Refusing to sign up for college/apprenticeship after GCSEs

[user1494842325]

My 16 year old son is a hard working lad who knows he wants to be a fisherman when finishes school as he did it in the summer holidays with his friends dad. He has no interest in school or studying & I'm not sure he will get any GCSEs. We are trying to persuade him to go college for a year but he won't budge!! Are we the only ones in this situation.... It's making us all so unhappy he's so worried as he has nothing lined up for when he leaves school.

Is this any use
www.seafish.org/training/seagoing-training/fishing/apprenticeships

www.aplitrak.com/?adid=Y2hhcmxlbmVoLjIwNDIwLjU4MThAbmV3ZnV0dXJlc3JlY3J1aXRtZW50LmFwbGl0cmFrLmNvbQ
Also may be worth a look

Yes! We are trying to persuade him to go & look at the sea fish school at Whitby but he's not keen as he will only get 4 weeks off in 12 months.. 2 weeks Sumer & 2 at Christmas its 3 hour drive from where we live. We have said we will visit him & he should go for it.

Thanks I didn't know about the other apprenticeship not sure if he's brave or confident enough to go it but it sounds really good, I would!

I thought all children had to stay in some form of education until they are 18 now?

Yes and that's the problem!! He just wants a job! So frustrating, will I go to prison if he doesn't??? I will lose child allowance tax credits too, and if he can't get a job we won't be able to help him financially.

I don't know what the consequences are, my dd is only 10!!

I have just found this though - maybe he can leave if he has a job?

School leaving age
Your school leaving age depends on where you live.
England
You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.
You must then do one of the following until you’re 18:
• stay in full-time education, for example at a college
• start an apprenticeshipp or traineeshipp
• spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

You won't go to prison no but yes will lose child benefit/tax credit

Are 16 year olds allowed to work on a fishing boat without being on some apprenticeship?

My DF has a boat and he never has anyone under the age of 18 but that my be just be his personal preference.

I personally will discourage my DS from working on boats, it's a very hard way to make a living.

I wish he had never gone out with them now! Although to be honest the last two years when the fairground has come to our town he has had a job on that too!! Boys hey I just want him happy, the thought of him being depressed upsets me

I don't think factories will take anyone under 18 either! I suppose the government had to change things as there was lots of young people on benefits but if your not academic and have never enjoyed school etc it's a nightmare

In theory they have to stay in education / do an apprenticeship / work whilst studying, but DD17 has several friends who just work with no study, and nothing has happened.