Work Experience
All students in Year 10 are expected to take part in the work experience programme as part of their work related learning education. Students get the opportunity to work with an employer for a week to find out more about industry and the workplace. They work alongside people as they go about their daily tasks.
As a good variety of placements are increasingly difficult to obtain, students are encouraged to use their initiative and find their own placement(s). They will receive support from assemblies and lessons during the PSHE Enrichment Days in order to achieve this. Family and friends may help by setting up placements within their own organisations.
To enable students to have valuable and meaningful experiences in an area that is specifically of interest to them, Felixstowe School encourages students to participate in work experience at any time in Year 10 once all the necessary paperwork is in place.
Students usually work with local employers in Felixstowe, Ipswich and the surrounding area, however, some students do choose to travel further.
Year 12 students are also entitled to 5 days work experience and this will take place the week commencing 11 March 2024. BTEC students can run a programme of work experience alongside their timetable throughout the year.
How to apply for Work Experience
Students should visit the Careers Hub to discuss any placements they have secured or for support to assist them in finding a suitable placement. It is here where students collect a Work Experience Request Form. Please note the employer must have Employer and Public Liability Insurance.
The Careers Coordinator will make contact with the Employer to ensure all paperwork is complete and Parent/Carers will be expected to complete and return a consent form. The work experience placement will not commence until all paperwork is completed and returned to the Careers Coordinator and the Parent/Carer has received confirmation in writing.
We are always looking for new placements for our students so if any family, friends or employers can offer a placement to one or more of our students, or would like to know more about what is involved in providing a work experience placement then please contact Mrs Cobain, the Careers Coordinator by phone or by email.
Record of Achievement Folders & Ribbons of Excellence
All students are issued a Record of Achievement folder in which they will be encouraged to place their achievements inside and outside of school. The aim is to celebrate all achievements of individual students. Evidence can be in the form of newspaper cuttings, photos with statements, newsletters, certificates, references and awards. This will also hold the students’ CV and cover letter. The Record of Achievement Folders will be stored in the Careers Hub until they are presented to students in their Graduation Ceremony at the end of Year 11.
Post 16 Pathways
In Year 11 you will be considering and applying for your next steps after your GCSEs. Applications are now open for colleges and sixth forms and we would advise that students take some time with their parents and carers to look at these options now. It is advisable that you apply to more than one post 16 provider to keep your options open. As this is such a key transition point, students will be invited to a Careers Advice and Guidance meeting with our Independent Careers Adviser, Miss Richards over the next few months.
To give you an understanding of the full range of opportunities there are available, so you can be sure you are making a well-informed decision that best suits you as an individual, please see links to prospectus’ and virtual open events in this section.
Where to study:
A-Levels/BTECs – Sixth Form
For more information on A Levels click here.
Sixth Form Open Days / Taster Days;
Felixstowe School Sixth Form open evening Thursday 9 November 2023, 6pm – 8pm
Suffolk One click here
BTECs/T Levels/Vocational Courses – Further Education Colleges
For more information on BTECs click here.
Suffolk New College & Suffolk Rural click here
West Suffolk College click here
If you are interested in looking at Apprenticeships, please register here, and take a look at these sites too – Amazing Apprenticeships, The AIM group and Apprenticeships Suffolk.
Other Training providers – i.e. WS Training, YMCA Training
Destination Data
As part of Government requirements, Felixstowe School is required to track the destination of every student for 3 years after they leave school. The information we track is the name of the School/College/Employer and the name of the course they are undertaking.
We work closely with Suffolk County Council who are required by the Department for Education to ensure all young people are in meaningful education, employment or training for the 2 years after Year 11. The Early Help Teams within Suffolk County Council offer tailored support for young people throughout these 2 years if they are not in any education, employment and training.
Destination data allows the School to measure the success of our Careers Programme and ensure we are offering the best programme to help students prepare for their future.
Student Destinations after GCSEs:
| Destination | 2019-2020 | 2020-2021 | 2021-2022 | 2022-2023 |
| Apprenticeships, Training Provider (inluding Football Academies) or Employment with training | 6.7% | 2.5% | 7.5% | |
| Sixth Form (both Schools & Colleges) | 52.9% | 54.7% | 61.5% | |
| Futher Education College | 39.9% | 40.3% | 26.5% | |
| Referred to the Early Help Team | 0.5% | 2.5% | 4.5% |