Unit302_1.3_Post_16

• The September guarantee • Participation in education and training is rising and it has been announced that the participation age will rise to 17 in 2013 and 18 in 2015. This will help to ensure that every young person has the opportunity to gain skills and qualifications that help them progress to higher education, work and adult life. • If participation is to continue to rise, there needs to be a good process to ensure that 16- and 17- year-olds can secure a suitable offer of education or training in a school, college or work-based training. In previous years, this process has been known as the 'September Guarantee'. The offer should be appropriate to meet the young person’s needs and may be in a school, college or in work-based training. Local authorities have a duty to ensure that there are sufficient suitable opportunities, and to encourage young people to take up these opportunities, by: -making sure that all 16- and 17- year olds are made aware that they should be offered a place in post-16 education or training -influencing and shaping education and training provision to make sure that it meets young people’s needs -recording offers made to young people so that those who have still to receive and offer can be identified and helped to find a suitable place. -Young people, or their parents, who have questions about what is on offer in their area can speak to their school or local authority careers adviser to discuss options. 93.9 per cent of 16- and 17- year olds received an offer of a place in education or training in 2010 (96.6 per cent of 16-year-olds and 91.3 per cent of 17-year-olds). Of the remainder, most had either chosen not to apply for education or training (for example, because they had found a job) or could not be contacted. Guarantee of either of the following: • Full or part-time education in school, sixth form college, independent learning provider, or FE college • An Apprenticeship or programme-led Apprenticeship, which must include both training (study) and work placement • E2E- Entry to Employment • Employment with training to NVQ level 2