Has anyone sent their children to college from year 9 or 10 ?

[School1988]

My Ds is going into year 6 so I soon need to look at secondary schools. My older children really struggled at secondary. Ds refused to go at all. From year 9 or 10. Dd struggled from year 10 and was suicidal self harming. The pressure was absolutely awful. My ds who's in his 20s recently told me some of the horrible things that went on.

I really do not want to put ds through that. I'm not able home educate or send him to private school. I know that either year 9 or year 10 he could choose to go to college. Has anyone else done this? If so how was it?

You can't usually go to college until you are at least 16, unless it's one of those education centres for children who've been removed from mainstream

Yes you can go to college from age 14, if you are classed as home educated. That would be for the equivalent of year 10 and 11. Check if your local FE college offers the provision.

I had a terrible time at secondary school but my daughter loved it, I think you’re letting your anxiety over the others affect the future of your younger one, he might just thrive there. College is for 16 and over in my area.

Do you mean the specialist technical colleges that start from y10 and offer alternative pathways that aren't just restricted to the ordinary academic school subject GCSEs?

I have a friend whose 2nd child has quite complex autism and who has been unhappy at mainstream school in y7&y8 - academicaly able but really struggling in the inappropriate environment - who is starting at a technical college in September and is feeling really positive and hopeful about it.

There are a range of ‘university technical college’ type settings around the country, that cater for students from year 10 through to sixth form. If they’re interested, I’ll be looking at one for my youngest, who starts secondary next month.

"I know that either year 9 or year 10 he could choose to go to college. Has anyone else done this? If so how was it?"

Yes there are colleges that have 14-16 provision (I work in one). I am slightly concerned though from your post that you seem to think that as your son reaches 14 there will be an automatic option for him to transfer to college if he wants. Certainly our 14-16 provision requires referral and is not guaranteed. You need to be talking to local colleges to see what provision they have and how/whether your son can access it.

The move for colleges to offer 14-16 provision was designed to support the education of children who are struggling in specific ways in secondary school. To be used were the school and a local college agree the child would be a good fit in the college. The provision is often limited and focused on children who are struggling because they require specific things that school is not providing well, but college could provide better. If your son doesn't fall into this category in year 9/10 he would be unlikely to be considered for a place in limited college provision. Also, 14-16 provision in a College may not provide the opportunity for him to take the same range of GCSEs as he would at school.

I got a letter for my older 3 children giving a choice to go to college. They do not fall into any of the categories you mentioned.

As mentioned upthread there are schools called University Technical Colleges (UTCs) that start in Year 10 (age 14) and are mostly specialised STEM schools.
Some do start at Year 9 (one in Sheffield does I believe) but as far as I know that's unusual.
There aren't many of them.
They aren't well promoted in my opinion which I think is a shame.
I like the concept - but because they are specialist a 14 year really does have to have a big interest in the specialism because it is a smaller curriculum.
As I said most are STEM based but I think there's a couple of ones based around media.

The college local to us will take children from 14. They are normally home educated or referred by their school. I teenagers I work with have enjoyed it as there’s less academic pressure (they take English and Maths GCSE and then do some vocational training.

31 January 2025
Further education (FE) and sixth form colleges are able to enrol students aged 14 to 16 on a full time study programme and receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). If they wish to do so, colleges need to meet specific criteria, including Ofsted rating, and have to put in place necessary requirements. It is up to localities to judge the need for this provision and colleges are expected to have discussed their intent to directly enrol 14 to 16 year-olds with relevant local authorities before making the necessary arrangements to be able to offer this provision. Currently there are 14 colleges across England which offer full time education for 14 to 16-year-olds. The department’s published guidance on the full time enrolment of 14 to 16 year-olds in FE and sixth form colleges in the 2024/25 academic year can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/full-time-enrolment-of-14-to-16-year-olds-in-further-education-and-sixth-form-colleges/full-time-enrolment-of-14-to-16-year-olds-in-further-education-and-sixth-form-colleges-2023-to-2024-academic-year(opens in a new tab).
Colleges are also funded where they make part time provision for children aged 14 years or older who are currently electively home educated. They can also receive funding for the education of those aged 14-16 who have achieved qualifications at least equivalent to a full level 2, and who want to enrol on a level 3 course.
Funding for 14 to 16 year-olds in FE colleges is based on the same approach as for 16 to 19 year-olds. A modified version of the 16 to 19 funding formula is used to calculate allocations for directly recruited, full time 14 to 16 year-olds to reflect their circumstances. This includes provision of pupil premium funding where these young people qualify. This year, 2024/25, there will be a significant increase of £750 per full time 14 to 16 student that has not yet achieved GCSE English and mathematics. This is as a result of extending to programmes at all levels the English and mathematics funding only previously available for those on level 3 programmes without grade 4 in the subjects.

I found this?

Thank you thats helpful

If your 14yr old gets on a course with 16/16/18yrs old it can be difficult as they are a lot less mature, obviously, and it can be harder to make friends.

My granddaughter didn't get on in senior school. She only went for a few months in year 7, we've home schooled her since. She was 14 in April and is due to start college in sept. She's doing her gcse's

Check if your local council has a 14-19 study programme. I withdrew my son from secondary school aged 15. He spent two years on the 14-19 study programme and absolutely loved it. Smaller classes and so much support

Be aware that you usually can't do a typical school suite of GCSEs at a 14-16 college provision, just English/Maths and then some other, usually more vocational, qualification.

Thank you yes they definitely do it in my area. Sounds it was a good thing for your ds. I will definitely look into it. Some more.

@School1988 it was definitely the best thing for him. Good luck with your journey x

Why are you asking on here then when you know the answer?

She asked about people's experiences with it.
Not if you can do it - but how it was for anyone's teens who did do this education path.

Please don’t assume your youngest is going to have a problem, most dc are fine at school. Choose a setting you think is right for your family and be positive - if you are negative things can be a self fulfilling prophecy. Yea some dc do struggle in mainstream but they are not the majority, give your youngest a chance

How would i know people's experience unless I ask?

He would be going to secondary for a couple of years anyway. Schools have changed. But i don't want to get into that debate. I just want to know people's experiences just to give me an idea.