Increased education leaving age

[JamesDean]

It talks a lot about the LEA needing to support the young person to re-engage with education, but is somewhat lacking in practical advice and doesn't seem to cover the problem of no suitable place being available!

(Hysterical laughter)
So where is this band of marvellous careers advisers and youth workers, I hear you ask? Well, they've all been made redundant over the past five years .... That good old fashioned joined- up thinking that our Gov is so brilliant at strikes again!!!

JD

[quasimodo]

"Human beings have not got more intelligent neither have there offspring and when you see the grade inflation at all levels from SATS,GCSE's, A levels to the number of first class degrees being awarded you realise the truth."

There has been a marginal increase in IQ over the last few decades.

I do on occasions have contact with undergraduates at both Manchester Uni and The Met(the old Poly) and I would say they are much more studious than we were in the 70-80s, I think most of my generation were either (more often than not) drunk or recovering from a severe hang-over back in my day

Pressure from 11+ to even post-grad is much, much more intense today than it ever was in our day, long gone are the days when with a few good O levels one could walk into a half decent job.

Teaching on the whole is infinitely better for most and standards have improved overall, contrary to what we old f-rts believe and constantly feel the need to remind our young people the same old boring but false myth " it was much harder in my day you know"

Even if true we did not have to compete in a global market!

Nice to hear from you C.

I talked about intelligence and unless human evolution is moving at a much more rapid pace than I was aware then intelligence levels have remained the same .We can debate the reasons for the marginal improvements in IQ scores between different generations.

I do accept generally students are more studious at University than our generation and the high level of fees has contributed to that.Then again I know and have known exceptions to that amongst my nephews.

The way teaching is delivered is far more varied.In my generation it was just lectures and seminars and textbooks.On line technology has revolutionised the delivery of teaching material and the availability of resources and the pod casting of lectures.It is difficulty to comment on the quality without going through the current experience.

I have to accept pressures are intense as I don't recall feeling any pressure until A levels and thereafter.These days everyone has a degree(50%) and therefore the type of degree and where its from is more important.

We do compete in a global market but many do not appreciate that.

[kenyancowgirl]

It talks a lot about the LEA needing to support the young person to re-engage with education, but is somewhat lacking in practical advice and doesn't seem to cover the problem of no suitable place being available!

(Hysterical laughter)
So where is this band of marvellous careers advisers and youth workers, I hear you ask? Well, they've all been made redundant over the past five years .... That good old fashioned joined- up thinking that our Gov is so brilliant at strikes again!!!

JD

Lol! JD!!

But, of course, when the government then "re-invents" the Careers/Youth Service and "re-employs" all the staff they made redundant, look how good their employment figures will look then!! Having been around the block a bit and picked up a good few doses of healthy cynicism, I can confidently predict that government policies are nothing if not cyclical....!

[silverysea]

Hang on, can my dd have a gap year abroad, I.e. With family, before the end of school, and then go back to the point she left and carry on? She is August birthday so would STILL be 18 when finished A levels.

[Tolstoy]

Just caught this thread a bit late in the day. At the time I was too busy teaching my DS maths to ensure that he does have the required English and maths when leaving school. The only additional support came in the guise of G55 and thankfully he was successful.

I also spent several weeks at the beginning of last year trying to get a school place for him to continue his education without that all important GCSE.

Therefore in answer to the question does the government ensure DC do continue in education and also have required core subjects I would say no they don't. In fact it seems to be getting harder and harder as schools and colleges even, bend to the tyranny of league tables and turf out the more unpredictable students. Many 6th forms are asking for Bs across the board to continue with AS/A levels and I am not talking just Grammars here. The world has gone mad! Many of my successful friends and myself would not have careers if it had been this tough back then.

Great improvement in facilities for adult learners though so that's a relief

[2childmum]

I've noticed that not only are the comps around here asking for all Bs to continue to A-level, but are also stopping all the BTECH courses they used to teach, so any student not able to get all those Bs have to find a place at college - and the colleges have not increased the number of places they are offering, Goodness know where all the less academic students are supposed to end up. I was also looking at engineering apprenticeships - loads of them are supposedly open to 16 year olds and then ask for a full driving license! I know a students who have wanted to do e.g. bricklaying and have ended up being put on a catering course because the course they really wanted was full.