Between the dates of March 12th and March 23rd, Waldegrave’s year 10 students participated in two weeks of work experience. As most of us are fifteen are options were limited, leaving the majority of us to go to one of the following: a school, shop or place where our parents work. Last weekend I was able to interview year 10 student Eva Wilcock who luckily manged to get a placement in a field of work that interests her and that was local; Kew Gardens. During this interview, I learnt about the extensive amount of hours put into the beautiful garden to keep its perfect appearence for the public.

Why did you choose Kew Gardens as the place to complete your work experience?

- I like and am interested in horticulture, kew gardens is close by, and it’s a very prestigious and famous place.

What was your first impression of the staff and the atmosphere amongst them?

- Most were very nice and welcoming, and it was a friendly and relaxed environment.

Explain the kind of tasks you were asked to do and what skills you learnt from them?

- I was given tasks like weeding, cutting, edging, planting, clipping and pruning.

Were there any funny/embarrassing moments?

- I had a few encounters with some very confident animals, but my favourite moment was when two small children thanked me for keeping the gardens looking nice.

How did your relationships working with adults differ than at school?

- It was pretty similar, although more of an informal and friendly relationship.

Do you think work experience has made you more appreciative of the gardens?

- From working there, it opened my eyes to the amount of time and effort that goes into such small things that a normal visitor may not even notice but is vital to upkeep the high standard it holds.

Who do you think benefits most from work experience?

- I think that work experience benefits everyone! The employer gets free work, the student gets an experience of working at a place they are interested in (plus time off school) and the teachers don’t have to put up with us for two weeks!

To conclude Work Experience truly benefited us all in many ways from our confidence levels with adults to our understanding of different workplace environments. Personally, I am very thankful to the school for this opportunity and hope it is something that is continued for future year groups.

- By Anabel Costa-Ferreira, Waldegrave School