Your options aFter Year 11 (POST-16)
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 do 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 career 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.
What are my options?
You need to think about what is right for you and be sure that your chosen option will get you into the career you want. During Year 11, you can talk to your career adviser, who will help you with your decision.
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.
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 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 at least 280 planned learning hours a year; this could be in your own time or while at work if your employer allows this.
You should apply for more than one option. This is in case you don’t get the grades you need for the course you want to do or can’t find an employer with vacancies for an apprenticeship.
Useful websites
Bridgemary School Careers and Advice
https://sites.google.com/bridgemary-tkat.org/bridgemaryschool/curriculum/careers-advice-and-guidance
Look at individual school and college websites for course information. Attending school and college open evenings and other career events is also useful - these may be online or face-to-face.
https://www.ucas.com/further-education/post-16-qualifications/post-16-options/getting-started UCAS
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
For apprenticeship vacancies.
www.gov.uk/starting-up-a-business
For general information about setting up your own business.
https://doit.life/volunteering
For volunteering opportunities.
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are a great option for young people from the age of 16 to begin their careers across a range of exciting industries. You’ll work and get paid while doing off-the-job training at the same time.
There are thousands of apprenticeship vacancies on offer, with more than 640 high-quality apprenticeships approved for use by employers, and can help to kickstart a career in anything from space engineering to advertising.
If you’re keen to get a degree but don’t think university is the right choice for you, you can also do a degree apprenticeship, which allows you to earn a full undergraduate or master's degree while you work.
what are t levels?
T Levels are the gold standard vocational course and a high-quality alternative to A levels. One T Level is worth the same UCAS points as three A Levels.
They are two-year programmes with 80% of that time spent in the classroom and 20% on a minimum nine-week industry placement with an employer.
There are 16 T Levels already available to study in a range of exciting subject areas, including digital, education, health, science, construction finance and accounting, legal services and agriculture.