What Are My Child’s Options Post-16?

A lot of parents wonder what their child can do after they’ve finished their GCSEs. Here are some of the most popular options from children when they reach 16.

Heading to Sixth Form

For a lot of children you’ll find that A Levels will be the next logical step for students wanting to head to university. It is the natural progression for students looking to head to the next phase in their education, as well as where many students tend to go after they’ve completed their GCSEs. If Sixth Form isn’t an option for your child they could also head to an established college to finish their studies.

Taking on an apprenticeship

When it comes to more practical experience we’d recommend an apprenticeship. This will be of benefit to students that are looking for careers within areas like contract work, decorating, construction or engineering. For some children it’s also a lot more accessible to pick up practical and more interactive work as opposed to the more traditional ways of studying.

Heading into employment

Not every child wants to head into the next level of study straight away. There’s a lot you can learn from going straight into employment, and they can still head back to education at any age if they choose to. Your child may have already picked up a part time job already, or that they have applied for roles already, this could be where they get their foot in the door.

Pursuing a different course

There is also the option of heading to a college to study a BTEC course, or to pick up an NVQ qualification. There’s a lot your child could pick up that they can’t usually learn in schools, such as cosmetology, fire safety or electrician studies. There’s a lot of different courses a child can take up in a college that will help them dream and future career options.