Choices @ Year 11
Your next move... more studying, working or work-based learning? You can now legally leave school! However, is leaving the best option for you? Do you know what you want out of your working life? If so, do you know what qualifications, if any, you need to be able to do it?
Remember, it is your right to be able to stay in Education. The Government wants everyone to have the chance to improve on skills and qualifications. You can get free full time education until you are 19, or you can enter a work-based learning scheme which means you will be earning as well as gaining further qualifications - vocational or academic, whatever suits you best.
Here are your options:
You can...
Stay on at school. You can stay at your own school, or, if yours doesn't have a sixth form, you can move to another school.
Go to a sixth form college. These are special colleges for students aged 16-19. They offer a wide range of qualifications - again, both vocational and academic - in a different environment to school, with different attitudes to learning and their students.
Go to a Further Education college. FE colleges offer a wide range of courses for students of all ages.
Get a Job with Training. A job which allows you to spend time studying for work related qualifications. There are loads of schemes to help you to start earning money but still be training for a nationally accredited qualification at the same time.
Full Time Employment. You could just go out and get a job. The benefit is that you could earn more money by getting a job than by going on a work-based learning scheme, but think about your future - if you want to change direction later in life will you have the basic qualifications to be able to do this easily?
Related Websites: - AimHigher - Information and advice for post GCSE students.
- Need2Know - Everything you need to know about studying and education.
- Education Maintenance Allowance - Information - funding for 16+ students.
- YouthInformation - Information for young people on qualifications and education.
- It's Your Choice - Information on work and lerning options for year 10 11 students.
- Parents and Carers - Information you need to help your teenager make subject choices in year 9 and carer and learning choices in year 11.