Example 1:

I am a Year 11 student at Swanmore College.  Although I don’t always enjoy being at school, I have worked hard this year to improve my grades to give me the best chances for my future.

For my work experience, I went to Fareham Leisure Centre, where I undertook a variety of roles, such as acting as a receptionist, setting up equipment and helping to organise the staff rotas.  I was allowed to assist with running some of the sporting activities for young children.

The work experience confirmed my wish to work in the leisure industry.  I also found that I was able to be an effective member of a team and that my communication skills are good, especially with young children.  As a result of this, I have decided to apply for a BTec National Diploma in Sport and one of my main interests is running and this year I was very proud to take part in the Great North Run.  I was awarded a county athletics certificate because I came 63rd out of a field of several thousand runners.

At the moment, I am not sure about continuing my education beyond completing the BTec course.  I may want to go straight into work to put what I will have learnt into practice.  However, if I do well on the course, I could go to university to gain additional qualifications.

In ten years’ time, I would like to be the manager of a leisure centre.

Example 2:

I am currently a Year 11 student at Swanmore.  For my work experience, I went to John Lewis, a department store in Southampton.  Although I am not particularly interested in a career in retailing, I enjoyed working there and found that I was able to develop my skills in working with others as part of a team, in dealing with difficult customers and in understanding stock control. At the end of my experience, I was offered a part-time job at the store and I am looking forward to working there when I am 16.  

My current part-time work is at a local children’s indoor adventure playground.  I have worked there for the last year, which I think shows that I have the ability to maintain employment.  The work involves running children’s parties and supervising their play, as well as some catering.  Although it is very noisy, the work is good fun!

My favourite subjects at school are History, English and RE.  I hope to study these subjects and Law at A level as I would like to become a solicitor.  In order to understand what a career in law involves, I spent a day of my summer holidays shadowing the work of a local solicitor.  This confirmed to me that I would like to do law at university.

As a keen singer, I am a member of the Senior Choir and I also sing with a band.  We have performed at school concerts and at local venues.  The largest audience we played to was 350 people.  I am also a prefect with a responsibility for helping with a Year 7 tutor group.  It has been interesting helping the youngest members of the school to settle in.

In the future, I hope to work for a firm of solicitors in London as I feel that there would be plenty of variety in the cases dealt with in a big city.  At some point, I would love to travel to many other countries as a part of a gap year.  I would also be keen to have the experience of living and working abroad as a qualified solicitor.