New arrangements for Work Experience and Extended Work-Related Learning Placements 2005/06 which take effect as from 1 November 2005

Following meetings between Norfolk Children's Services and Connexions Norfolk regarding the arrangements for Work Experience and Extended Work-Related Learning Placements 2005/06, we would like to update you about the current position.

• Connexions Norfolk will continue to undertake all Health and Safety checks regarding Extended Work-related Learning Placements. The cost of this service will remain at £50 per placement. It is important that schools give Connexions 4 weeks notice to undertake this service, so early planning is important.

• Individual Schools will be responsible for finding their own Extended Work-Related Learning Placements. Connexions Norfolk are not funded to undertake this work but, for this coming year, have agreed to carry out the Health and Safety checks. Funding to support 14 to19 Learning and Enterprise Education has recently been provided for schools, and a number of schools are working together to share their resources, including employing work-related placement co-ordinators to find these Extended Work-Related Learning Placements. Connexions would undertake this work if schools were to re-allocate their funding to enable them to do so.

• Schools must monitor all extended placements on a regular basis. It is unacceptable to leave students for several weeks with no monitoring visit.

• Schools with students at Colleges of Further Education who undertake a placement as part of their programme must also ensure that any work placement has been checked to meet the required Health and Safety standard.

• Post 16 Work Related Learning Placements linked to Special Schools are subject to the same arrangements as Pre 16 placements, in that Connexions will undertake all the Heath and Safety checks. However, centres will need to self generate their own placements. In the event of other Post 16 Institutions wishing to take advantage of Connexions Health & Safety checking service, then an audit of possible demand would need to be carried out to identify resources needed.

• Out of County 'Exceptional Work Experience Placements' will only be Health and Safety checked if the placement is due to take place in either Suffolk, Cambridgeshire or Lincolnshire to which we have a reciprocal agreement. All these placements must be non-residential. Placements elsewhere must not take place as they cannot be monitored by the school and no reciprocal arrangements with other providers can be guaranteed by Connexions Norfolk.

• Schools should not issue disclaimers of responsibility, as they have no legal status.

• Schools are reminded that Guidance for Norfolk Schools - Changes to 14 to 19 Curriculum Work-Related Learning was sent to all schools (MI106/04) and still provides most of the information schools need on these matters. This information can also be found in Section 26 of the health and safety manual.

Finally, discussions between Norfolk Children's Services, Connexions Norfolk and Norfolk Learning and Skills Council are ongoing regarding these current arrangements, and what support might be available in future for schools undertaking extended work-related learning placements. Connexions Norfolk would want to continue to offer the Health and Safety checks as a charged service.

Schools wishing to use the Work Related Learning service in the future need to inform Sheila Owens, Employer Services Manager at Connexions Norfolk, of their school requirements so that planning and funding can be agreed and negotiated well in advance.

If you would like to discuss any of the points in this letter, please ring Mike Hodkinson on 01603 433276 ext 166, email: mike.hodkinson@norfolk.gov.uk or Sheila Owens on 01493 845430, email: sowens@connexions-norfolk.co.uk.