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School experience placements and travel

The wide geographical extent of partnership schools gives you the opportunity to have experience in Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Dorset, Wiltshire, the Channel Islands and parts of Berkshire, Surrey and East London. We try to restrict students’ travel time to one hour but this is not always possible. You will need to take potential length of travel in to consideration when managing the details of your day on school experience. Where students have personal reasons to be placed in a specific area, for example those with young children, we do our utmost to accommodate these needs but cannot guarantee proximity to home. Other students may be asked to live away from their normal university address during school experience.

You should expect your school day to match that of the school and teacher with whom you are placed. This means that there will be variations but you can expect your day to start at, or before, 8.15 a.m. and probably finish between 4.45 and 5 p.m. Various factors will influence the time you are in school including parents’ evening, staff meetings, which you are expected to attend. The timing of school terms may result in placements starting prior to the University semester, or continuing after the semester ends.

Travel to and from school will be by a variety of means. Some students may be authorised to use their own cars provided that their car insurance covers them for this purpose. You will be requested to provide a copy of your insurance policy. Others will travel in minibuses, public transport or hired cars. The university may contribute to the additional costs associated with school experience in some circumstances.

Please note that you do not need business cover on your car insurance for school experience as indicated on the school experience information form. You just need to know that your car insurance covers you for travel to an unpaid work placement. This information is needed because the university has to ensure insurance is in place for work placements that are part of a programme. If you are unsure we can give you further advice during induction week.