Education Choices at 16

Once you've completed Key Stage 4, you will have to make some decisions about your future. There are many choices on offer and a whole host of ways to gain further qualifications, work experience and skills. Think about the following questions:

• What really interests you? It's important to enjoy what you're doing.
• Do you want to continue with academic studies? Or something more work-related that will allow you to train for a particular job?
• Do you want to concentrate full time on your studies? Or would you rather learn whilst you earn?
• Do you need to work towards a qualification for a particular job? Do you need a certain number of points to get onto a degree course?

Full-Time Education

If you decide to stay on at school, or go to a sixth form college or further education college you'll find a wide variety of subjects and qualifications on offer, including:

• A levels
• General National Vocational Qualifications (GNVQ)
• Business and Technology Education Council (BTEC)
• OCR Nationals
• Vocational Qualifications
  

There's also financial help for 16-18 years olds in the form of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA), which could give you up to £30 a week.

Work-Based Training

Starting work doesn't mean that you have to stop learning; there are many ways that you can improve your skills and achieve qualifications, such as Apprenticeships and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ).