College help pls - nothing sorted for my son yet 😔

[TiredButTryin5x]

hiya, soz if this is in wrong place. just really stuck n don’t know who to ask.

my oldest ds is 15 (16 in aug) n finished gcse’s last month. we didn’t apply anywhere yet n i didn’t realise it had to be done already. school didn’t explain stuff too well or maybe i just didn’t understand it 😔

he’s not keen on 6th form n doesn’t wanna do loads more exams. he likes practical stuff more but don’t know what job he wants yet. i looked at new city college n saw some courses but not sure how to apply or what ones would suit him. he says “dunno” to everything i ask n just stays in his room all day.

i feel like i’ve let him down. just want to help him get on track. has anyone been through this? can we still apply or is it too late now? we live in romford if that helps xx

This is where you and your son can find information on accessing apprenticeships, @TiredButTryin5x.

https://www.apprenticeships.gov.uk/apprentices

If you both spend some time browsing this site before talking to colleges it should give him some ideas to ask about. They could then tell him what sort of thing he could aim for.

Or he is just a youngster lacking in guidance who is scared for his future and is doing a common thing of burying his head in the sand?

At 6th form schools tend to be for those doing A levels. A good college where he can do a course more suitable to his interests/ability could be the making of him.

NB. The 'must' wrt passing English and Maths isn't quite a must. It is highly desirable, but there are jobs out there for those without if they have other skills and a work ethic.

Many training courses run English and maths resit classes (as a condition of the course). That environment maybe more suited to many students.

I agree. Our local school doesn't let you into sixth form to do A levels unless you have a 4 and a 5 in English and Maths either way round. You can't stay on just to do resits. With lower grades you would have to go to college and do a course and do resits alongside.

Bloody hell how did you not know this? And why are you allowing this. Your son would
love not to have anything to do once the summer ends. I speak from
experience my son is the same. You have to tell him
his options. mine was told it’s college, apprenticeship or you go get a job. If you don’t do any of those things then you get no internet, no money. He’s only 16 and whilst some 16 years are more than capable a lot are still children and need you to organise and arrange.

Oh really?! After what age has already said this is your response?!

No point in looking at apprenticeships. There are literally hundreds of applicants for each vacancy. The government have sold all the kids that would have left at 16 to work down an awful path. We need more apprenticeships!!!

Lit has nothing to do with it. He just needs a 4 in Lang.

If he gets a 4 in Eng lit he doesn't need to retake Eng lang tho, as I understand it. I agree that if he gets 3 or lower in both, it's lang he will retake.

This is correct.

Students should only "need" to re-sit Lang is they secure a 4 in Lit if they think they might need Lang for Uni eventually.

@Itsnotallaboutyoulikeyouthink I’m not actually suggesting that they apply for apprenticeships this year, or even next year. But if he finds an area of work on the website that appeals to him then he could spend the next couple of years getting himself to a position where he might realistically be able to apply.

(At the moment he appears to have no motivation at all. Probably because he has no idea whatsoever of what is possible and how he might get there. He needs a starting point for discussion with colleges.)

What does his reports say?

Ahh its hard for some kids op. My DS is struggling a bit with having to grow up and leave the safety net of school.

His school were complete rubbish at guiding them so I was the same as you, we had no idea what to do, and he just buried his head in the sand 😔

Hes been offered a L2 trades course that needs at least 4 3's, hes predicted to get 4's and 5's so 🤞

Do contact the colleges they have been really helpful and lots of them will still be running student days etc.

Its not too late, and he'll find his 'thing', hes probably just overwhelmed with it all but its easier to just not think about it for some kids. Especially as theres a lot of pressure on them now and its way more competitive to get on a college course than years ago because they all HAVE to be in college now r an apprenticeship rather than go straight into a job.

I work in a careers role in a 11-18 school, I see every in Y11student and make a note of their plan. I send that to parents and invite parents to contact me if they need further assistance. Any student who hadn't applied for anything, didn't attend school or declined my assistance I would contact parents and welfare/ head of year/ NEET ( not in education or training ) prevention team at the council. Your son is fobbing you off or your school is performing very poorly in its most basic obligations to it's students.

No way did school not make it absolutely clear when deadlines for applications were. How did all the other pupils find out?

He needs to get his act together.

I’ll just support what another poster said that it’s fine to contact colleges without even knowing what courses he wants to do - it’s someone’s job there to chat to you about what the options are. So don’t feel decisions have to be made before you talk to them.

Schools usually help them with this yr10/11. Did you both just ignore all info ?

Following whatever school guidance took place I strongly suspect the OP’s son either didn’t understand what was required of him, or assumed there would be no family support, so gave up.

When you're very unhappy it can be hard to think beyond the next day or week. From a few references I think this is probably what has happened with OP's son.

OP, I know you've got a lot going on but you need to make supporting him a priority. You need to know what he is aiming for grades wise, and find courses close by that he thinks he would be interested in that line up with his predicted grades. If you don't understand the process, ask, and don't let it go until someone has explained it to you in a way that you understand. He clearly isn't just staying in his room all day if he's helping with childcare. You need to support him in return .

My son’s school didn’t inform parents/students when deadlines were, apart from their own 6th form.
They provided links to other post-16 provisions, and a guidance evening, but info for other 6th forms and colleges was not provided.

My son’s school did not do this. They talked the talk (cv/application help, interview practice, career advice etc) but nothing actually materialised. I was told they were hiring new staff, and I can see the rising year 11s have had a lot more than my son (just finished GCSEs).
I think many in this cohort have been let down.

Not our experience, DC school no help or guidance whatsoever, just told to Google the info.

I don't think all secondary schools/parents are perfect in giving advice for Post 16.
I know one person (now almost 19) who pretty much picked a random course he had never in his life shown an interest in at a random college because his mate was doing it.
The school didn't care as he was leaving.
His parents didn't seem particularly informed about the course and just said "well it's his choice".
He did the course but it didn't actually make any difference to what he is doing now.

No school.visits to the local college? No mock interviews/CV compiling in form time? I find that surprising