Year 11 - planning the year ahead

Autumn Term

• Encourage your son/daughter to use the Info & Advice section on 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 providers’ open events to find out more information and get your questions answered. These are all advertised on the Events section of Help You Choose.
• If they need careers advice, your son/daughter should talk to their school’s tutor, careers leader or careers adviser. Alternatively phone a National Careers Service careers adviser on freephone 0800 100 900.
• From 1 October your son/daughter can apply online to most college or sixth form courses through Help You Choose. Their school should help them to create an account but they can also do this at home. 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. They should also register on the national Find an Apprenticeship service.
• Larger companies often advertise apprenticeships for school-leavers between November and February. For details go to company websites or look on Apprenticeships Norfolk or the Find an Apprenticeship service.

Spring Term

• Help your son/daughter to write letters or emails 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 16-19 Bursary Fund.
• Norfolk County Council's Post16 Travel Scheme, gives details about post-16 transport to get to and from sixth form or college.  Alternatively you can call 0344 800 8020.

Summer Term

• If your son/daughter still hasn’t applied for anything or been offered a place, speak to the school’s careers leader and ask them to see them urgently.
• May/June – 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 by their sixteenth birthday. If not call the National Insurance registration helpline on 0300 200 3500
• The school leaving date is the last Friday in 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 any 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 0300 200 3100
• Encourage your son/daughter to do some work experience or voluntary work during the summer to build up their skills.
• GCSE Results Day – usually the last Thursday in August

If they have not achieved the grades they need for a particular course, they should:

• Talk to their schools’ careers leader to ask for advice or call the National Careers Service on 0800 100 900
• 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 0344 800 8022
• 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 0800 100 900