16-18 Choices. aspire learn achieve progress. A Parents and Carers Guide to. in Norfolk. Norfolk County Council. In this booklet you will find:

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1 Norfolk County Council A Parents and Carers Guide to Choices in Norfolk aspire learn achieve progress Your son or daughter is now in their final year of compulsory education and has important decisions to make about their next steps. You have an important role in guiding and supporting them during Year 11 to make a choice that is right for them. In this booklet you will find: Information about the options and qualifications available to year olds in further education, apprenticeships, jobs and other training Advice to help your son/daughter make an informed decision A calendar of activities to help you support your son/daughter with their plans and with making applications Information and advice on finance, transport and career choices. Developing Norfolk s Future Workforce

2 Contents Page 2 What are you son or daughter s options? Page 3 Qualifications Pages 4-5 Further education (FE) Pages 6-7 Apprenticeships and traineeships Pages 8-9 Year 11 - planning the year ahead Page 10 Questions for open events at sixth forms, sixth form colleges, FE colleges and training providers Page 11 Finance for learning Page 12 Travel and transport Page 13 Where will the future jobs be? Page 14 Using Help You Choose Page 15 Sources of careers information and advice Page 16 Glossary What are your son or daughter s options? All young people are now expected to continue in education or training until they are at least 18 years of age. This mean that your son/daughter needs to be making plans for at least two years of further education and/or training after they finish Year 11. Their options are: Full-time study in a school sixth form, a further education college, a sixth form college or with a training provider An apprenticeship or traineeship with an employer Full-time employment or volunteering combined with parttime education or training Important information! All year olds work for qualifications whether they are in further education or on an apprenticeship. If your son/daughter achieves below grade 4 in English and/or maths at GCSE they will need to continue with these subjects whether they are on a full time course at college or sixth form or on an apprenticeship. Some of the GCSE subjects your son/ daughter takes will be graded using the new grades of 9-1 with a grade 9 being the highest grade. To find out more about the new grades and changes to GCSEs go to newgcses.campaign.gov.uk 2

3 Qualifications Whichever option they choose, all year olds will continue to work for qualifications to help them develop the knowledge and skills they need to progress. Qualification types In England, qualifications are organised into three main types according to the nature of the subject:- Academic subject based, in-depth study of a subject. Include A levels. Applied general broad study giving an introduction to an industry such as business, engineering, travel and tourism. Combine academic study with practical learning. Include BTEC and OCR qualifications. Vocational or technical focus on a specific industry or occupation. Involve more practical, work-based learning. Include NVQs, some BTEC and OCR qualifications as well as diplomas and certificates from other awarding bodies such as City & Guilds. Qualification levels Qualifications are also grouped together into levels of difficulty. Qualification levels go from entry level to level 8 with each level having different entry requirements. For example, GCSEs can be studied at level 1 (grades D-G or 3-1) or level 2 (grades A*-C or 9-4). A levels are graded at level 3. By using qualification levels you can see how different types of qualifications compare. For example, a full BTEC First or an NVQ Level 2 is roughly equivalent to four GCSEs grades A*-C or 9-4. The diagram below gives you an idea of the types of qualifications available at levels 1, 2 and 3 and shows how people can progress through the levels. Higher or Degree Apprenticeship or a job with training Level 3 qualifications eg A/AS levels, BTEC Nationals, OCR Cambridge Technicals Higher Education (university & college degree courses) Employment Level 3 qualifications Level 2 qualifications eg GCSEs A*-C/9-4, BTEC Firsts, OCR Cambridge Technicals/Nationals Further Education, an Apprenticeship or a job with training Employment Level 2 qualifications Level 1 qualifications eg GCSEs D-G/3-1, BTEC Level 1, OCR Cambridge Nationals Further Education, an Apprenticeship or a job with training 3

4 Further education (FE) Types of courses Courses range from general academic study to courses with a more work-related or vocational focus with some courses preparing young people for a specific job. Here are some examples:- AS and A levels (level 3) AS levels are studied for one year and A levels for two years with exams at the end. They develop knowledge and skills in subjects such as maths, sciences, English (language and literature), art, psychology, etc. AS levels now stand separately from A levels and no longer count as the first year of an A level. They can be studied alongside more vocational qualifications such as BTECs. BTEC qualifications (levels 1, 2 and 3) These are related to particular employment areas such as business, engineering and ICT, with some in more specific job areas such as floristry, electrical/electronic engineering or fish management. They are available in different unit sizes (extended diploma, diploma, extended certificate and certificate); for instance a BTEC National Diploma is equivalent to two A levels. At level 3 BTECs can be studied alongside A levels. They are assessed by practical and written assignments, projects and exams. OCR Cambridge Technical qualifications (levels 2 and 3) Similar to BTECs, Cambridge Technicals are offered in some sixth forms and further education colleges. They are work-related qualifications in subjects such as health and social care, digital media and performing arts. They are assessed mainly through coursework. FE courses are available at all levels according to the starting point, needs and ability of the young person. They prepare young people for the next stage of their learning or work. 4

5 Where can young people study in Norfolk? FE courses can be taken at further education colleges, school sixth forms, sixth form colleges or sometimes with training providers. Further education (FE) colleges Norfolk has four FE colleges: City College Norwich, College of West Anglia, Easton & Otley College and East Coast College. FE colleges offer a wide range of courses including academic, vocational and specialist occupational courses. Sixth forms Norfolk has approximately 30 sixth forms/centres, usually specialising in academic courses like A levels, although some also offer vocational courses. Sixth form colleges There are two sixth form colleges in Norfolk: East Norfolk Sixth Form College in Gorleston and Paston College in North Walsham. These colleges offer a wide range of A levels and some applied general courses. Finding and applying for FE courses You can find out about all courses available in Norfolk s colleges, sixth form colleges and sixth forms including dates and deadlines for applying on Help You Choose, Norfolk s information, advice and opportunities website and online applications system for young people Courses are also advertised in individual sixth form or college prospectuses and on their websites. Links to all of these sites can be found through the Help You Choose website. Applications for most colleges, sixth forms and sixth form colleges open from 1 October 2017, although some start recruiting earlier, so it s important to research options early in Year 11. See page 14 for more information on Help You Choose. 5

6 Apprenticeships and traineeships The main options for years olds who want a job with training are: Apprenticeships a paid job with an employer, usually with day release to college or a training provider to get the qualifications needed for the job. There are many types of apprenticeship available throughout Norfolk from engineering to care and hospitality. Apprenticeships for year olds are available at intermediate and advanced levels and take between one and four years to complete depending on the sector and the job. Higher and Degree Apprenticeships are available to young people at 18+. Traineeships these are for young people who are not yet ready to go straight into an apprenticeship but still want to work with an employer to develop their skills and gain experience. Traineeships provide up to six months training with an employer to develop the skills and experience needed to move on to an apprenticeship. Work preparation programmes and short courses some year olds are not ready to go into a full-time college course or into work and need extra time and support to develop their skills and confidence in order to make that next step. Work preparation programmes and short courses can help to bridge that gap they vary in length from a few weeks to up to a year, are usually tailored to the needs of the individual young person and many have start dates throughout the year. 6

7 When to apply Getting a job takes time and effort and young people need to apply themselves if they want to get a job with training. Year 11s can contact companies or training providers at any time during Year 11 to ask if they are planning to recruit apprentices in the summer of Many Norfolk companies will start advertising their apprenticeships for school leavers from January 2018, with some large national companies recruiting from October 2017, so it s important to start looking early. Finding and applying for work with training To find out more about apprenticeships, traineeships and work preparation courses and to view the latest vacancies in Norfolk go to: The Apprenticeships, Jobs & Training section of Help You Choose Information about applying is provided for all vacancies. Apprenticeships Norfolk site Provides information on becoming an apprentice in Norfolk with links to training providers and the Jobs24 website to apply. Find an apprenticeship website where young people can search for apprenticeships and set up an account to make applications. To find and apply for traineeships go to Information for parents and carers about the benefits of apprenticeships at 7

8 Year 11 planning the year ahead This checklist is to help you support your son or daughter and keep them on track with their planning and applications. Autumn Term 2017 Encourage your son/daughter to use the Choices at 16 booklet and Help You Choose to find out about their options & choices. They need to plan for two years of further education or training after Year 11. Go to sixth form, college and training provider open events to find out more information and get your questions answered. These are all advertised on Help You Choose. If they need careers advice, your son/daughter should talk to their school s tutor, careers coordinator or careers adviser. Alternatively phone a National Careers Service careers adviser on freephone From 1 October 2017 your son/daughter can apply online for college or sixth form courses through Help You Choose. Their school will help them to create an account. Unless they are 100% certain, encourage them to apply for at least two choices one first choice and one back up. If they want to join the Army, Navy or Air Force they need to contact Armed Forces careers offices. If they want to get an apprenticeship or job with training, get them to register their interest on the Apprenticeships Norfolk website and on Help You Choose to receive s about local job and training vacancies. They should also register on the national Find an apprenticeship site at Larger companies often advertise apprenticeships for school-leavers between November and February. For details go to company websites or look on or Spring Term 2018 Help your son/daughter to write letters or s to local companies to ask about apprenticeship opportunities. Help your son/daughter prepare for any interviews they are asked to attend at sixth form, college or with employers. If you are worried about money, contact colleges, sixth forms and training providers to ask about the Bursary Fund. For information about post-16 transport to get to sixth form or college, go to or call

9 Summer Term 2018 If your son/daughter still hasn t applied for anything or been offered a place, speak to the school s careers coordinator and ask them to see them urgently. May/June 2018 summer GCSE exams. If they are looking for an apprenticeship or other work with training, keep encouraging them to search and apply for apprenticeships and jobs. Your son/daughter should have received their National Insurance number. If not call the National Insurance registration helpline on The school leaving date is Friday 29 June after this date Year 11 students can legally work full-time. If they have been offered a place at a sixth form or college, encourage them to attend the Induction days in June/July. If your son/daughter intends to stay in full time education, you should continue to receive Child Benefit. For information call or visit Encourage your son/daughter to do some work experience or voluntary work during the summer to build up their skills. GCSE Results Day Thursday 23 August If they have not achieved the grades they need for a particular course, they should: Talk to their schools careers coordinator to ask for advice or call the National Careers Service on Contact the sixth form or college concerned to see what else they may be able to offer or go to their Get Yourself Sorted events. Call the Help You Choose Helpline on Late August - college and sixth form enrolment. If they need further careers advice once they have left school, they can call the National Careers Service on

10 Questions for open events at sixth forms, sixth form colleges, FE colleges and training providers Open events at sixth forms, sixth form colleges, colleges or apprenticeship training providers take place from the beginning of the autumn term. Details of these are on Help You Choose and on their own websites. What GCSE grades do you need for the course/apprenticeship? Do you need GCSE grades in particular subjects and what happens if my son/daughter does not achieve particular entry grades? What is the usual class size for the course? What will happen if not enough young people apply for the course? What is the balance between taught and independent study time eg lectures, classes and self-study? Which days of the week do students attend every day or on specific days of the week? What are the pass rates for particular courses and what are the average grades that students achieve on the programme? What do students typically progress on to after completing the course? If my son/daughter is applying for a one year Level 1 or 2 course, what can they move on to afterwards? Are specific grades required to move on to the next level? What opportunities are there for work experience as part of the course? What help will the sixth form/college give my son/daughter to find a suitable placement? Are there extra costs for equipment, uniform, visits, text books, meals etc? What careers guidance is available to help students with their next steps? What support is available to students with special educational needs or disabilities? Is transport provided by the college, sixth form or training provider and at what cost? How does the course timetable fit in with arrival/departure times of the transport? What financial help is available if you cannot meet the costs associated with the course eg transport, trips, uniform, equipment etc? If my son/daughter applies, what happens next? When will my son/daughter hear whether they have an interview or are to be offered a place? What contact is there with parents/carers about my son/daughter s performance, progress and attendance during the course? If, once they have started the course, my son/daughter feels that the course is not right for them, who should they speak to? 10

11 Finance for learning Bursary Fund School sixth forms, colleges and training providers have learner support funds to help students aged between 16 and 19 if they are starting a course and think they might struggle with the costs. Up to 1,200 is available to students who are most in need including: Young people in care and care leavers Young people claiming Income Support (or Universal Credit) in their own name Young people getting Employment Support Allowance (or Universal Credit in place of ESA) and Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payments in their own name. Other students facing financial difficulties may also be awarded a bursary payment or financial support from the Discretionary Bursary Fund for travel, free meals, books or equipment. This will be decided by their school, college or training provider. Young people on an apprenticeship, or in paid learning or training, cannot get a bursary. Young people undertaking a traineeship can apply for a bursary as they are not getting paid. For information and advice about bursary funds speak to college student services staff, head of school sixth form or a training tutor or visit Child Benefit Child Benefit will continue after your son/daughter reaches 16, provided they stay in full-time education at school or college, or start an approved training course such as a traineeship, and provided one parent or carer earns less than 50,000 a year. At the present time, you cannot claim Child Benefit if your son/daughter is on an apprenticeship. If your son/daughter is not planning to continue in full-time education after Year 11 you may be able to claim up to 20 weeks extended Child Benefit. To claim they should contact Norfolk County Council by calling the Help You Choose Helpline on To find out more about Child Benefit, about when payments will stop, and when you can get a Child Benefit extension if your child is under 18 go to or call

12 Travel and transport Most local bus and train operators offer discounted fares for students. It is worth checking these before you consider applying to Norfolk County Council s Post 16 Travel Scheme as they often offer a better discount. Under the 2017/18 Post 16 Travel Scheme the standard yearly contribution that you would make towards your son or daughter s transport costs is 516. If your family is receiving a low income benefit, you can apply for a 25% reduction, so you would pay 387 for the year. You can pay in instalments and a daily payer option is also available on some routes. This may change for 2018/19. For the latest information about travel and transport options, including operator discounts, go to or call Cycle allowances A cycling allowance of 200 per year is available from Norfolk County Council, to support young people to cycle to college or sixth form as a healthy and green alternative. Your son or daughter can claim this grant if they are eligible for support under the general school and college transport policy. If they receive a cycling allowance they won t get any other help with transport. Moped loans If your son or daughter will have difficulty getting to work, training or education, Kickstart can provide them with a moped loan. For more information and application details contact Kickstart on or visit their website at Your son or daughter will need a provisional driving licence to use a moped. Please note: Transport support under the Post 16 Travel Scheme is only available for full time education. It is not available to young people on apprenticeships. Get moving with a Kickstart moped Get moving with a Kickstart moped

13 Where will the future jobs be? Whatever choice your son or daughter makes, they need to think about the future job or career they would like to get into, how their education or training choices fit into their future career plan and the qualifications, skills and experiences they will need. It is also important to make sure they have information about the changing jobs market. Predicting the future job market in Norfolk is really difficult, however, over the next 10 years, particular employment sectors in Norfolk are expected to grow significantly and provide a strong source of future jobs. These sectors are: Norfolk s future growth sectors Advanced manufacturing and engineering Energy (including renewables) Life sciences Financial and insurance Construction and the built environment Agriculture, food and drink and agritech Health and social care ICT and digital creative Tourism, culture and retail Services to the public Qualifications and skills needed for future work Predictions indicate that by 2020 there will be fewer jobs available in Norfolk for people with no or few qualifications and an increase in jobs for people who have higher level qualifications as well as the essential qualifications of English and maths. Although qualifications are important in getting a job, employers also tell us that it is equally important for them to be able to recruit young people who know why they want a particular job and who have employability skills such as: Enthusiasm Communication skills Problem solving Creativity Honesty and integrity Being punctual Taking responsibility Team working Self-motivation Having a good attitude to work. Get moving with a Kickstart moped Get moving with a Kickstart moped To find out more about industries and companies in Norfolk and Suffolk go to

14 Using Help You Choose Help You Choose is Norfolk s careers information, advice and opportunities website and online applications system for young people. Help You Choose is the only place students can go to find information about all sixth form & college courses, apprenticeships, jobs and training options for year olds in Norfolk. From the homepage you can find: Impartial information and advice about all options in the Info & Advice area. Further education courses at all of Norfolk s sixth forms, colleges and sixth form colleges in the 6th Form & College Courses section you can search by subject, location, provider or qualification. Apprenticeships and traineeships information and latest vacancies in the Apprenticeships, Jobs & Training section you can search by type of vacancy, provider or location. Find out about upcoming open days and evenings in the Events section. Information for parents and carers in the parents section. Looking for work? In their Help You Choose My Account, your son/daughter can sign up for jobmatching. They will then receive an whenever there is a job or apprenticeship they might be interested in. Find us Applying using Help You Choose From 1 October 2017, your son/daughter can use Help You Choose to apply for courses at FE colleges, sixth form colleges and sixth forms. Their school should show them how to do this, and instructions are also provided in the Choices at 16 booklet and a Using Help You Choose guide available from their school. Your son/daughter can also apply at home with your help and advice. Many young people start their application at school then check it at home with a parent or carer before sending it. 14

15 Sources of careers information and advice People to speak to School careers coordinator or adviser. All schools have a duty to provide impartial careers guidance for young people who need it from year National Careers Service careers advisers. They can call the National Careers Service FREE from 8am-10pm every day on Calls are free from landlines and mobile phones. Staff in sixth forms, sixth form colleges, further education colleges or apprenticeship training organisations. Local businesses. Useful publications Choices at 16. Your son/daughter should receive a copy of this booklet from their school. It contains information about all the options available to them after Year 11. Prospectuses from sixth forms, sixth form colleges or FE colleges. Help You Choose - Keeping in Touch Team Norfolk County Council is required to keep in regular contact with your son/ daughter once they have finished school (summer 2018) up until they are 18 to offer support to help them get into education, training or work. This means that from time to time your son/ daughter might be called by the Help You Choose Keeping in Touch Team just to check things are going well. If they need support call , Monday Thursday 9am-5pm (Friday until 4.30pm). 15

16 Useful websites Help You Choose Norfolk s careers information, advice and opportunities website and online applications system for young people. Apprenticeships Norfolk for information on becoming an apprentice in Norfolk and links out to training providers and vacancies on the jobs24 website. Find an apprenticeship search for apprenticeships, register for vacancy information and apply online. National Careers Service nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk information, advice and guidance about careers, jobs and courses. GOV UK provides useful information about education, learning and working, including financial support for young people and sources of help. UCAS information and advice about higher education (degree) courses with a section for parents and guardians. Parental Guidance articles, news, updates and helpful information for parents and carers about the best way to advise your son or daughter. Developing Norfolk s Future Workforce You Tube video series norfolkemployability videos covering Norfolk s key employment sectors. Glossary BTEC: Business & Technology Education Council vocational qualifications for access to specific careers or higher education. Further education: the term used for studying after the age of 16 usually in a school sixth form, sixth form college or further education college. It is what most young people do on a full-time basis after Year 11. GCSE: General Certificate of Secondary Education HE: Higher Education at university level Nationals: practical, work-related qualifications that give learners an insight into a particular workplace or career. OCR: Oxford, Cambridge and RSA examinations board Qualification: An award made by an awarding body (such as BTEC, OCR, City & Guilds) to demonstrate a learner s achievement or competence. Technicals: OCR vocational qualifications at Level 2 and 3 for students aged 16+, designed to enable progress to employment or further education within the workplace. UCAS: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service Vocational education: education that prepares people to work in a particular industry or job. If you need this booklet in large print, audio, Braille, alternative format or language please contact us on and we will do our best to help. 16 This booklet is produced by the IAG Strategy Team, Norfolk County Council, County Hall, Martineau Lane, Norwich, NR1 2DH Tel: