Providers & Employers

Structured Work Experience

• Tailor roles to pupils’ abilities and interests.

• Provide mentors or job coaches for guidance and support.

Work Shadowing

• Arrange observation days in different departments.

• Pair pupils with role models to learn about career paths.

Mentorship & Buddy Systems

• One-to-one mentorship for advice and guidance.

• Buddy system to support day-to-day integration.

Career Talks & Q&A Panels

• Employees share career journeys and job roles.

• Pupils ask questions and explore different departments.

• Join the pupils and chat to them about your career journey and what you expect from an employee. 

• Run sessions on teamwork, communication, time management and problem-solving.

• Include interactive activities like mock interviews or team exercises.

Career Exploration

• Host career talks with employees in various roles.

• Organise Q&A panels to give pupils insight into different departments.

Inclusive Internships

• Offer short-term internships in a supportive environment.

• Provide regular feedback and adjust tasks to build skills and confidence.

Real-World Challenges

• Present business problems for pupils to solve creatively.

• Provide constructive feedback to develop critical thinking.

By offering any of these opportunities, you help our pupils gain meaningful workplace experience while shaping a more diverse and inclusive workforce for the future.

Partnering with West Kirby School and College to offer work experience or shadowing opportunities brings valuable benefits for both your business and the local community:

1. Build a Talent Pipeline

• Identify and nurture future employees early.
• Assess skills and potential in a real-world setting.

2. Boost Your Reputation

• Show commitment to your community and inclusive employment.
• Gain positive publicity and enhance your brand.

3. Develop Your Team

• Employees can improve leadership and mentoring skills.
• Increase morale and job satisfaction by supporting young people.

4. Fresh Perspectives and Innovation

• New Ideas: Young people often bring fresh viewpoints and creative solutions, especially in areas like technology and social media.
• Diversity of Thought: Engaging with young people from different backgrounds enhances creativity and problem-solving.

5. Cost Effective Resource

• Short-Term Assistance: Young people can help with projects or tasks, providing extra support without the cost of permanent staff.
• Low-Risk Trial: Work experience allows you to evaluate potential future employees in the real world setting.

6. Enhanced Recruitment Efforts

• Employer Branding: Being known as a supportive organisation makes you more attractive to top talent
• Future Recruitment: Strong relationships with schools and colleges improve access to future recruitment.

7. Regulatory Recruitment Efforts

• Government Initiatives: Supporting work experience aligns with education policies and national initiatives.
• Apprenticeship and Training: Contributes to industry-specific apprenticeship and training requirements.

8. Networking Opportunities 

• Educational Partnerships: Building strong links with educational institutions, opening doors to collaboration in research, development and other projects.

By partnering with us, your organisation not only helps young people gain valuable skills but also strengthens your workforce, brand and community impact.

Work experience can make a significant and positive difference for pupils with Special Educational Needs (SEN). When planned well and delivered with the right support, it helps pupils develop skills, confidence, and independence while preparing them for adult life and employment.

How Work Experience Helps SEN Pupils:

• Builds Confidence and Independence – Work experience allows pupils to succeed outside the classroom, helping them build self-belief, resilience and a sense of achievement.
• Develops Employability Skills – Pupils gain practical skills such as communication, teamwork, timekeeping, problem-solving and following instructions. Skills that are essential for the workplace and everyday life.
• Provides Real-World Understanding – Experiencing a workplace helps pupils understand what work looks like, how different roles operate and what employers expect.
• Supports Career Exploration – Pupils can explore different job roles and industries, helping them identify interests, strengths and realistic career pathways.
• Improves Social Skills – Working alongside adults and peers supports the development of social interaction, workplace behaviour and professional communication.
• Encourages Aspiration and Motivation – Seeing themselves as workers helps pupils raise their expectations and understand how learning links to future opportunities.
• Supports Transition to Adulthood – Work experience plays a key role in preparing SEN pupils for employment, supported internships, further education or training after school or college.
• Reduces Barriers to Employment – Early exposure to the workplace helps pupils become familiar with routines and expectations, reducing anxiety and increasing readiness for future employment.

When supported by understanding employers and clear structures, work experience can be life-changing for our pupils. Opening doors, raising aspirations and helping them move towards meaningful and sustainable employment.

Planning Your Work Experience

Why offer work experience?
Think about your goals. Are you aiming to:

• Support your local community (CSR)?
• Develop a pipeline of future talent?
• Respond to requests from us?
• Develop skills in your existing staff?

Knowing your purpose will help you design a programme that meets both your organisation’s needs and those of our young people.

West Kirby School and College offer access to FREE online training from their free webinars, which will support your staff's understanding and develop their knowledge.

Who will you offer it to and how many opportunities?
Consider the young people you want to reach. Opportunities could be offered to:

• Secondary school pupils aged 15–19 
• Young people who are at risk of NEET (not in education, employment, or training) or who have left WKS and are NEET

Think about eligibility, inclusivity and the number of placements you can realistically offer.

What format can you offer?
Work experience can take many forms, including:

• Work shadowing for the day
• Weekly day release for a term or a month
• 1–2 week placements in June or July
• Project-based experiences

Decide whether the experience will focus on a specific role or give a broader overview of your business.

Future engagement
Consider whether you want work experience to lead to future recruitment. How will you keep students engaged with your organisation after their placement?

Who needs to be involved?
Identify key contacts within your business:

• Lead contact for the programme
• Line managers who will support the placement
• A “buddy” to help the student settle in and navigate the workplace

Managing and supporting the student
Plan for:

• Inductions and introductions – We have prepared documents to support you with this!
• Clear tasks and learning outcomes – Our staff will help you with this prior to the placement starting.
• Feedback and references – Our pupils need to learn from the experience, so feedback and references support their learning journey
• Handling any issues that arise – Our staff will be on standby to help you prior, during and afterwards.  We want this to be a win-win.

Practical considerations
Ensure you have:

• Health and safety procedures – Our staff can help you with these. We have templates for you to complete
• Risk assessments – West Kirby Staff will do this on your premises and our pupils.
• Appropriate insurance – All our pupils are covered by our school insurance.

Check what is required for your industry and business size to ensure a safe, well-managed experience.

If you would like to know more about working with West Kirby School and College pupils, we would love to hear from you. By offering work experience, mentoring or employer engagement opportunities, you can help young people with SEND gain valuable skills, confidence and insight into the world of work.

Together, we can create meaningful opportunities, break down barriers to employment, and make a lasting difference to young people’s futures.

Get in touch with Tim Shewan via email tshewan@wkrs.co.uk or Helen Shallcross via email hshallcross@wkrs.co.uk or ring the school on 0151 632 3201