This article covers vocational qualifications and apprenticeships for young people aged 16-18/19. It also briefly describes a third pathway – traineeships – which is designed for young people who need extra help to gain access to an apprenticeship or employment.
Young people aged 16-18/19 must be in full-time education, or in part-time education or training, or be participating in work-based learning.
They choose their course and institution depending on their future career and education interests, their previous education record and experience, and on what is available locally.
Types of institutions
Vocational education for young people over the age of 16 is largely provided by further education (FE) colleges. These major providers of full- and part-time technical and vocational courses for 16- to 18/19-year-olds (and older adults) offer a wide range of programmes (including general (academic) programmes). (For further information on colleges, see the article on ‘Main Providers’ in the adult education chapter.)
Approved colleges or training providers work alongside employers to offer apprenticeships and traineeships.
Although school sixth forms, sixth-form colleges and 16-19 academies focus primarily on general education courses, they may also provide some vocational programmes.
Statistics
Provisional statistics for the end of 2018 show participation at ages 16-17 by institution type and mode of study:
| % full-time education | % part-time education | |
| Publicly-funded schools (sixth form of maintained schools; 16-19 academies) | 35.3 | 0.0 |
| Special schools | 1.0 | 0.0 |
| Independent (fee-paying) schools (sixth form) | 6.7 | 0.0 |
| Sixth-form colleges | 9.0 | 0.1 |
| Further education, tertiary and specialist colleges | 30.6 | 2.8 |
| Higher education institutions | 0.6 | 0.0 |
| Total | 83.1 | 3.0 |
Source: Participation in Education, Training and Employment: 2018 (Main Text, Table B, p.5).
The same statistical release provides information on participation rates at ages 16 and 17 in the forms of education and training available (age at the beginning of the academic year).
| % of age 16 | % of age 17 |
Full-time education | 87.9 | 78.4 |
Part-time education | 3.0 | 3.0 |
Apprenticeships (work-based learning) | 3.3 | 6.5 |
Education and apprenticeships | 94.1 | 87.6 |
Education and training | 96.1 | 91.9 |
NEET (not in employment, education or training) | 3.2 | 4.3 |
Source: Participation in Education, Training and Employment: 2018 (Main Text, Table A, p.4; and Table D, p.10).
Geographical accessibility
Local authorities (LAs) have a duty to secure sufficient suitable education and training provision for all young people in their area aged 16 to 19 (or those up to age 25 with an education, health and care (EHC) plan). This is to ensure that young people can meet their legal obligation to be in full- or part-time education or training, or work-based learning, until age 18. (For further information on these duties, see the section on ‘Geographical accessibility’ in the article on the ‘Organisation of General Upper Secondary Education’.)
Between September 2015 and March 2017, the Government carried out a major review of post-16 education and training institutions. This was with a view to creating ‘stronger institutions which have the high status and specialism required to deliver credible routes to employment’. This national programme of area reviews focused on further education and sixth-form colleges with a view to moving towards ‘fewer, often larger, more resilient and efficient providers’.
The area reviews took factors relating to geographical accessibility, i.e. access to good quality provision within reasonable travel distances, into account.
The Department for Education has published all the local areas reviews and recommendations, and the programme has led to rationalisation of provision, with over 60 college mergers and more planned for 2019.
Admission requirements and choice of school
A wide range of study programmes for young people aged 16 to 18/19 aims to cater for students of all abilities. This includes those who are not yet ready for Level 2 qualifications and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).
Within this policy framework, admission to a particular programme is a matter for the individual provider, taking into account the applicant’s prior attainment and the demands of the specific study programme.
Admission arrangements for a school sixth form must, however, comply with the School Admissions Code.
Admissions policy for colleges must comply with the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Equality Act 2010. Non-statutory guidance on the Equality Act for providers of further (and higher) education includes advice on admissions.
Age levels and grouping of pupils / students
Post-16 vocational programmes usually last two years and so are intended for 16- to 18-year-olds. Teaching groups at this level are normally determined by students’ subject choices. Students are taught by specialist subject teachers, typically in smaller groups than younger pupils. There are no regulations covering class / group sizes.
Young people aged 16 to 18/19 following apprenticeship programmes usually train in the workplace and part-time in a further education college or training centre.They may attend the college or training centre once a week, or in blocks of a few days or weeks. They may have one-to-one support or be taught in small groups by a tutor, teacher, workplace supervisor or manager, or their coach or mentor. This will depend on their chosen apprenticeship, their needs and the needs of their employer.
In traineeship programmes, learning opportunities are offered in a range of settings and may include work placements, community projects, or training on the premises of a young person’s chosen provider.
Organisation of the school year
Further education colleges are the main providers of vocational education and training at this level, and term dates and holidays are broadly similar to schools. This means that there are usually three terms - autumn term, spring term and summer term, each of which is divided into two half-terms separated by a half-term holiday. There is normally a long summer break of about six weeks in July and August and shorter breaks of two to three weeks at Christmas and at Easter.
Organisation of the school day and week
There are no regulations on the number of lessons per week, but Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) guidance states that further education colleges and sixth-form colleges are funded for full-time students aged 16-18/19 as long as they study for at least 540 hours per year.
Although further education colleges and sixth-form colleges enjoy autonomy with respect to the organisation of the college day and week, for students aged 16 to 18/19 following full-time post-compulsory vocational programmes, the organisation is broadly the same as that in schools. The typical pattern is for them to be open Monday to Friday between around 9:00 am and 3:30/4:00 pm, with a break for lunch, and possible breaks in the morning and afternoon sessions.
The organisation of the day and week for young people aged 16- to 18/19 on apprenticeship or traineeship programmes varies depending on the chosen programme and on individual and employer need.
Article last reviewed April 2021.