Raising the Participation Age (RPA)

Young people have a choice about how they continue in education or training after Year 11. Here are the options:

• full-time education (e.g. at a school sixth form, college or training provider)
• an apprenticeship
• part-time education or training combined with one of the following: employment or self-employment for 20 hours or more a week, volunteering for 20 hours or more a week

Our schools work in partnership with the local authority to support all students to secure suitable education and training places for 16- to 18-year-olds as part of our statutory duty.  This is called the ’September Guarantee’.

Extending Child benefit

Eligibility: Your child must be 16 or 17 and have left approved education/training (like A-Levels, vocational courses) but is registering with a careers service, joining the armed forces, or signing up for new training.

Apply:  Use the online form (CH299) on the GOV.UK website or the HMRC app.

Deadline:  You must notify HMRC by August 31st if they are staying in education after turning 16 to prevent automatic stoppage.

For 19+: You can extend Child Benefit until age 20 if they remain in approved education or training, but you must inform HMRC of the changes.

The Parents’ Guide

This fantastic website is full of FREE resources for parents and carers to equip them with the information they need to help their children create successful futures.

Includes Parent Guides covering Post 16 and Post 18 Pathways and Green Careers Guide.  Plus articles spanning a variety of topics such as understanding league tables, apprenticeships and extended project qualification (EPQ).

Careers Board Game

This is a great way to open conversations about careers with your children.  There is a game for 16–18-year-olds and one for 14–16-year-olds.

You can access and download resources here: https://www.theparentsguideto.co.uk/free-resources

Talking Futures

Fabulous website offering up to date information and advice covering a range of career topics.  https://www.talkingfutures.org.uk/

Choices Magazine

The ultimate parent and carer guide to apprenticeships and technical education, and you can find all previous editions here.

Lifelong Learning

So many adults wish they had a chance to change the direction of their career and here are some of the ways they can!

Access Courses

Access courses are a pathway to university, designed for adults who don’t have A-levels or other equivalent qualifications. They are subject-specific diplomas tailored to a specific subject or career route, such as nursing, social sciences, or creative industries. Nationally recognized, they are a Level 3 qualification, which is equivalent to A-levels, and are accepted by universities across the UK.  A full-time access course typically takes one year to complete and in addition to classes, students must undertake independent research and study, for at least 10 hours per week.

Access courses are aimed at:

• Adult learners: These courses are ideal for adults who want to return to education.
• Career changers: They are a great option for those looking to change careers and start a new career path.
• Motivated individuals: An access course demonstrates motivation and dedication, which can also be a plus for employers.

Visit Access to Higher Education website (accesstohe.ac.uk) where you can find approved Diplomas by subject (Health, Science, Humanities, etc.) location, or filter for distance learning. Or look on Derby or Nottingham College websites.

Apprenticeships: 

There is no upper age limit on apprenticeships.  So, visit our Go Further (FE) and Aim Higher (HE) pages and check out the information and website links.

The Open University

Boost your skills and employability with the OU and let the experts bring university study to you. Their flexible courses and expert tutor support help adults gain respected qualifications without putting life on hold.  The future is yours for the taking! https://www.open.ac.uk

University

There is no upper age limit when it comes to attending university so whether you want to gain a degree, a master’s degree or return to research the time is now.