Your future choices. Did you know that soon all young people will. Raising of the Participation Age

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1 Your future choices Did you know that soon all young people will be required to stay in education, training or employment with training until they are 18? Raising of the Participation Age Information for Young People

2 What is the Raising of the Participation Age? Raising of the Participation Age (RPA) is a government policy which increases the minimum age at which young people in England can leave learning. It means from summer 2013 you will be required to participate in education, training or employment with training until the end of the academic year in which you turn 17 and from summer 2015 onwards until your 18th birthday. Why is this needed? As job roles change, employers are looking for people with more skills, training and qualifications. Staying in learning will allow you to access more choice of future career paths and ultimately will give you greater earning potential. Research shows that young people with level 3 qualifications earn on average 25 per cent more over their lifetime than those without level 3 qualifications. 2 3

3 Does this mean staying at school until I m 18? Not necessarily. You will have the choice of lots of different qualifications including A Levels, further GCSEs, Apprenticeships and vocational courses. After Year 11 you will be able to choose one of the following options: Full-time education, such as school or college Work based learning, such as an Apprenticeship Part-time education or training if you are employed, self employed or volunteering for more than 20 hours a week. What do I need to do now? You should start thinking about the career you want in the future and the type of education or training you will need to get you there. The learning routes diagram (on pages 6 and 7) will give you a good idea where to start your research and conversations. What financial support is available? A Bursary scheme is in place to help year olds in full time education or training who most need financial support. Details about how the Bursary scheme operates in particular sixth forms and colleges can be obtained from the institutions themselves. For general information about the Bursary scheme and other allowances go to: or call the Learner Support helpline on Where can I find out more? It s a good idea to talk to your parents, carers, careers teachers or tutors who can help advise you. There are lots of resources which can help you decide. Check out the site which contains the Area Prospectus to see what courses are on offer locally. Go to to find out more about Apprenticeships. 4 5

4 Learning Routes at 13 or 14, 16 and 18 To give you an idea of the learning routes that are available take a look at the diagram below A Levels Higher Education Apprenticeships Further Education 13 or 14 GCSE Learning 16 Employment with training Volunteering Apprenticeships 18 Employment Foundation Learning Learning Employment with training Foundation Learning Gap year GCSE - Apprenticeships - GCSE and A Level qualifications are available in many different subjects. Apprenticeships allow young people to learn at work and gain qualifications at the same time. Foundation Learning - Foundation learning courses combine practical experiences with basic maths, English and ICT. This is for learners who are not ready for a full level 2 qualification. Learning - There are many applied learning/vocational courses including BTECs, OCR Nationals and NVQs. For further information visit: www. i-essex.co.uk

5 This information is issued by Essex County Council, RPA Team, Schools and Education Service. You can contact us in the following ways: By Visit our website: By telephone: By post: Essex County Council, RPA Team, Schools and Education Service PO Box 47, County Hall, Chelmsford, Essex CM2 6WN Read our online magazine at essex.gov.uk/ew Follow us on Find us on Essex_CC facebook.com/essexcountycouncil The information contained in this document can be translated, and/or made available in alternative formats, on request. Published March 2012 DS