed with for the week at Chesswood.

What hours will I be working?

Normal class base, Monday to Friday:
08:30 – 12:15 and 13:15 – 15:30

P.E. Department: Monday to Friday*
08:30 – 12:15 and 13:15 – 16:15 (13-15-16:15 Tuesday)

What time will I start each day?

Students undertaking work experience at Chesswood are to arrive in the school reception, sign in, collect a visitor badge and be in their classroom base by the stated start time above, usually 8:30.  Students then spend time with the class teacher, discussing their role for the day.

What time will I finish each day?

See above.

The school day ends at 15:15.  Work experience students are to stay until 15:30, once all the Chesswood pupils have been collected. Where students are placed within the P.E. or Music departments, the day ends at 4:15 due to after school clubs.

What will I do for lunch and how much time will I have for lunch?

Our lunch break is between 12:15 and 13:15, giving students 1 hour.  Students are welcome to sit in the staffroom to eat lunch.  High school or College students are asked to remain on the school premises, meaning lunch and refreshments will need to be brought in with them each day.  The school does not have facilities to purchase lunch on site.  

What do I need to wear?

Work experience students are to dress in the same way as employed staff members; this may be different to that adopted in their personal life. While on placement, students should ensure they are dressed smartly, decently, safely and appropriately for the tasks they undertake. For example, tops which cover the shoulders, skirts of a length which maintains full modesty and buttoned shirts are all examples of appropriate dress. If you are working in the P.E department, sportswear of an appropriate length would be suitable.

However, ripped jeans, low cut tops or jeans falling below the hips are not appropriate.  Students who dress in such a manner will be asked to leave the school premises and return the same day, dressed appropriately.  The Lead Mentor at Chesswood will be informed and contact your work experience coordinator.

What duties will I be doing?

This will depend on your placement.  If you are based within the P.E. department, the P.E. leader will request that you set up equipment, support pupils with their technique and, depending on your confidence and ability, lead parts of the sessions.

If you are based within a classroom, you will take on the role of the class Teaching Assistant.  You will work alongside individuals or groups of children, supporting their learning and understanding of tasks.  You will be marking alongside the children in the same way a class teacher or assistant would do, having had guidance form the class teacher in the morning.  Your class teacher may ask you to undertake other jobs too, such as photocopying.

Celebration Event Attendance

Some schools hold a celebration event after the work experience week.  While staff at Chesswood would very much like to join you for your celebration event, there is not funding to release us from class to do so.  We really are sorry, as it would be a wonderful way to celebrate your week with us.