Work experience is a period — usually one or two weeks — during which secondary school pupils spend time in a real workplace rather than attending lessons. It most commonly takes place in Year 10 during the summer term, giving young people direct insight into the world of work before they make post-16 choices.
Which year group does work experience happen in?
There is no single national rule. Work experience is not a statutory requirement under the National Curriculum, so individual schools decide whether to run it, when, and for how long. In practice:
| Year group | How common | Typical timing |
|---|---|---|
| Year 10 | Most common | May or June of Year 10 |
| Year 12 | Common in sixth forms | October–November or July of Year 12 |
| Year 11 | Less common | Varies |
Some schools have suspended traditional block work experience in recent years and replaced it with enterprise events, employer visits, and virtual work experience. If you are unsure whether your child's school runs work experience, the careers lead or head of year is the right person to ask.
How is a work experience placement organised?
Schools differ in how much they do versus how much is left to the pupil and family:
- School-brokered placements: The school holds a bank of approved employer contacts and assigns or offers placements from that list. Pupils may have some choice by subject area or interest.
- Self-found placements: The school expects pupils — with family support — to approach employers directly and secure their own placement. The school then approves and checks it.
- Mixed model: The school provides a list and some direct brokerage, but pupils who want a specific industry or employer source their own.
Regardless of the model, schools must carry out a health and safety check on every workplace before the placement begins. Employers who take school pupils must have appropriate employer's liability insurance and a risk assessment covering the pupil. The school will send a placement form or checklist to the employer.
What do pupils actually do during the placement?
The content depends entirely on the employer and role. At its best, a placement allows the pupil to shadow experienced staff, assist with real tasks, and learn something specific about how that workplace functions. At its most basic, a pupil may spend time observing and filing. Common sectors include:
- Retail and hospitality (supermarkets, cafés, hotels)
- Healthcare (GP surgeries, dental practices, pharmacies, care homes)
- Law, finance, and professional services (local solicitors, accountants)
- Engineering, construction, and technology
- Teaching (primary schools, nurseries)
- Creative industries (local media, design studios, theatres)
Some year groups complete a work experience log or diary that feeds into PSHE or careers lessons after the placement. A few schools ask pupils to present back to the class.
Does work experience count towards GCSEs or qualifications?
Not directly. Work experience does not generate a grade or contribute to GCSE marks. Its value is developmental: it builds confidence, gives pupils something concrete to discuss in personal statements and interviews, and helps them test whether a career area they find appealing actually suits them in practice.
Some BTECs and vocational qualifications do include work placement as a graded unit. If your child is on a BTEC pathway, ask whether their specific qualification has a mandatory placement element and what the assessment criteria are.
How can parents help their child find and prepare for a placement?
- Act early. Good placements — particularly in healthcare, law, or media — are competitive. If the school allows self-found placements, start making contact with employers in the autumn term of Year 10, not in April.
- Think beyond obvious choices. A placement in an area your child has not previously considered can be as valuable as one in their anticipated career. Exploring and ruling out is itself useful information.
- Help them write a contact letter or email. Most employers appreciate a brief, polite, specific request. The pupil's name, school, year group, proposed dates, and a one-sentence statement of interest is sufficient. Avoid sending generic emails to many employers simultaneously.
- Prepare them for the basics. Punctuality, appropriate dress, mobile phone conduct, and how to address adults in a professional setting are all things to discuss in advance.
- Debrief afterwards. Ask what surprised them, what they learned, and whether it changed their thinking about that sector. This reflection is what makes the experience stick.
Frequently asked questions
Is work experience compulsory in England?
Work experience is not legally compulsory. The school sets its own policy, and while most expect pupils to complete a placement during Year 10 or Year 12, parents should check the school's specific requirements. Some pupils with significant SEND needs or medical conditions may be offered an alternative activity.
Can my child do work experience at my own business or a family member's workplace?
In principle, yes, provided the workplace can meet the school's health and safety requirements and the placement is not a straightforward conflict of interest that undermines the educational purpose. Some schools actively encourage family contacts as a means of broadening placement options. Ask the school's work experience coordinator or careers lead for their specific policy before approaching the employer.
What if my child is not offered a placement that interests them?
Encourage them to source one independently. A pupil who approaches an employer directly and secures a placement in their chosen field demonstrates exactly the initiative that employers and universities value. The school's careers adviser can provide guidance on how to write an approach email and which local employers have taken pupils before.
My child is in Year 12 — is sixth form work experience different?
Post-16 work experience placements are often longer (sometimes two to four weeks), more sector-specific, and carry greater expectations. Year 12 pupils are expected to take on more responsibility and demonstrate greater professional awareness than Year 10 pupils. Some university courses — including medicine, law, and teaching — effectively require documented work experience, so the Year 12 placement can be strategically important for UCAS personal statements.
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