What a week’s work experience taught these Year 10s about their futures
When Kelsey first arrived at secondary school, she said she wanted to be almost anywhere else but there.She struggled with friendships, clashed with teachers and often tried to avoid coming into school.But afte...
When Kelsey first arrived at secondary school, she said she wanted to be almost anywhere else but there.
She struggled with friendships, clashed with teachers and often tried to avoid coming into school.
But after a week's work experience placement at Whipsnade Zoo, in Bedfordshire, her outlook could not be more different.
She said it made her a "completely different person" - more confident, with a "good group of friends" and a greater sense of purpose about where her education could lead her.
Children across the UK are strongly encouraged to do work experience while at school. In England, the government published new legal guidance in June for schools to deliver two weeks of "in-person and immersive" work experience in future, one between Year 7 and Year 9, and one between Years 10 and 11.
But not all work experience placements are equal, and finding the right one can be tricky.
Organisations like the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Foundation said some students could be limited by the availability of placements in their area, or a lack of family connections with local employers.
BBC News spoke to three Year 10 pupils, one year ahead of their final GCSE exams, about how they decided what areas of work they were interested in, their experiences of trying to find the right placement, and what it taught them about their future education and ultimate career goals.
Erica Holt-White, research and policy manager at the Sutton Trust, said the experiences of these students, and thousands of others like them, show why meaningful work experience can be so beneficial.
It can be particularly valuable for young people who do not have family or friends working in the industries they are interested in.
"It gives them exposure to professional environments and the chance to meet people in careers they might otherwise never encounter," she said.
But access to those opportunities remains unequal, according to Sarah Atkinson, chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation.
"Many schools now ask students to find placements themselves," she said.
"That creates significant inequalities, because young people without family or professional networks are far more likely either to miss out altogether, or to end up in placements that aren't relevant to their ambitions."
Both said work experience does not need to lead directly to a future career to be valuable.
For Kelsey, the lessons from Whipsnade Zoo continue to shape both her ambitions and her approach to education.
Her advice to younger pupils is simple.
"Take the opportunity when it's offered - talk to people, ask questions and enjoy it because you'll learn far more than you expect."