When to start thinking about life after school?

[Nix32]

My Y10 son is reluctant to engage in any discussion about what he might do after GCSEs. If pushed, he'll express an interest in sport but he's not interested in anything like careers events. He's academically able but doesn't have to work very hard to achieve well. Am I just being too pushy too soon?

Is there any college open days he wants to go to ? That’s all I did, I left the rest to school and themselves.

There will be in the autumn and I'll be encouraging that. His school has a sixth form so that's his default option - think it mostly depends on what his friends do.

Yeah, leave him to it. My ds is same age and doesn’t have a clue what he wants to do, or even which subjects he’ll want to take in sixth form.

I made the wrong choices as a young adult due to pressure to have a plan, they will figure it out with maturity I think. They change so fast at this age. Just trust him and support is the way forward I think, and let him know that nothing’s set in stone. There’s plenty of time!

Yes, too pushy too soon. If your child is not engaging, you have to leave them a bit longer or you risk making them even less engaged.

If he is academically able he can do generic A-levels and decide later.

I would focus on telling him that if he is not sure that is fine and he can make a decent choice for 16+ that will keep lots of options open for decisions later.

What is the point of pushing, what will it acheive? You can't force certainty out of an uncertain person.

Sixth form is a good option - I do not understand what the concern is?

If his default option was 'stay in bed' or 'deal drugs' I could understand the worry but you have an academically able kid who wants to go to sixth form!