The school year will come to an end in just a few weeks' time with young people across the country looking forward to their summer holidays.
Pupils will then return to their classrooms in September for the start of another academic year. But some may be wondering what the rules are after youngsters turn 16.
Can you leave school at 16? What are your options? And can you get a full-time job? Here we have summarised the rules from the Department for Education.
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In England, you can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. You must then do one of the following until you’re 18:
- stay in full-time education, for example at a college, doing A Levels, T Levels or other academic qualifications
- start an apprenticeship or traineeship
- spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training
The Department for Education says: "It is compulsory for young people to be in education or training until the age of 18, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay in school if it isn’t right for you. There are plenty of different routes to go down when you turn 16, whether that’s going to college to do A Levels or a vocational course like a T Level, or starting to earn while learning as an apprentice."
Here are your post-16 options, as explained on the Government's website.
How old do you need to be to leave school?
Legally, in England you can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. However, by September, you will need to be in official education or training. You can read the rules for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland here.
Can I work full-time after leaving school?
You can go to work, undertake voluntary work, become an intern or even set up your own business when you leave school. However, you’ll still need to be doing part-time training or study at the same time that leads to a regulated qualification, like a Vocational Technical Qualification (VTQ). This means that as well as gaining valuable experience, you’ll also gain a recognised accreditation that supports your future career.
Part-time education or training alongside full-time work must be of at least 280 guided learning hours per year. This means the equivalent of about one day a week spent being taught by a lecturer, supervisor or tutor. These hours can be taken flexibly around working hours, as distance learning, or in blocks.
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 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 masters 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 subject areas including digital, education, health, science, construction finance and accounting. More courses will be available from September 2023 including legal services and agriculture.
