Work experience

Wednesday 4th August 2004 at 12:12 AM

All state school pupils from the age of 14 are to be compelled to do work experience from the beginning of the new term this autumn when a new national curriculum requirement comes into effect.

 

Almost all 14 to 16-year-old children will be placed with local firms for about two weeks. Others will learn through part-time jobs or simulate work experience in further education colleges.

 

It is part of a drive to dispel a growing myth that work experience is only for those pupils who are bored with the academic curriculum.

 

Stakeholder Response: Institute of Education

 

Bryan Cunngham, lecturer in the Institute of Education’s School of Lifelong Education and International Development, said:  "The preception that work experience is only relevant to lower attaining pupils is negative and harmful, as is the equally destructive notion that it is only pupils who are failing who could benefit from the 'opportunity' to attend an FE college for part of the week.

 

"Any restructuring of the school curriculum to facilitate earlier exposure to a range of workplace environments is highly welcome, and the proposal that work experience should be more effectively followed up is commendable.

 

"This has been lacking in the past, leading to a situation in which insufficient links are drawn between the skills required at work and those being enhanced at school.

 

"But as with many recent educational innovations, attitudes in some state schools will have to change.

 

"It would also be enormously beneficial if the independent sector were to take up the innovation if it is adopted.”

 

Stakeholder Response: National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers

 

Chris Keates, acting general secretary of NASUWT said: "NASUWT believes that in principle the new curriculum requirements are a positive step towards balancing vocational and academic learning.