Would be best for my child to leave school and get a job, are they allowed to do this at 16?

[Givemeabreak974]

My son absolutely hates school and I will be surprised if he passes his gcses next year. We are of course doing everything we can to help him but im just being realistic in my own mind.
He struggles hugely in a classroom environment and has terrible organisational skills. But he is amazing with hands on stuff and gets on well with people of all ages.
There is no way whatsoever that he will want to go on to college/uni to study anything academic.
So he has two choices as I see it. Try and get an apprenticeship and learn a trade, or just go straight into a job, any job, and maybe work up as he gets older.
But I've been thinking, even an apprenticeship invoices coursework/exams doesnt it? I dont know. Anything thats based in a college where he has to sit and listen just will not work. We think he has adhd and so do all of the teachers he's ever had, but cahms rejected multiple referrals as he could sit sensibly in their initial assessment meeting.

I dont want him to be a failure to thrive child as he would do well in a workplace. Just want to put him on the correct path. Any advice?

I'd have a look at apprenticeships in more detail, to understand the level of study required and how that's delivered. It might not be in a classroom type environment, it can be online training or activities done on site. You can search for apprenticeships near you and see what kind of thing is on offer:

https://www.findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk/apprenticeshipsearch

The description for each apprenticeship describes the kind of training that's expected. I think he'd be looking at Level 2 apprenticeships which are equivalent to GCSE level in terms of the training.

Your DS might also find that if he can see the point and direct relevance of the training, that it might make it easier for him to manage. Especially if only a day a fortnight, or for a specific week, rather than 5 days a week.

At 16, he has to do some kind of study alongside working.

Choice 3 is college to do something practical - courses for 16-18 year olds aren’t just academic, they’re vocational too eg https://stcg.ac.uk/kingston-college/motor-vehicle-electric-vehicle/city-and-guilds-level-2-certificate-in-vehicle-maintenance-and-repair

Edited to add: There are Level 1 courses as well if he doesn’t manage to get 3 grade Ds.

When DH was a teacher he used to go out and check on the pupils that were doing their work experience.
One of his students was a lad of about 14/15 who was completely detached from school or education and, it seemed, a bit of a no-hoper. He went to a sort of technical/sort of factory unit for his WE. When DH went to see him his bosses were really very pleased with the lad, he was quick, keen to learn the ropes, polite and was thriving in a work environment.
DH said the boy had clearly had enough of formal education and looked like he'd do well going straight into a similar job, with some training involved but not perhaps classroom based.
I think after a certain age school is not for everyone.

Probably the apprenticeship route is best. DS was only in college once a month with his and written work was minimal really.

He officially needs to be in some sort of training until 18. My DS went into an apprenticeship and the 1 day a week at college was fine as they are treated like adults not school children and he said knowing he was getting paid to sit there made it a lot easier to deal with than school.

Yes I think we are all waking up to the idea that not everybody should go to university. It’s an absolute nonsense and has been since day one. In a lot of cases students come out with a load of debt and end up doing the same job that their school colleagues have been in for years, minus the debt.

We need people with practical skills and trades and because supply is low atm they are earning well.

Do you have any contacts, OP? Know anyone in, say, the building trade?

Have a look at right to choose for ADHD assessment.

Is there a timeline for applying for apprenticeship? Do they have to get their results first?

Apprenticeships will have all sorts of start dates hey don't necessarily fit with the academic year but a lot do. If he is sitting GCSEs in 2026 he should start applying now for apprenticeships starting September 2026. He just uses predicted grades on the application. My son went into an apprenticeship straight from GCSEs he is 18 now and been taken on full time permanently by the company. He is earning around £30,000 a year with shift allowance and honestly been the making of him. We were worried he wouldn't even get to sit his GCSEs as his behaviour in year 11 deteriorated so much as he couldn't stand school.