To think kids can start college at 14

[Cluelessmun]

Dd has a friend who would be in year 10 but is at college full time instead.

I've tried contacting local colleges for my Dd who is 14 as we think a full time vocational course will suit her better (she will still do GCSEs ) but most colleges are saying they have never heard of 14+ entry.

We can only find part time vocational colleges where she will go there once a week and to school the rest of the week.

If you post on the education board, there are a number of posters who really really know their stuff when it comes to admissions and what the LA should be doing to find you a school place.

UTCs tend to have to accept young people with additional support needs on managed moves (or instead of PRU provision) because they aren't full and vacancies mean that you are in the local authority's view to take pupils without a place. They aren't full (normally) as they are a new concept, some do well, some are grim and people are suspicious about moving their child for year 10.

But each one specialises in something different, I know there's one that does event management and hospitality in the South, the one in Manchester does media (BBC sponsored), my DD's one does computing and engineering. Not only did I move her there at 14 from a grammar school, she will be moving again for 6th form so she can specialise even more.

I think you need to do some serious research clueless and see what is on offer - I think some posters are a bit as you are suggesting floristry but Hadlow is a much better idea - have you rung them and checked entry? Many colleges now offer foundation at 16 as an alternative to 6th form. But other than UTCs I don't think you will be offered anything other than school at year 10.

This is the sort of place you are after, takes kids from 14 onwards:

www.warrington.ac.uk/futuretechstudio

I'll have a look on the education board ,thanks x she rides and we have found somewhere local where she can continue lessons and help out .

Some FE colleges take 14-16 year olds. However it is often because of poor behaviour or struggling to cope at school so are referred rather than apply direct. Some schools/colleges do pt arrangements at each in partnership.

That's the kind of place I'm looking for . It's dds friend that does floristry ,Dd doesn't want to do that. She wants to go to Hadlow when she's 16 but,we liked the secondary school there but it's full .

Op this is a side note but you could look into your dd doing her bHS exams at a local stables around school. They are just certificates supervised by an instuctor bit if it's still the same as when I was a kid they mean you are qualified to teach at pony club camp & would be a good stepping stone to equine course & may be useful to motivate her with school

Good luck

Future Tech is the same as a UTC but its funded differently, similar to a free school. There's something similar opening in Greenwich next year. We're going to see more of these schools (in England at least) and if people think they aren't UTCs maybe they will be more successful!

always thank you always ,she does do BHS exams ,I think a pony/horse share will be good to keep her motivated once she's back to school .

Thank you to everyone who responded . Found out the girl Dd knows is at college because of bad behaviour and the school have a 'no exclusion' thing going on so they sent her there .

We live in north wales and most of our local schools offer a college course one day a week from the age of 14 (year 10) as part of the curriculum. Dd1 is doing small animal care as part of coleg cambria and she is expected high grades in her gcses. In fact you are far less likely to get on these courses if you are poorly behaved or failing at school here..my son didnt get on one course because of these issues.

We are not grammar school or middle school just normal comprehensive education.

Oh ignore my post lol..didn't read op properly..not what your asking..sorry!

I've seen that around too ,some colleges offer horticulture,equine management,animal care etc one day a week and it works towards another GCSE or equivalent

I know of two secondaries here in Kent which offer the Btec Animal Care in conjunction with some GCSEs, there must be some in other SE counties as well. That might be a compromise.
Have you rung around the schools themselves?

As a careers adviser I would advise you to stick with the GCSE route rather than completing a Level 1/2 in Equine Studies. You said that your DD is high academically so in the future you want to keep options open to her such as equine physio, vet specialising in equine etc. I work in an area in which our FE colleges also have a 14-16 school, only colleges which are ofsted outstanding were allowed to open up as a 14-16 school and not all of them took this option up because they have to be seperate to the normal college which sometimes they cannot do due to the environment.

Is your DD's friend at a University Technical College? ( www.careerpilot.org.uk/info/places-to-study/list-of-the-places-you-can-study/ )

A UTC is a specialist 14-19 school, many but not all specialise in engineering but some biomedical, construction etc. They are only suited for a student who wants to study a bespoke curriculum in that area and are not suitable for children at risk of exclusion (a student at risk of exclusion would be. a mange move and would probably not get a place) . They take very a full academic race of pupils. They tend to have very few female pupils.

Lots of colleges do 14+ education although many are now backing off. Generally they are alternate provision, very very few are for high ability pupils.

There are also a small number of studio schools and a growing number of state funded alternative provision schools. Roughly where do you live?

I work in a FE college.

We did have a 14-16 provision, however the students were still attached, on roll of a secondary school - the school got the funding and Had an arrangement with us to pay an individual rate to us (a fraction of what schools were getting). The provision was disbanded a couple of years ago.

As other have said, the students were the ones who's behaviour was poor in school, were disaffected, poor attendance etc. most flourished doing a Vocational course (Construction trades, motor vehicle, catering, horticulture, animal care, Hair, Beauty etc)..

The Post 16 provision is as you say, a vocational course/BTech along Maths and English GCSE's if needed.

UTCs tend to have to accept young people with additional support needs on managed moves (or instead of PRU provision) because they aren't full and vacancies mean that you are in the local authority's view to take pupils without a place. They aren't full (normally) as they are a new concept, some do well, some are grim and people are suspicious about moving their child for year 10.

That is not true. Some of the early UTCs did but now they do not accept managed moves unless in exceptional circumstances. Many do not participate in LA managed move processes and have a different local agreement in place.

They are a lot of myths about UTCs, not helped by the Ofsted chief inspector who talks about them being vocational provision for lower attaining pupils. That isn't the case. Some UTCs are highly academic and many are academically selective post 16. They are not allowed to be academically selective pre-16.

UTCs are amazing educational provision but they are very specialist and not suitable for many students.

Studio schools are less academic than UTCs.

A few years ago it wasn't uncommon to spend 1/2 day to a day a week at college from Year 10. Where I am, it's now very rare but it may survive in other parts. I believe the school must agree and have to fund it.

UTCs offer different work specialisms - it varies.

I am a head of year and we work as hepzibar said at my school.
We have around 20 pupils doing various 'vocational' courses at local colleges/alternative provision that start in year 10, usually half a day a week and can be full time in year 11. They do this alongside a reduced number of gcses in school or sometimes just retain maths and English.
as PP have said however this is only offered to pupils who we feel will not achieve at school for various reasons such as behaviour or attendance issues.

I wouldn't recommend this route for higher achievers. All the options/courses we offer are level 1.

Thank you everyone ,it's not a UTC that her friend is at.

Wasn't look for a part time college course for her as like to get her in school full time but I think I have found a college with a 14-16 school where she can carry on her normal GCSEs.

Mayhem as you're a career advisor I'm interested in what you think of her going on to college after GCSEs to do level 3 diploma in equine management? She wants to go onto uni in the future,quite likes the idea of being a vet that specialises in equine .

You really need to look into whether the level 3 would be accepted for entry into a Veterinary Science degree. These tend to be very competitive and have a specific application path. She'd probably be better with 4 traditional science/Maths A levels.

Nowhere near Liverpool but found this about entry requirements entry requirements

I don't understand it ,maybe you could help LIZS , does she only need one of those columns or all

If she wants to be a vet do not send her to college at 14. They are for the less academic kids.

She's not even 14 yet but we're thinking about all of this but would be quite good to know what entry requirements are so it will push her to get the amount of A*-c (or whatever the new number System is ) she needs. Completely lost at what to do after GCSEs now

Oh god ,I meant shes not even 15 yet