Work related learning
Work related learning became a statutory requirement for schools for students at Key Stage 4 (years 10 and 11, ages 14-16) from September 2004. Guidance is set out in the QCA document “Work related learning for all at Key stage 4” (see below). It defines work related learning as:
Planned activity that uses the context of work to develop knowledge, skills and understanding useful in work, including:
Learning through work, by providing opportunities for students to learn from direct experience of work (for example through work experience or part-time jobs, enterprise activities in schools and learning through vocational contexts in subjects).
Learning about work, by providing opportunities for students to develop knowledge and understanding of work and enterprise (for example, through vocational courses and careers education).
Learning for work, by developing skills for enterprise and employability (for example, through problem-solving activities, work simulations and mock interviews).
To support the statutory requirement, a non-statutory framework sets out the suggested minimum experience for all young people. It comprises 9 elements:
- Recognise, develop and apply their skills for enterprise and employability.
- Use their experience of work, including work experience and part-time jobs, to extend their understanding of work.
- Learn about the way business enterprises operate, working roles and conditions, and rights and responsibilities in the work place.
- Develop awareness of the extent and diversity of local and national employment opportunities.
- Relate their own abilities, attributes and achievements to career intentions and make informed choices based on an understanding of the alternatives.
- Undertake tasks and activities set in work contexts.
- Learn from contact with personnel from different employment sectors.
- Have experience (direct or indirect) of working practices and environments.
- Engage with ideas, challenges and applications from the business world.
Management and coordination
Effective management and coordination are essential to the implementation of work related learning. In preparation for the statutory requirement QCA suggest that schools may want to ensure that they have:
- a senior manager with overall responsibility for ensuring that the school makes adequate provision for all students
- identified a member of staff with responsibility for coordinating work-related provision
- allocated time for the in-service training of members of staff
- conducted an audit of existing provision to match against the framework and suggested minimum provision
- reviewed and updated the current work-related learning policy, including learning opportunities and outcomes
- ensured that work-related learning is included in the school development plan
- discussed with local partners providing business link and work-related learning services about how they can support the school
- considered ways in which collaboration with other schools and colleges can support the school in making suitable provision.
Although the focus of the requirement is on key stage 4, schools and their partners will want to review their programmes of work-related learning in the context of Key Stage 3 and the 14–19 phase as a whole.
This page was last updated on 27 October 2008
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