Work Experience and Encounters
Work Experience and Encounters
We develop students’ readiness for their lives after Spa through our work experience offer. Our Careers Lead is the Assistant Head for KS3, Anna Kostoglou, who works closely with other senior leaders to develop work experience and careers learning.
All pupils in KS5 have an opportunity to work in The School House Café. The hours and tasks they complete are matched to their interests and needs. Some students complete ASDAN Employability qualifications as part of their Schoolhouse Café work experience placements.
A group of KS5 students participated in a 6-week work experience program at London Zoo. During this time, they attended various sessions where they explored different careers at the zoo, such as customer service, zookeeping, veterinary care, maintenance, and retail. Over the course of the program, students had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in each of these roles.
Another group of KS5 pupils participated in a bespoke employment support programme, organized by SCULPT, designed to help navigate the journey to employability. Pupils took part in:
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Bespoke career planning
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Professional skill development workshops
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Personalised life skill training
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CV development workshops, mock interviews and networking opportunities
SSB Work Encounters
Park College Link Program
Some Spa Bermondsey KS5 students attend The Park College once a week as part of a link programme tailored to their group’s needs. Activities focus on developing independence, confidence, and practical skills.
Sessions may include:
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Practical Cooking – preparing meals, food hygiene, using kitchen equipment, and completing kitchen tasks
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Healthy Living – learning about balanced diets and fitness
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Bike Maintenance – checking, repairing, and cleaning bikes
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Dance – sessions with a tutor from the Royal Academy of Dance
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Enterprise Projects – planning, making and selling products at college events
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Gardening – maintaining the college grounds
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Travel Training – supported or independent travel to and from college
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College Life – taking part in routines such as signing in, using lockers and interacting with students
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Event Management and Catering – supporting events and working in the college café
Spa students have also taken part in projects with external organisations through this programme, including:
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I’m at Work – Self Cook Supper Club
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CLPE – Library and Event Support
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Bee Urban – Gardening and Carpentry Workshops
Careers
Pupils in KS3 and 4 develop their understanding and readiness for the world of work in the following ways:
- Learning about jobs and career paths in PSHE and in English
- Interviewing people about their jobs in PSHE
- ASDAN curriculum units
- Developing responsibility through jobs and tasks within the school
- Using the TEACCH program to develop independence and developing the ability to recognise when a task has been completed.
- Developing Communication skills ready for the world of work through specific Social Communication units.
We have a set of careers assemblies each year where employers and entrepreneurs present to our pupils. Recent presentations included: the social media manager from Millwall FC, a puppeteer, a data scientist, a cafe manager and a construction manager
Our summary of our careers overview is below. Further information can be obtained from our Careers Lead, Anna Kostoglou. You can contact Anna by calling us on 0207 237 3714 or via email at office@spa-education.org
We will review the impact of our careers program this year to include:
- number of pupils who accessed sessions with employers
- progress towards pupils' preparation for adult (PfA) targets as part of each pupils' annual review
- pupil surveys after assembly events and careers workshops
- parent surveys at the end of the academic year
This information will be shared in the July of each academic year
Careers Overview Spa Bermondsey
Careers and Provider Policy
Central London Careers Hub
We are partnering with the Central London Careers Hub to ensure that all pupils (and families) have access to careers advice and support as well as expanding our work experience offer.
Scope Carers Pathways
We are partnering with Scope to offer carers advice to our pupils. Pupils in KS4 and 5 will complete workshops and have bespoke careers advice in the Spring and Summer term.
Talk the Talk
We partnered with Talk the Talk to provide careers workshops to our pupils with more Complex Needs. They will be working with pupils in KS4 and 5 in the Autumn term
