16/17 year old kicked out of college - what now

[Nobranothanks]

I wondered if anyone had been in a similar situation and could advise what the next steps are?

DSS17 has just been kicked out of college for behaving like a muppet (for the record I'm v close to DSS before the wicked step mother police appear 😊)

we've found out today that he has done nothing but misbehave and behave like a pleb for the entire year - he was like this at school, hence going to college instead as he much prefers practical things to academic.

The issue is he must stay in education until 18. The college will flat out not accept him back for next year on any course. His plan was always to do an apprenticeship instead of college however competition is so high in our area that he was unable to get one. Obviously he will try again for next year.

My question is, has anyone been in this situation? What happens if he cannot get an apprenticeship and is therefore not in education next year? Does anyone have any experience?

@CormoranStrike

Can’t quite, but why would an employer be fined for giving him full time hours?

They wouldn't. A 17 year old can absolutely work full time, up to 8hrs a day or a total of 40hrs a week. There are some restrictions on overnight work/shifts but in some circumstances it's allowable.

Op my son did a year of college and hated it. I told him if he wanted to leave he had to have a job... which he got 2 weeks later.
I think as long as they are in education or working you should be ok.

He can do a Traineeship, which is a pre Apprenticeship that includes 70 hrs work experience. Unwaged, it leaves parents with the entitlement for Child benefit. What does he want to do?

Ring the National Careers Service and ask about Traineeships, Kickstart and Apprenticeships. Get him to apply for any and all jobs.

different course, different college?
my nephew didn't quite get kicked out, but did so little at college he failed (not MN got a C failed, but ungraded failed) his A-levels.
He worked for a year in a minimum wage job, but after all his mates had gone off to university/apprenticeships he realised he'd fucked up, and re-enrolled in things he was more interested in.

Those of us who knew him at 18 can hardly believe it, but he's now a teacher . Just needed to grow up a bit.

I think he should do some part time work at any rate, as it'll ground him a bit. Is there a college nearby which will take him?

He could also probably get on some courses if he found his own matching job eg I know of someone locally who told me they got on an electricians course but had to find their own employer, as there weren't any available on the apprenticeship. It's important he does something he likes and is interested in.

I thought that too @PennyRoyal - Neets is not in employment, education or training, so it does not exclude employment at all, it just excludes doing nothing.

My DSS wasn't academic. Did college, but not really a decent attempt at it. Very easy going and friendly, immature at times too. Came out of college at 18 and decided to give the forces a go.
He's seen so much of the world. He's builds and fixes tanks. Is in the footy team, got to go to Tampa to do a friendly footy tournament with the American troops. Been stationed in Canada. Travelled a lot over Europe and based in Germany for a while.

We worried so much about what he'd do. But actually the structure of the army suits him.

Don't discount the forces. They can really help young people who are struggling with direction.

He needs to grow up. He’s probably been pissing around for years ruining everyone else’s education and is too think to realise that actually no one is interested in employing a fuckwit. Tell him he needs to work, enrol him at Greggs or MacDonalds school of life and let him realise that actually life isn’t handed to people on a plate.

I know that some of you will think I am harsh but I grew up poor in the last recession and started dishwashing for £1.50 and hour and as an employer now I know that there are loads to kids out out there that are just brilliant even if they haven’t done well at school so he does need to sort himself out and grow up.

You mention that his course was in something he's really interested in in, but was possibly too easy because he had to go into the lower level course.

Is it IT? I've met colleagues in IT who struggled with the structure of school but are very capable technologists once they found their way into a job (sometimes in a fairly roundabout way). It seems more common in IT than other professions. If so, encourage him to keep coding in his spare time. He could contribute to an open source project or write something he's thought of himself. Whilst qualifications do help you get interviews, he can absolutely get into IT without them - but he will need to be able to show what he can do a different way, eg having written/contributed to some software.

The college careers service can help.

He can go to another college though.

However...

1. I doubt this is all just coming out now. The college would have sent emails, phoned etc. Perhaps other parent was contacted?

If they genuinely didn't, then contact the principal to see if he can have another chance on another course- perhaps a six week trial.

2. (not read the whole thread) If he is a little jerk in the classroom, then how on earth is he ready for a job? Apprenticeships are not an easy option.

Gosh people are harsh on this thread. 6th form is not for everyone. Loads of kids get "chucked out" but in reality it's a case of "you're not going to get any qualifications here so you're wasting your time - you might as well leave now and start earning money as that's what you'll be doing anyway at the end of year 13."

Most of them do really well when they start working.

My Dad wasn't academic and started work at 14. He was never out of work till he retired and did well for himself. God only knows how he would have coped in a world that decreed that he would have to stay in education till 18 and people sneered at him if he couldn't cope (he had ASC).

Whatever happens it has to be a massive learning curve for him and the decision as to what he does now should be left to him. Don't try to solve this problem for him. He has created it and it's been coming a long time. He has to be the person to resolve it. You really won't be helping him by sorting it out for him.

I teach at a college. If he's been kicked out at this stage in the year he's done more than arse about

Staff are under huge pressure with regard to retention and achievement and there's no way my bosses (or DPs, he teaches a vocational subject) would let me withdraw anyone at this stage without very good reason

What is he interested in op? We might be able to help with specific advice

DD quit college at 17, she went via an agency and got two apprenticeships neither of them worked out for her. She subsequently found a job working for a supermarket and she loves it there, she's only just turned 18 and was employed while she was 17 and no one mentioned her not being in education.

The move to working and learning practical skills coupled with spending more time with adults and the reward of a pay cheque have suited her so much more.

We were horrified at first when she quit college but it's turned out to be the making of her.

Look at the Spear Programme, it’s running online at the moment and they’re very good at challenging mindsets etc. Excellent success rates

Take him on a walk down your high street. If it is like ours then there are lots of adverts up the windows looking for people to work - especially in hospitality.

He needs to be doing something with his time. If he finds the work not to his liking then that may be the wake up call he needs to grow up a bit.

As usual we have some posters blaming the college for not being more proactive. Nope, this is not a small child - this is a young adult who already demonstrated his inabilty to follow rules and buckle down when he was in school. The warning signs were already there. He needs to take responsibility for his own behaviour and attitude now. I feel sorry for his classmates and college mates who had to tolerate his immaturity.

He worked for a year in a minimum wage job, but after all his mates had gone off to university/apprenticeships he realised he'd fucked up, and re-enrolled in things he was more interested in.

Those of us who knew him at 18 can hardly believe it, but he's now a teacher grin. Just needed to grow up a bit.

The above is amazing and does show how people can turn their lives around, so well done that nephew.

Op can he read? Assessments for sen?

Sounds like he has been failed by the system and needs intervention even though it maybe late.
Consellor etc things like that.

Singing, some dc do not know how to behave.
They need to learn how first

You know I've only skim read some comments and sometimes dc have an absolute shit childhood, no offense opp but they just have to deal with family unit breakdown etc and don't know how to feel or process these feelings then when they fuck up "adults" come down on them like a ton of bricks shouting "grow up

I am well aware that many children have a lot to process and deal with and that it can impact on their behaviour. I am also aware that many, many young people have experienced family breakups and most still continue to behave appropriately.

My point still stands though. If someone has misbehaved through school, and then gone on to do the same in college then thy have to also take some responsibility. They are not just affected their own life chances, but they are disrupted the education of other students.

At 17 they are not a child. They have to start to take responsibility for their actions. They are old enough to work and pay taxes. Old enough to join the armed forces. Old enough to marry.

Schools have to tolerate poor behaviour (to a very large extent). Colleges have some more say in who they keep in the classroom. Employers will not put up with it.