Options after Year 11
In Year 11, pupils need to start thinking about what they want to do next. They could:
- Continue with full-time education at school or college (further education).
- Start work (hopefully continuing in part-time learning or in an apprenticeship).
- Prepare for a job or training by going on a programme to develop skills and confidence.
NEW! Workshops on 'Options at 16+'
Come and ask the experts! For a reasonable fee you can join a friendly workshop at our Leicester centre, and get all the help you need from our advisers. See our parents' workshops page for more details.
Full-time education
Your teenager can stay in full-time learning at a school sixth form, sixth form college, or further education (FE) college. Find out as much as you can about the schools and colleges that offer the courses they like by reading their prospectuses and going with them to open days. There will be a wide range of courses on offer including A levels, BTECs, and GCSEs depending on where they study.
Students may need to have 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades A* to C to start a Level 3 course such as A levels, and Level 3 BTECs . Some schools and colleges do not insist on this, so talk to the teachers to find out about choices.
Check out UCAS Progress for details of courses in Leicester and Leicestershire.
Visit our Further education page for more information.
Training for a job
An apprenticeship
Apprenticeships give young people the chance to learn the skills of the job while taking NVQs to prove what they can do. There are jobs which can offer apprenticeships in wide range of occupational areas such as business administration, childcare, ICT, construction, and beauty therapy. Apprenticeships last from 12 to 24 months. Visit our Apprenticeships and Jobs section for more information.
Work
If your teenager is thinking of going straight into work, encourage them to continue with part-time learning. Going straight into an unskilled job without training can mean low wages and poor career prospects. The law says that 16 and 17 year olds have the right to time off work to study for qualifications up to level 2 (GCSEs at grades A* to C or NVQ level 2) if they haven’t already got them.
School-leavers can start work or training full-time after the last Friday in June. They need to register for work at their local Connexions centre. We will help them to find a job or a training place.
Visit our Apprenticeships and Jobs section for more information.
Foundation Learning
If your teenager is not ready to go straight into training or continue with further study, this might be a good option. It is a flexible programme that supports young people to get a level 1 qualification, prepares them for further training, and helps them improve their literacy, numeracy and personal skills.
You can find out more about Foundation Learning and browse current opportunities on our young people's site.
Page last updated 15/11/12
