Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Education

Join the discussion on our Education forum.

Original poster

Anyone know when a 16 year old can leave education.

73 replies

shamus2020 · 14/12/2020 16:55

Dc turned 16 in oct and is home educated. If they have decided against doing they're GCSEs can they leave education now? Can't get a clear answer on google. Thanks

OP posts:
Rubytinsleslippers · 14/12/2020 17:35

@Woollyslippers yes, if they have a confirmed uni place then they have a place to go.

Derelictwreck · 14/12/2020 17:52

@shamus2020

Not worried about it affecting child benefit or uc. Just need to know if they can leave education now that they are 16. They want to work instead.
What work are they going to pursue without GCSEs?
amber763 · 14/12/2020 17:56

Unsure why you are okay with your kids having zero qualifications :-/

Oliversmumsarmy · 14/12/2020 17:57

We got round the “need to be in education or training” by dd registering as self employed.

Remember having a chat with someone in the education department who said that if someone left at 16 and didn’t go into further education or training there was little they could do about it.

Oliversmumsarmy · 14/12/2020 17:58

Also dd has had some amazing jobs that don’t require any GCSEs

user1495884620 · 14/12/2020 18:13

See sections 8 and 7 of the Education Act 1996. Section 7 says that she has to be in full time education in school or otherwise while of compulsory school age. Section 8 defines compulsory school age, which she will be until June next year. www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1996/56/contents

DrDreReturns · 14/12/2020 18:18

How is this law enforced? Do parents get fined like they would for non attendance at school?

Lonecatwithkitten · 14/12/2020 18:19

Employers can not take someone on for ' full-time' work until they reach school leaving age. With RTI this would be picked up the very first time payroll was run.

There are quite hefty fines for breaching the child employment act.

DrDreReturns · 14/12/2020 19:44

Ok but would it be enforced if a 17 year old stayed at home and did nothing?

Bluegreen70 · 14/12/2020 19:46

@shamus2020

Not worried about it affecting child benefit or uc. Just need to know if they can leave education now that they are 16. They want to work instead.
No. They can leave at 18
Parker231 · 14/12/2020 19:57

Why would they leave school without qualifications?

Adelyra · 14/12/2020 20:25

I would strongly encourage them to take English and Maths. I just took mine to go back to education at over 30 yo. It wasn't ideal.

smartiecake · 14/12/2020 20:28

No as others have said the official school leaving date is the last friday in June. So end of June 2021 for your child.
She can't be in employment until then.

Onceuponatimethen · 14/12/2020 20:31

Can’t op just deregister her after the GCSEs and “home school” her if she wants to?

Oliversmumsarmy · 14/12/2020 22:02

How is this law enforced? Do parents get fined like they would for non attendance at school

It isn’t. Guy in the education dept said it can’t be enforced.
Given you can marry and have children at 16 it would be hard to say to a 16 or 17 year olds parent that they need to go to school when they could in theory be married with children and living with their husband in their own house miles away.

The only thing you can’t do is claim benefits

doctorhamster · 14/12/2020 22:13

Decided not to do GCSEs? That's a decision no one should be allowed to take. Really stupid decision.

user1495884620 · 15/12/2020 07:11

The 16-18 education may not be enforceable, but until June, the DC is still of compulsory school age. This is enforceble and they could get a school attendance order and parents could be prosecuted.

prh47bridge · 15/12/2020 07:35

Guy in the education dept said it can’t be enforced

Assuming we are talking about England, the guy in the Education Department is wrong. They can take legal action against the parents who can be fined or imprisoned if a child of compulsory school age is not receiving an appropriate education. They may choose not to do so when the child is over 16 but that doesn't mean they can't.

Once the young person is no longer of compulsory school age (which has been correctly stated above - effectively the end of the school year in which they turn 16), they can be fined if they fail to participate in education or training. Anyone who employs the young person can also be fined if they have not made appropriate arrangements for the young person to receive education or training.

Mrgrinch · 15/12/2020 07:39

I know from experience that they do NOT need to be in education until they are 18.

They can leave at 16 if they want to.

Mrgrinch · 15/12/2020 07:40

By the way, Mumsnet think the world revolves around qualifications and education and won't give you a sensible answer.

Ginfordinner · 15/12/2020 07:40

It's June after they turn 16.

It's June if they turn 16 by the end of the summer holidays. DD left school at 17 because she has a July birthday.

Also dd has had some amazing jobs that don’t require any GCSEs

We all know someone who has no formal qualifications and has made a lot of money, but I don't think this is good advice, especially during and after a pandemic where there are many, many more applicants per job.

I realise that education isn't a one size fits all and that many home educators home educate for a specific reason, but unless there are very good reasons not to encourage your child to take at least maths and English GCSEs you are doing them a great disservice.

There is obviously a back story. Maybe if you could elaborate a little more about your child you would get more constructive advice here.

These are the "rules" about education. Just replace the word "school" with "education"

www.gov.uk/know-when-you-can-leave-school

NotMeNoNo · 15/12/2020 07:44

I suggest contact your local futures/connections Careers service. Ours are working with my 16yo who has dropped out of sixth form. They are very helpful and I understand there are options for training type work.
I would still recommend doing the GCSEs if any hope they will pass them.

Onceuponatimethen · 15/12/2020 07:45

@prh47bridge presumably dc 16+ can still be dereg and home schooled though?

Ginfordinner · 15/12/2020 07:50

@Mrgrinch

By the way, Mumsnet think the world revolves around qualifications and education and won't give you a sensible answer.
If a child is capable of taking maths and English GCSEs why would you not encourage them? Confused

In a world of shrinking job availability why reduce their choices or opportunities? I agree that many jobs that specifiy degrees do not require degree edcuated people, but no GCSEs at all is rather short sighted.

trevorandsimon · 15/12/2020 07:58

Why are you not expecting your child to take some GCSE's?. You are doing them a great disservice to let them make this big decision which will affect the rest of their life so massively in a downward direction. 95% of jobs expect maths and English as a minimum and letting them have no qualifications at all is a very poor decision. There cant have been much home education going on if they were not working towards exams. Seems extremely lazy and stupid parenting .

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.