Raising the Participation Age
The government raised the participation age, therefore, young people will need to remain in either education or training until the end of the academic year in which they turn 18.
Raising the participation age is not the same as raising the school leaving age.
Young people can choose the best post-16 option, and will be able to leave school after year 11 and consider the following options:
- Full-time Education – at a school Sixth Form, a General Further Education College (GFE).
- Supported Traineeship – at a local training provider or a college. This will give young people a minimum of six months of work placement and they will be supported by a work mentor.
- Apprenticeship – this is done through an employer and leads to work based qualifications up to level 3.
- Employment with training – if employed, self-employed or volunteering full time (20 hours or more a week), a young person must still be in learning for at least 280 hours a year, the equivalent of one day a week during term-time.