Volunteers, Work Experience & Visitors

Getting involved and volunteering…

Volunteers

Volunteers are requested to complete an application form (available from our website) as the same safeguarding criteria apply as if we were employing you. We will need to request and receive 2 suitable references and complete an enhanced DBS before you can start your voluntary work with us. Please also state the approximate length of time you would like to come into school and how many days per week.

Work Experience

Work Experience placements fall into various categories and we have split these up accordingly

Year 10/11 work placements

These are generally for a block placement of 1 to 2 weeks and arranged by agreement with your school. We try to ensure that each placement is a true reflection of what employment at The Dales School would really be like. We ask all students to write to the school. We have recently reviewed our placement availability for year 10’s and 11’s and now only allocate places in special circumstances, so if you are looking for a placement at our school you need to tell us why you want to come to us. We’d also want to know:

• The date of your placement & the school you attend
• A bit about yourself (hobbies and interests)
• What year at school you are in
• The qualifications you are working towards
• What you’d like to do in the future
• Any previous experience
• Do you have a preference of the age group you would like to work with
• Why in particular you want to do your work placement at The Dales School and what you hope to learn

You may even wish to have a go at completing an application form and including this with your letter.

Whilst we appreciate that parents may want to support their son/daughter through this experience, we do ask that all enquires and arrangements for placements are made by the person wanting to attend. Initial queries can be made through the ‘Contact us’ page.

College placements (NVQ & Health & Social Care A’ Level students)

These are usually arranged by your college, however you may wish to approach us yourself and follow the guidelines that we have set down for year 10 and 11 students.

We understand that the length of your placements varies depending on the level of your qualification and you may need to evidence different things – all of this can be coordinated with the class teacher as part of your induction to the classroom.

Insight days for University students

As part of some university courses insight days are requested to observe how we deliver outstanding education.

These only usually last 1 to 2 days and a full induction is not normally included within these placements.

PGCE students

We can accommodate one student at a time – currently in our EYFS/KS1 class. Please e-mail the school through the contact us page and give a brief description of when you’d like to come and for how long.

Health placements

Although we do have physios, occupational therapists and other health colleagues visiting our school, they are not employed by us and have very busy schedules, so we cannot promise any time or placements with them. Placements for student nurses with the school nurse are arranged through the PCT

All volunteers or those on work placement:

• Will be given an induction (usually before the start date), which will include an on-line child protection course. Expectations and restrictions will also be clearly explained.
• Must follow the direction of the class teacher at all times
• May be offered the opportunity to attend appropriate on-site training with our staff

We have to limit the amount of volunteers and work experience pupils coming into school at anyone time and we may not always be able to offer the full duration of their requested time. The school cannot promise to offer placements to all those who request them. All requests/applications for placements should be made through the Office Manager

Students or volunteers under the age of 18 year will only be placed within EYFS-KS3

Visitors to the school:

• Are requested to check the website to ensure that the school is open
• Are requested not to attend if they have had an episode of diarrhea or vomiting within the last 48 hrs
• Are requested to report to reception on arrival at school