Success stories from Work Experience 2026
Your pupils have all been an absolute credit to you! Krystal worked hard in Reception, Evie and Connie were excellent with our youngest children in Nursery and Max, Jack, Nico and Sam each made a great impression on the Year 3 and 4 classes and teachers, as well as working hard in PE. All of them supported our school at our summer Fayre this afternoon, running stalls and staying late to tidy up. We have so enjoyed having them all here and hope we can accommodate again in the future.”- Tollgate Primary School
Edmund has had a great week. We have really been impressed with his independence and diligence with tasks and challenges we have given him over the week. We are about to complete his interview and presentation task, but he has been so well-mannered and inquisitive all week. I think if Edmund wanted to take another placement in an area of interest at some other point over the next year, we would welcome him back. –Vertas
Mikey is a unique and outstanding young man. We have hosted many work experience students over the years but Mikey is on a much higher level. My advice would be keep doing what you are doing, don’t change who you are. His positivity is infectious and he was a joy to work with. The entire team at Infusions felt the same and would have kept him here if they could. – ICE Restaurant
Not only did he turn up every day, but he completely embraced the experience. He got stuck into whatever was asked of him, worked hard, and gave it everything he had. We know it wasn’t easy for him, and that’s exactly why this means so much. For him, just walking through the door each morning was a huge achievement, so to see him complete the week with such commitment has exceeded anything we dared hope for. –Year 10 Parent
It would be very difficult to make any criticisms of his work or attitude. He was always keen to get hands on and work as part of a team or individually. He was driven to ask questions and learn where he could. We would be very happy to work with him again and would encourage him to reach out to us if he would like to do a work placement with us in the future. It was a pleasure to have had him with us for a week and we hope to see him again.- I.S Polson
Coming towards the end of the placement when I worked in the restaurant floor I became very proud in myself for having the courage to go up and serve customers as I have always struggled with my lisp since the age of 9.- Year 10 Student
Why Work Experience Matters
Work experience gives students a valuable chance to step into the world of work and see what everyday life is like in a real workplace. The aim is to give students a broad experience of the workplace, helping them understand how different organisations operate and what typical workplace routines and expectations involve.
During their placement, students can observe staff, take part in appropriate tasks, and experience the routines that come with employment—such as managing time well, following workplace guidelines, and working cooperatively with others. This first-hand experience can help students discover new interests, develop practical skills, and explore careers they may wish to pursue in the future.
Being part of a workplace also supports personal development. Students often become more confident, independent, and aware of their own strengths. It can also boost motivation by helping them make clear connections between what they learn in school and how those skills are used beyond the classroom.
Work experience provides an introduction to common recruitment practices, may lead to opportunities for part-time or casual work, and allows students to include employer feedback in future applications. Most importantly, it gives young people the chance to try out a professional environment, broaden their understanding of the world of work, and make more informed decisions about their next steps.
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Students and families are responsible for sourcing their placement
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Placements do not have to be local! Ask family, friends, or work contacts
It is the student’s responsibility to source their own work experience placement, with guidance from family. Taking ownership of this process helps students build key life and employability skills such as communication, organisation, independence, resilience and confidence. By contacting employers, managing deadlines and making decisions about suitable placements, they learn how to navigate real‑world tasks that mirror future education, training and employment processes. This responsibility is a vital step in developing mature, capable young people who can confidently manage their own pathways beyond school.
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Students must secure the placement with an employer first
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Then they must add it to their Unifrog Placements Tool
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Unifrog will email the employer, parent/carer, and school for required information
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Accurate and honest entry of placement details is essential to ensure placement is appropriate
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Please check Junk/Spam folders for Unifrog emails
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Additional support will be provided for SEN students
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Please find all guides relevant to work experience here Guides – Placement – Unifrog
- Please find a reminder of what students need to do, tips and tricks, and to view example emails to send to employers below
- For support on how to send an email including email etiquette, look here Email use for work experience placement
- For support on how to complete the student form, look here Year 10 work experience guidance
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If your child did not attend the launch assembly- find a copy of the slides here (some information is in the notes section) Work Experience Assembly
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Read Unifrog’s placement guides
- Begin contacting potential employers as soon as possible—local competition is high
If students don’t know where to complete their work experience placement, consider the following:
- What job they might like to do in the future
- A job/industry they would like to find out more about
- Their hobbies and interests
- The skills they want to develop
TLG@king-ed.suffolk.sch.uk
Your Guide to Approaching Businesses for Placement Opportunities!
Here are links to a range of virtual/online and in-person work experience (WEX) programmes to help you gain knowledge about different workplaces, develop your employability skills and explore new industries and job roles.
Once completed, remember to add your WEX to your Unifrog profile!
Futures For All Work experience opportunities
Futures For All have teamed up with hundreds of leading UK employers to provide work experience placements and provide valuable insights into the world of work. Search for a specific employer or use the filters to find online placements based on your age or the industry you’re interested in.
Explore the latest placements on offer across a wide range of industries here
Barclays Life Skills: Young People Hub
Click here to learn where your skills are needed in the modern workplace and see the inner workings of a company. Meet and actively work with different departments on one exciting project, helping them to solve problems and to complete real-life tasks.
Online Work Experience and Career Days for students aged 14-17 
CAREERDAYS.CO.UK offer a range of online work experience sessions for careers in the following fields: Dentistry, Medicine, Midwifery, Psychology, Business, Architecture, Law, Veterinary Medicine, Computer Science and Performing Arts.
Click here for more information and to book your place.
Session Fees: £59 per session
Note: Bursaries are available for students meeting the relevant criteria
InvestIN: In-person and Online Careers Programmes 
Life-changing, immersive career experience programmes for students aged 12-18 years
King Edward VI is an InvestIN partnership school so our students benefit from a 10% discount on the programmes selected.
Students will learn directly from some of the UK’s best professionals – doctors, forensic scientists, architects, MPs, filmmakers, engineers and more – through a series of live, interactive simulations which provide tailor-made, professional experiences. Students can attend either at UCL (London) or live online from the comfort of their own homes. Book now to avoid disappointment!
Careers Programmes:
Click here to explore opportunities in a variety of industries such as Medicine, Engineering, Architecture, Art, Investment Banking, Law, Computer Science and so much more!
Programme fees:
Career experiences start at £165/student for weekend programmes in autumn and spring. The summer experiences vary in cost depending on the package. Pricing is listed on the individual programme pages.
Note: Bursaries are available for students meeting the relevant criteria
NHS Talent Academy
The NHS Talent Academy for Suffolk and North East Essex offers online work experience that covers both clinical and non-clinical roles.
Upcoming 2024 dates for the latest programme will be published in due course. To register your interest, click here to complete an application form.
Springpod
Springpod are offering a variety of work experience programmes.
Sign up here for Springpod’s virtual work experience programmes and Insight Days, as well as apprenticeship opportunities and career guides, such as Classroom to Boardroom.
