Post 16 Education

Age range: 16 years to 18 years 

Post 16 education also known as 'further education' includes; studying further at sixth forms or colleges selecting either academic, vocational or practical courses as well as securing an apprenticeship. ‘Sixth forms’ are schools that only offer education for children aged 16-19, they are often part of a secondary school.

It is now complusory for children to stay in some form of education until they are 18 years. This doesn’t mean they have to stay on at school or go to college, they can get a job with a training element to it, but they cannot work full-time without some training. Their options are to take academic qualifications, such as A levels, BTECs, IB or T Levels or take vocational qualifications, such as an apprenticeship or job with training.

If you have an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) Plan, you may find the Post 16, Further and Higher Education section useful. Click the link: Nottshelpyourself | Post 16, Further and Higher Education

• A Levels are Advanced level qualifications and are subject-based qualifications that can lead to university, further study, training, or work. You can normally study three or more A levels over two years. They're usually assessed by a series of examinations.
• IB The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an academic programme regarded as a good alternative to A levels, and appropriate if you are thinking about university. It's taught in 143 countries around the world and has two levels of study for students aged 16-19.
• BTEC stands for the Business and Technology Education Council. A BTEC is a vocational qualification, which means that it has a career focused and is based in the world of work. BTEC students study to gain skills and knowledge in their subject area, then put those skills into practice in real-life.
• T Levels are new courses which follow GCSEs and are equivalent to 3 A levels. These 2-year courses, which launched September 2020, have been developed in collaboration with employers and businesses so that the content meets the needs of industry and prepares students for work, further training or study. T Levels offer students a mixture of classroom learning and 'on-the-job' experience during an industry placement of at least 315 hours (approximately 45 days).

The Education Hub has more information on T-Levels click here: What are T Levels and how can they benefit me? - The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)

• Vocational qualifications are work-related qualifications available in a wide range of career areas. They are designed to enable students to acquire knowledge and skills that meet particular standards necessary to perform a particular job. Work performance is assessed by on-the-job observation rather than exams.
• Apprenticeships offer a chance to work towards qualifications through an employer while earning money. For example, you might work in an entry-level job for four days of the week, and study at an Furth Education college or designated training centre on the fifth day. Apprenticeships are completed over a few years but both the experience and beinga  nationally recognised qualification, is a good position to be in to find employment.

What support is available at college?

Mainstream further education (FE) colleges support students with special educational needs in a similar way to schools. Colleges should not refuse to admit a young person who has special educational needs (SEN) but doesn't have an EHC plan.

Students with SEN who do not need EHC plans are given help through SEN support. This includes following the special educational needs and disability code of practice: 0-25 years. There should be a named person in overall charge of SEN provision, similar to the school special educational needs coordinator (SENCO), and the college must make sure that students with SEN know who they can go to for help.

Extra help your child receives should be detailed in a SEN support plan. The college should involve your child in planning their support and keep records of the additional support given and progress made. This should be reviewed at least three times a year with your child and where appropriate, your family. Colleges should refer to specialist services for further advice and support, for example from education psychologists.

Young people who need more help than a mainstream FE college could normally provide will need an EHC plan.

Many young people with SEN will also be disabled. Under the Equality Act 2010, mainstream FE colleges must do everything they reasonably can to remove all the barriers to learning for disabled students.

Support might include:

• Accessible information, like symbol-based materials.
• Mentoring.
• Assistive technology, specialist tuition or note-takers.
• One-to-one and small group learning support.
• Access to therapies.
• Housing/independent living training.

Appling for a place at a college or sixth form is done directly with the sixth form or college you have chosen. Most entry requirments will be for your child to have the equivalent of at least five GCSEs at grade 4 or above.

Most Sixth forms and Colleges will have open days where you can look around and speak to the staff about the entry requirements to attend.

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