Post 16 Options
Government guidance for students 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 Sixth Form or college
- Start an apprenticeship or traineeship
- Spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training
- Download the Career Action Planner at the bottom of the page to help with your forward thinking and planning.
Kent Choices
If you wish to apply to study at Valley Park or other Sixth Forms and colleges, you should do so through the Kent Choices website, where you can find out about providers, courses and application requirements.
On the website, you can also find out more about apprenticeships in Kent and the local labour market through Kent LMI to help make informed choices.
Apprenticeships and T-Levels
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships enable you to undertake employment, learning through real-life situations whilst continuing with your studies within class-based learning. You'll be employed and paid to do a real job and study for a formal qualification - usually for one day a week either at a college or a training centre. You will be treated like all the other employees, with a contract of employment, holiday entitlement and any company benefits on offer.
By the end of your apprenticeship, you'll hopefully have gained the skills and knowledge needed to either succeed in your chosen career or progress onto the next apprenticeship level.
If you wish to undertake an apprenticeship at the end of Year 11, you would primarily be suited to Intermediate (level 2) and/or Advanced (level 3) opportunities.
Please speak to the Careers Advisor if your require further support in regards to apprenticeships or making your application(s).
Helpful websites to start your search
T-Levels
T-Levels are a new qualification for 16-19 year olds that are the equivalent to 3 A-Levels with an employer-based placement element. You can find out more about T-Levels in the video below.
Destinations
At Valley Park School, we work closely with our Year 11 cohort, encouraging and supporting them to make both personal and aspirational post-16 decisions and applications, that are based on their own unique career pathway ideas and goals. Subsequently, our Year 11 leavers go on to pursue a variety of academic and vocational routes.
We work closely with The Education People (part of KCC), leavers and their parents/carers directly, to continue to support any individual who may still be securing a destination beyond the end of Year 11. We are also keen for those who leave us to become part of our Alumni Network, staying in touch with us, so we can share and celebrate their successes and inspire our current students.
Our most recent destination data for Year 11 leavers in 2021 (correct as of January 2022), shows a very similar three-year trend when compared to historic data, and is summarised as follows:
- 48% of Year 11 students chose to remain at Valley Park School in Sixth Form;
- 36% pursued vocational courses at FE colleges;
- 7% chose to attend an alternative Sixth Form;
- 3% of the cohort secured an apprenticeship, within a range of sectors including Engineering, Hairdressing and business-related roles;
- 2% of the cohort is now engaged in employment;
- 1% of the cohort is now at an alternative provider or under the support of The Education People (KCC);
- 1% is known to be NEET;
- 2% of the cohort currently have unknown destinations (a situation that is regularly being followed up by the Careers Advisor and The Education People).
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