Work Experience

The Courtyard provides young people with the opportunity to put their skills and knowledge into action, helping them to build crucial experience, which is vital in transitioning from education to rewarding employment.

Main characteristics of Work Experience:

• Work experience is completely personalised to the needs of each student
• Work Experience takes place once a week for two hours. There is no end date if both parties (student and employer) are happy
• Some students go independently to their work placement and others are accompanied by a member of staff
• Students start Work Experience in the Sixth Form. Students have the chance to try out a variety of job roles
• Discovery of likes/ dislikes, strengths/ weaknesses
• Increased self-confidence
• An opportunity to demonstrate their abilities
• An authentic insight into the world of work and the expectations of employers
• Awareness that they can build transferable skills, knowledge and experience
• Gain recent employment history to add to their CV, giving them the confidence, skills and determination to take the next steps on their career path

It is our aim to equip students with the skills and knowledge required to make the correct personal decision regarding career progression.
With work experience, students are discovering what working in a particular role is like. They are enhancing their knowledge and applying it to school subjects. They are also gaining the essential real-life experience that is highly sought after by employers.

Work Experience commenced as an area of the Courtyard curriculum in September 2015. Since then, students have been participating in different placements depending on their needs, abilities and future career goals, for two hours a week. Some students have been going on their own, and others with a member of staff.

Every year our offer of work experience placements has been extended and the school has secured new placements for our students. Our aim is to personalise placements as much as possible. 

• New Park Day Centre
• John Lewis
• Temptations Cafe
• Lebaneats restaurant
• GLL Islington Tennis Centre and Gym
• Westbourne Early Years Centre
• Melia White House Hotel
• Odeon Cinema Holloway
• Freightliners City Farm
• Tesco Metro Islington
• Hope Cafe
• Centre 404
• 4PS Marketing company
• Queens Crescent Library
• Planet Drum
• Urban Hope Youth Centre
• Travelmania Travel Agency
• Exponential-e Ltd
• SMMA: IT Department, PE Primary Department, Science Secondary Department
• WHSmith Wood Green
• Islington Ecology Centre
• Robert Blair Primary School
• La Pasta Restaurant
• Spitalfields Ottolenghi Restaurant
• Islington Central Library
• Carluccio Restaurant in Islington
• London Bubble Theatre

Studying Hospitality gives our students the opportunity to join a rapidly growing industry. Our students will learn many transferable skills needed to be successful in Hospitality and many other industries. Students will learn essential skills such as planning and running an event, preparing and serving food and drink, and delivering first-class customer service. Hospitality careers give our students the opportunity to travel as the industry has a place in every country. Furthermore, the personal and occupational skills learned and developed whilst studying this course help our students to present themselves in a positive light when carrying out their weekly work experience.

Andrew and Mya at Melia Hotel International White House.
They completed work experience in Room service, Guest Experience and at the Lounge Bar.

Students in the Sixth Form have been given the opportunity to have a personalised styling session with two Smart Works volunteer stylists, receiving a complete outfit of high-quality clothes and accessories for their specific job interview. We made sure our students looked professional, felt confident and had everything they needed, from a winter coat to a pair of tights.
After their dressing, each student received a one-to-one interview preparation and coaching session with an experienced HR professional or senior manager. The interview session focused on increasing the awareness of their own strengths, answering questions effectively and understanding what is expected of them at the interview.