Debate: School leaving age set to be 18

[beanie]

I see that the set up will be different but perhaps if the government sorted out eductaion from 5-16 there wouldn't be a need for this. Perhaps the extra money they are using for this new scheme could be put into existing education??

The amount of 17 year olds I meet who can barely write their own name is terrifying. They don't stand a bloody chance. I KNOW teachers are stretched blah blah blah but I'm baffled how they go through 11 years of school with no-one noticing and no extra help!

I know!! If we are doing a Pre sentence report we always assess their basic skills. Some of the writing I see makes me so sad - how do people slip through??

 

[Minxy]

If I'm honest I think this is government proganda and nothing will change. A lot of people don't realise than ALL young people (16-19) are encouraged to be doing something with their time anyway. If they're not in college/working they're dumped onto courses like the E2E.

The parents usually push it anyway. They only get £30 EMA a week but it's more than nowt, and the parents get more benefits for a teenager in training (and of course most WANT to see their child succeed)

I think we're supposed to believe it's much more revolutionary than it is

 

[gaby]

Hmmm... Here's another thought... If all the young people stay on at school til 18, more people will be getting a levels, albeit with low grades. But this means less people will be learning a trade And they'll just keep outsourcing.

 

[Minxy]

You're so right Gaby. I'd say the majority of lads I tutor want to be plumbers, carpenters, builders etc but according to info we were given less than 5% of the UK work in the building trade. And that's INCLUDING office staff.

I feel I'm giving them false hope when in reality we groom them for jobs in the retail or business admin/customer service industries, the fastest growing currently.

The jobs available just don't SUIT a lot of people but it's often about the spin you can put on it (work in B+Q if you want to be a builder! etc)

 

[KX]

I stayed on til I was 18 as I wanted to obtain A Levels. But school isn't for everyone

 

[Helen]

I think that essentially it's a good idea, provided that:
1. They have the resources and specialist teachers needed and that this isn't just added to an already overstretched education system
2. That there is more emphasis on vocational education for those who aren't suited to academia
3. That there is emphasis given to basic skills like maths and English
4. That there is emphasis given to skills that people need to survive and get jobs in the real world like social skills and confidence building

It appals me the standard of English and grammar of school and Uni leavers these days. I see it all on job applications and like Minxy and Beanie it really saddens me.

 

[bexxie]

not for me i hated school if they are going to ive thm trades fair enought but they are taking trades out of this country i.e car manufactory

they arent I work for a multi-million pound car manufactoring company and believe you me there are loads in country still

bex

 

[Minxy]

they arent I work for a multi-million pound car manufactoring company and believe you me there are loads in country still
bex

Tell that to the thousands of men in my area who found themselves redundant when the Rover Longbridge plant closed. The effect on the local economy/area has been devestating.

Yes there are still plants around but not as many as there once was.

 

[bexxie]

Yup I stand corrected,we still make a few Land rover items but only for the surplus for golf war. Sorry minxy

Just round here there is a lot

bex

 

[Cat]

Well when I left school at 16 nearly eek 10 years ago now no one gave a shit about what Iwent on, to had no guidance or advice in careers or education, it was a case of do your exams and see you later, no real encouragement to do anything, so Iwent to college for a bit changed courses twice, dropped out, got part time retail job, went to 6th form, dropped out again and then got an office job, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and no one to talk to to discuss my options. Its only now in my mid twenties that I have decided what I want in life and am now studying for a degree to go into teaching myself.

If this new scheme means that people can be pushed into learning more, or learning a trade, which again no one ever even mentioned the idea of learning a trade when I was at school, it wasnt even considered, then it can only be a good thing, instead of just doing the compulsory GCSEs which dont give you any practical qualifications and then leaving you to get on with it. More kids will hopefully leave schools, with qualifications in plumbing, book keeping, childcare, mechanics etc which at least will set them up more for getting a real job.

 

[gaby]

Its funny how i chose to do a levels, got the grades to go to uni then didnt ^_^ Dont know why i just said that

 

[Tam]

TBH I never knew what I wanted to do with my life, and if I had of had more help and support at school, I think life would have been very different for me, but the school did not give any support nor did the college! I went to college, but I picked a course all my friends were on, as I didnt have a clue what I wanted to do and with the lack of guidance there was about the courses and what the possiblity of having an assocciated "job" would entail, there really was little idea of what sort of things there was to do and what would interest me. I also found the careers department rubbish, they would give you a leaflet or 2 and shove you out the door......yeah, very helpful! Also the thing I got fed up with was hearing about grades and what minimums were required for certain courses or colleges etc...........Having said all that, at least I came out able to read, write and do maths and get a job, OK nothing major, but it paid the bills, what about the poor people that weren't bothered with and could not do this as a basic skill?

So, I totally agree with what Helen said, they have to do more than just raise the age of school leavers, they have to offer a lot more and promise a much brighter furture for ALL these 18yr old school leavers and make sure that basic skills are a minimum requirement....and possibly offer more vocational skills.