ABSTRACT
Netherhall is a large 11–18 comprehensive school of 1450 pupils situated in the south-eastern suburbs of Cambridge. It has a long-established scheme that offers work experience to many of its fifth- and sixth-form pupils. At Comberton in 1976–1977 there was work experience for only four out of 108 fifth years. This work experience was organised by the Cambridge Careers Service. Outside the city of Cambridge most of the village colleges have difficulty in attempting to provide work experience on a large scale. Their catchment areas have few employers and only a handful of placements could be made within reasonable cycling distance of the schools. Comberton is an 11–16 village college in a rural setting, six miles southwest of Cambridge. The village college's 'General Studies' course, the 'Care Course', is provided through extended pastoral time and through the pastoral teams of tutors that are led by heads of year.
