Does anyone know if it's possible to register on a FE course before the age of 16?

[spacedonkey]

I ask because my (almost 15 year old) dd has been having all sorts of problems with school over the last 18 months or so. I actually took her out of school completely for several months, thinking that home ed could be the answer, but it was a disaster, and she chose to go back to school. However, since then she has started absconding from school and is showing virtually no interest in completing her coursework, except for those subjects which interest her.

She's only ever wanted to do one thing, and that's go to art school. Art is the only subject she is motivated to work at. If she carries on as she is, she will simply fail all her GCSEs, not through lack of ability, but through lack of application.

I would much prefer her to stay at school and do her GCSEs, but at the same time I can see some merit in the idea of pulling her out of school now, if it were possible for her to enrol on an art foundation course at an FE college.

So my question is, is that a possibility? She would be able to present a portfolio of work, but I'm assuming that they won't take anyone under 16.

I think they can do night classes funded by you but this wouldnt cover you legally.

batters, I thought there might be an insurance issue

I will talk to the school about the possibility - they are well aware of the problems with dd.

I've looked at the entry requirements for the most basic level art course at dd's nearest FE college, and even for that (equivalent to an NVQ Level 1, so hardly advanced!) they ask for 2 GCSEs.

Perhaps this will prove to dd that she really needs to apply herself at school!

Some colleges do a Links program with schools for 14-16 year olds. It might be worth approaching your local college(s) to see what they have avaliable.

So frustrating - I do wish the education system could be just a bit more flexible!

Thanks for the advice everyone

how badly does she want to go to art school?

tell her that if she fails her gcse's there will be no art school. there will be nothing but a dole queue and a long line of dead-end jobs!

5though sd... i am thinking of something about my cousin who had similar issues...

now, she did work experience at a gym and wanted to carry on working there instead of finishing school. this wasn't allowed, but apparently she was entitled to do a few hours a week there instead of being in school? i THINK! it's worth looking into... if she'd be interested in working instead of school?

I've been dangling the spectre of a career in KFC before her for years

she stubbornly refuses to believe me

I'd agree with batters. My knowledge of the FE sector is 10 years out of date but at that stage funding was for 16s and over only.

I'm sure I recently heard David Cameron banging on about how foundation schools were only in arts subjects, is there possibly a foundation school that might be appropriate?

Other than that, as you say, she needs her 2 GCSEs to get to art school, I would maybe look at getting her some private coaching in, say, English and Maths and get her to concentrate solely on those two. I'm sure I passed GCSE Sociology with no revision once (I was doing the A-Level course at the same time) but English and Maths are the two she should really go for.

i seem to remember my dd would hacve been able to do sign language at an adult evening class if i accompanied her

fancy doing 2 gcses?

otherwise than that i would try connections

if you could afford it send her to a local tutor - she goes there - therefore out of the home environment.

3 afternoons a week - strike an agreement bulk payment or something

I would do GCSEs with her at evening classes if it came down to it. But she is enrolled in a school - it seems crazy that she can't just knuckle down and get on with it there, where she professes to want to be! Grrr

She has inherited the family do-it-the-hard-way gene I think

At the FE college I currently teach at, they do take students under 16. However, In the case of the student I taught she had been home edded and had taken her GCSEs a year early, so the concern would not be age but lack of GCSEs. At my College, they would not take on students without the required GCSEs.

However, they do have lots of programmes for 14-16s specifically, and this is expanding at many colleges (they bring in more money!!) so now 14 - 16s can do admin NVQ type courses (equiv to 2 GCSEs I think) where they work in an office one day a week etc, also there are other programmes around at numerous colleges for students who just don't gte on at school. Each college varies greatly in what it provides, so you will just have to ask!