Options at 16 and 18 - Harrow Youth Stop

Options at 16

After Year 11, you must stay in some type of education or training until you are 18. There are many options available when you turn 16, look at what option best suits you and your situation, strengths and interests.

If you have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan there may be different and more suitable options available to you.

The options are:

Continue your studies at a school, sixth form or college

Study options are offered at all levels, depending upon the qualifications you already have and include A levels, T Levels, a range of technical and vocational and applied qualifications and retakes.

Combine work and study through an apprenticeship, traineeship or supported internship

These options are work based and usually linked to a specific job role or sector, offered at all levels they have a lot of employer and industry input. Often you would get a trainee or apprenticeship wage while you are learning.

Find out more about options at 16 by visiting the National Careers Service website or why not take a look at the Beyond 16 booklet.

Options at 18

There are a lot of options to choose from at 18. What’s right for you will depend on your situation and the career or job you have in mind.

If you have an Education Health and Care (EHC) plan there may be different and more suitable options available to you.

The options are:

Continue your studies

You may want to move on to a higher level of learning by doing a course at university, a college or an institute of technology. Courses include university degrees, other courses such as Diplomas or retakes.

Combine work and study

There are an increasing number of options here, often you earn while you learn and get to spend time in a real workplace alongside working towards a qualification linked to the job. Options are Apprenticeships, Traineeships and school leaver schemes.

Go to work

Options here include getting a job, doing an internship or starting a business.

Take a Gap Year

Some young people feel this is a good time to take a gap year, popular gap year activities include working to gain money or to gain relevant experience for their next steps, volunteering or travelling.