Work Experience
Work Experience Overview
At The Trafalgar School at Downton, all students within Year 10 are to participate in Work Experience. Students gain a huge amount of experience, skills, confidence, self-esteem, and insights into possible future careers as well as enhancing their CV’s and any applications to Sixth Form / Jobs / University and Apprenticeships.
We expect students to find their own placement as this is a really important part of the process in encouraging pupils to become more independent, however, curriculum time and staffing has been assigned to help them do this within PSHCE lessons for Year 10.
Work experience will take place during this year's Enrichment Days. Each tutor group will have a specific day that they must organise a work experience placement for:
Tutor Groups L, R & W - Work Experience Day = 20/07/2026
Tutor Groups B, C & P - Work Experience Day = 21/07/2026
DEADLINE FOR SUBMITTING A PLACEMENT ON CONNECT = FRIDAY 22ND MAY 2026
In collaboration with our new Work Experience software, Connect by Changing Education, once pupils have found a placement, we will ensure that the employer/organisation is checked to meet all Health & Safety legislation.
During the placement itself, the provider and student will be supported through regular contact. This will be done either by a phone-call or visit by a member of Trafalgar staff. The placement should not be where students already have current part-time employment.
Please take a look at the documents below for more information.
Every one of us remembers their work experience. Some tell us exactly what we want to do, some tell us exactly what we don’t want to do - but they all tell us some thing about ourselves that impacts our future.
Phil Sutton, Assistant Headteacher & Careers Lead
Work Experience Timeline
Work Experience Key Documents
Work Experience Launch Letter to Parents/Carers
This letter was sent to parents/carers of Year 10 students with details about the work experience programme.
Click on the picture to view the letter.
Work Experience Launch Assembly for Students
This is the work experience launch assembly that Mr Sutton delivered to all Year 10 students in February 2026. There is helpful information about how to find a placement and also how to set-up the placement on Connect.
Click on the picture to view the presentation.
Work Experience Handbook for students
This handbook will be given out to all students during their PSHCE Work Experience lesson. It can be worked through at home to support students to find and submit a placement.
Click on the picture to view the handbook.
Connect by Changing Education
The Trafalgar School at Downton has invested in a work experience programme; Connect by Changing Education. This is a piece of work experience software that enables students to log-in to the Connect Learner Portal and submit a work experience placement. The placement is then managed by staff in school, who (using the software), contact the placement provider, complete the necessary insurance and health and safety checks and then ultimately agree to the work experience placement.
The joined up approach ensures that every student has a safe, relevant and worthwhile work experience placement - safeguarding our students is our top priority.
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All students will be sent an invitation to log-in to the Connect Learner Portal via their school email address. Follow the instructions to gain access to the portal and submit your work experience placement. You can access the 'Welcome to your Connect Learner Portal' guide by clicking on the picture below.
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You can access the sign-in page for Connect by Changing Education, here.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or require further information about work experience or anything else Careers Education related, please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can contact:
Phil Sutton - Assistant Headteacher and Careers Lead - p.sutton@trafalgar.wilts.sch.uk
Louisa Krzyzosiak - Careers Coordinator - l.krzyzosiak@trafalgar.wilts.sch.uk