Options at 16+

Options at 16+

There are two main learning "pathways": Work with Training or Further Education.

Whatever your daughter or son decides to do they will need to work towards gaining further qualifications.

Work with Training– combining a job with training or activities to prepare young people for work.

The main options are:

• Apprenticeships– Apprentices are employed, usually with day release to college or a training provider to get the qualifications they need for the job at Levels 2 and/or 3

• Traineeships– six month training programmes including work experience to develop the skills needed to progress onto an Apprenticeship or other jobs with training

• Jobs with training– training in a job with an employer and working for a recognised
qualification (not an Apprenticeship)

• Foundation Learning – Developing the skills and confidence needed for work

Full-time Further Education – at a college, sixth-form or sixth-form college.

Depending on their achievements in Year 11, their main options are:

• General academic qualifications – A Levels or more GCSE’s; developing the knowledge and skills in academic subjects they are interested in studying

• Vocational courses – e.g. BTEC qualifications; developing knowledge and skills related to a particular area of work

• Other courses and qualifications – City & Guilds; Foundation Learning

How do qualifications compare?
Qualifications can be grouped into two categories – Academic and Vocational, and these in turn are grouped into different levels according to their degree of difficulty from Entry Level to Level 8.
Academic qualifications are usually taken between the ages of 14 and 19 and include GCSEs, AS and A Levels and the International Baccalaureate. These always include tests/exams as part of their assessment and are broad in nature rather than focused on any particular occupational area.

Vocational qualifications are usually available from the age of 16 and include BTEC or OCR Cambridge Nationals & Technical, National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) and Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQ). They are designed to have a focus on learning practical, work related skills.

At 16+, young people take qualifications that are graded at different levels according to their degree of difficulty. For example, GCSEs can be studied at Level 1 (Grades D-G) or Level 2 (Grades A*-C). A Levels are at Level 3.

NB: Post-16 courses at Entry Level and Level 1 are part of what is called Foundation Learning.

Sixth Form or College?

 

This depends mainly on where you live but, for many, the choice will be between:

• Staying on at their present school
• Applying to join the Sixth Form of another school
• Applying to an FE college
• Applying to a Sixth Form College

Things to Consider

• Sixth forms are smaller and tend to provide more structure and support than colleges
• For some students (including those with disabilities) it is less stressful to stay in a familiar environment
• In some cases the standard of teaching in academic subjects will be higher in a sixth form or sixth form college than at an FE college
• Some students enjoy the more “grown up” environment of college (like a staging post to going to university)
• Sixth form colleges are a half-way house between sixth form and FE college in this respect
• FE colleges offer a wide range of courses. The choice is much more restricted in smaller sixth forms – especially in vocational subjects
• Students moving to a college get to meet lots of new people and make new friends as colleges take students from different schools

Finding and comparing courses

There are a number of ways to find out about available courses in your local area:

• College and sixth form booklets (called prospectuses) and web sites
• Attending an open day or evening
• Attending local careers fairs
• Asking the school careers coordinator
• Looking on the local authority's courses website ('14-19 Prospectus')
• Searching on the UCAS Progress site

Notes:

1. You can search for your local 14-19 Prospectus at Gov.uk
2. UCAS Progress will bring back apprenticeship training providers as well as colleges in the results. Some local 14-19 Prospectus sites (there is a separate one in each local authority area) actually link to UCAS Progress.

Checklist of things to find out about at sixth form and college open days and evenings

The following checklist provides prompts to help you and your daughter/son find out important information about the course and the sixth form/college.

• Entry requirements for the course – are specific grades in specific subjects required at GCSE and what happens if your daughter/son does not achieve the required entry grades
• The usual class size for the course - what happens if not enough young people enrol on the course
• The balance between taught time (e.g. lectures, classes) and self-study
• Which days your daughter/son is required to attend – every day or on specific days of the week
• How the course is assessed and the balance between course work and exams or practical and theoretical work
• Pass rates – what do students progress on to after completing the course
• If your daughter/son is applying for a Level 1 or 2 course (1 year duration) are specific grades required to progress onto the next level
• If the course is appropriate for going on to university or into work or an Apprenticeship
• What links there are with business and the local community to support any work experience, future employment or course projects
• Any trips or visits (both in the UK and abroad) or work experience as part of the course (particularly if an academic course)
• Extra costs – for equipment, uniform, visits, text books, meals etc.
• Whether transport is provided by the college or sixth form and the cost and if the course timetable fits in with arrival/departure times of transport
• What financial help is available if you cannot meet the costs associated with the course e.g. transport, trips, uniform, equipment etc.
• The procedure for completing an application form and what happens once your daughter/son’s application is received by the college or sixth form
• What contact and how frequently contact occurs with parents/carers about your daughter/son’s performance, progress and attendance
• What support student services provides, including careers advice and guidance
• What support is available to students with special educational needs or specific learning difficulties

Finance for Learning

Between the ages of 16 and 19, and providing your son or daughter is studying full-time, all their tuition and course fees will be paid, unless the course is at a private, fee-paying school or college. However, they will still need money to pay for course books, stationery and equipment, transport, and everyday living costs.

16-19 Bursary Fund

School sixth forms, colleges and training providers have hardship funds to help students between 16 and 19 years if they are starting a full-time course and think they might struggle with the costs. Up to £1,200 is available to students who are most in need including:

• Young people in care
• Care leavers
• Young people claiming Income Support*
• Disabled young people that receive Employment Support Allowance and Disability Living Allowance*

Other students facing genuine financial difficulties may also be awarded a bursary payment. This will be at the discretion of their school, college or training provider. For information and advice about 16-19 Bursary funds speak to Student Services staff at college, the head of school's Sixth Form or a training tutor.

*Please note that Benefits are changing. Universal Credit will be replacing Income Support and Employment Support Allowance. Personal Independence Payments will replace Disability Living Allowance. These changes will not affect your daughter/son’s eligibility for the 16-19 Bursary fund.

Child Benefit

Child Benefit will continue after your son/daughter reaches16, provided they stay in full-time education at school or college, or start an approved training course such as a Traineeship, Access to Apprenticeships or Foundation Learning, and provided their parent or carer earns less than £50,000 per annum.

At the present time, you cannot claim Child Benefit if your daughter/son is on an Apprenticeship.

If your son or daughter is not planning to continue in full-time education after Year 11 you may be eligible to claim up to 20 weeks extended Child Benefit.

To find out more about Child Benefit, about when payments will stop, and when you can get a Child Benefit extension if your child is under 18 go to www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19.

Transport for students in Further Education

Local Authorities are not required to provide free home to school/college transport for students in Further Education, However, many local authorities do operate a policy of subsidised travel for students aged between 16–19 (25 for students with special educational needs). To find out more visit the website of your city or county council.

Sources of Careers Information and Advice

All schools have a duty to secure impartial careers guidance for young people who need it in years 8-11. Therefore, if your daughter/son needs careers information, advice or guidance they should speak to their school’s Careers Coordinator or tutor. If they have additional needs they may be referred to a Local Authority Careers Adviser for careers guidance.

In addition, there are many other sources of information and advice that are available to your daughter/son.

1. 16+ Booklet - many local authorities produce a booklet for school leavers with titles like 'Choices at 16','Moving On at 16+' etc. Your daughter/son should receive a copy of this booklet from their school. It has information about all the options available to them after Year 11.
2. Call a Careers Adviser- If they want to speak with a Careers Adviser they can call the National Careers Service from 8am-10pm every day on 0800 100 900.
3. Speak to the professionals - staff who work for sixth forms, college, training providers or businesses.
4. Websites - there is a wealth of online information available including:

• www.apprenticeships.org.uk – search for Apprenticeships, register for vacancy information and apply
• https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk – information about careers, jobs and courses
• www.gov.uk – provides useful information about young people’s financial support and sources of help
• www.ucas.com – information and advice about courses in Higher Education
• www.icould.com – film stories on particular careers
• Local School/College websites
• The websites of training organisations and employer