Proactive Y10s book an appointment BEFORE year 11 starts
At the end of Year 11, you can leave school if you want to. You can go to 6th Form (here or anywhere else), you can go to college, or you can get an apprenticeship. Getting a full time job is not an option, because you have to be in some sort of education until you are 18, but if you are keen to be working, an apprenticeship might suit you well.
If you enjoy academic study - classrooms, books, assignments - and work well in quite a structured setting, then Sixth Form might be a good choice for you. Lord Grey has an excellent Sixth Form, but you can apply to any. You certainly should look around and visit the others to find out what subjects they offer post-16, and whether you think you would be happy there.
Sixth Forms mainly offer Level 3 courses (A levels and BTEC/CTECs). These are the qualifications you need to get into university or a degree apprenticeship. Typically, you take three Level 3 courses. Lord Grey is quite unusual in that it also offers a few level 2 courses. These are equivalent to 4 GCSEs at grade 4+, and are a popular option for students that need to resit their English and maths GCSEs. It is possible to go onto a level 3 course afterwards, if your qualifications are suitable.
Sixth Form will be both familiar and different to your school experience to date. There are strict expectations of appearance, behaviour, attendance and effort, and if you don't meet any of these, there will be repercussions, just as lower down the school. However, it's also more relaxed because you wear your own smart clothes, you have study time, you may be allowed to come in just for your lessons, not all day, and the staff treat you as an adult - as long as you behave like one.
Why stay at Lord Grey?
It's familiar.
You know the staff.
They know you.
Your friends might be staying.
It's probably near home.
Why choose another Sixth Form?
A fresh start.
They may offer subjects that LG doesn't.
Your friends may be going there.
It may be an easier journey.
Our local college is Milton Keynes College, but you can choose to go to any college. Some, like MK, offer courses in a wide range of subjects, others, such as Moulton, specialise in particular areas.
College life is very different to school. The courses are more vocational - which means more coursework based and hands-on - than at school, and you only study one subject. Colleges usually offer their courses at 3 levels - level 3, which is the same as in Sixth Form, and will get you the qualifications you need to go on to do a degree. Level 2, which is the equivalent of 4 GCSEs at grade 4+ and can lead the the level 3 course afterwards, and level 1, which is the entry level course.
Even if you are planning a Sixth Form course, or an apprenticeship, having a college place as well is an excellent idea because (a) their level 3 courses ask for slightly lower grades than Sixth Forms do, and (b) if everything goes wrong, you have the level 2 - or even the level 1 - option as a safety net.
Explore these links to the colleges most of our students go on to - but these are not the only options.
Milton Keynes College MK College operates from three main campuses across Milton Keynes and Bletchley. Their aim is to deliver the highest quality education to all learners and they strive to engrain this in all who walk through the doors. The college has strong partnerships with the wider community and local businesses and offers a wide range of courses at levels 1, 2 and 3, as well as some under-graduate courses.
Northampton College When you study at Northampton College you can expect to develop your academic, professional, technical and employability skills as well as your maths and English. Whether you are looking for a beginner’s course, a level 2 or 3 course or a university-level programme, it's worth having a look.
Bedford College Bedford College provides a wide range of courses in environments that reflect the world of work. Their education and training options are vast, including a wide range of full-time study programmes and many subjects that you will not find at local schools.
Moulton College Moulton is a specialist land-based college with almost one hundred years' experience in training young people and adults in skills associated with the natural, built and recreational environment. There is a dedicated bus service from Milton Keynes, or you may prefer to stay on site.
Shuttleworth College Set within the stunning location of Old Warden Park, Shuttleworth College offers a wide variety of full-time and part-time courses, making full use of the natural resources available, which include parkland, farm land, lakes and woodland. There is a travel scheme to help you get there, or you could stay in the Halls of Residence.
An apprenticeship is a job, but you spend 20% of your time at college, gaining a qualification. They are offered in a wide range of occupations and trades, and at various levels. After Year 11, you need to look for Advanced (level 3) or Intermediate (level 2) apprenticeships, and you can progress as far as a Master's degree in some occupations.
Apprenticeships are great because you earn money and gain real experience whilst also getting a qualification. However, don't think they are the easy option. You need to be disciplined to succeed in an apprenticeship. It isn't always easy to balance work and study, and you may feel you are missing out on the fun of college life.
Too many students seem to think "Oh, I'll just get an apprenticeship." Apprenticeships are real jobs, and you will need to apply, and be interviewed, just like all other jobs. Employers will only want to take on the best candidates and competition may be fierce.
How to find an apprenticeship
They are not all advertised in one place, some large companies run their own schemes, and you will have to look on their recruitment pages. The majority of apprenticeships, however, are on the government site, where you can search by subject and distance from home. It's worth while registering for email alerts as well.
You can find out a lot more on the Amazing Apprenticeships website.