More about your choices in education and training after Year 11
At the end of Year 11 you must stay in learning until at least your 18th birthday
This doesn't mean you must stay in school. You can choose an option to suit you from the following choices.
- Full-time course - if you are thinking about doing a full-time course then you could stay at your school (if it has a sixth form), go to another sixth form, or go to a college or a sixth form college. Training providers also offer courses. You need to think about what you want to study and find out where you can study it.
- An apprenticeship or traineeship - if you are thinking about doing an apprenticeship, which involves working and studying at the same time, you need to think about what type of apprenticeship you want and find out if there are opportunities locally. If you want to do an apprenticeship, but need more work experience, you could consider doing a traineeship.
- Part-time education or training if you are employed, self-employed or volunteering more than 20 hours a week - if you are thinking about a full-time job (including working for yourself) or voluntary work, you will also need to do part-time education or training. You must study for a minimum of 280 planned learning hours a year, this could be in your own time or whilst you are at work, if your employer allows this.
What you need to think about and research now:
- the grades you are going to get and the grades you need for the different options
- what you like doing - at school and in your spare time
- how you prefer to learn - by doing a job (look at an apprenticeship), by doing coursework (look at vocational qualifications) or by doing exams (look at academic qualifications)
- your careers ideas
- which schools, colleges or training providers offer the course you want to do and how you will get there
- if there are apprenticeship vacancies in the skill area you are interested in
- the future - are there lots of jobs related to the course or apprenticeship you are doing?
- if you need to take specific qualifications and subjects to go to university