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madsadie

SCHOOL LEAVING AGE

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Ok guys, Now I am really going crazy. I decided that I will try and get advice from a solicitor so I contacted a secialist one who had been recommended.

 

Now, My son in Yr 11 will be 16 in March, She has just told me he's in final year of compulsory education.. I said he has to stay until 17 and she wasn't sure that that had been brought in yet.

I have checked GOV website. She was very nice and seemed knowledgeable in other respects but this worries me.

 

 

 

??!!!

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My son is in year 11 (16 in August) and I have been advised that the compulsory school leaving age is now 17 so he has to either do another full year of learning or go on an apprenticeship - this is how I understand it. School have asked if he wants to stay another year then we need to set the ball rolling. I feel a fight with the LA coming on .....

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It is perfectly legal to homeschool.....as long as you keep written evidence that your young person is recieving the minimum required hours of learnig per week so if anyone doesn't want to keep their child in education past the age of 16 when the new rules come in, you could just do that. The educational hours can be anything from written work or internet research, reading, to daytrips...and you don't have to follow a curriculum...it can be based on the young person's own interests...child-led learning. Just an idea. :)

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Just to clarify re. home education, you don't have to teach for any particular number of hours at all. If you de-register your child from school then you are free to follow whatever curriculum you find appropriate for however many hours per day that are suitable for your child. It is legal to leave school at 16, but presumably the young person wouldn't be eligible for any benefits until 17.

 

~ Mel ~

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https://www.gov.uk/k...an-leave-school - the answer to your question is here. You can leave school at 16, but then must be either in full time education, an apprenticeship or full time employment with part time education.

 

Home education counts as full time education in this instance. So does private education.

 

Government sites are notoriously bad at giving quality advice for parents considering home education and many were completely silent on the matter until a few years ago.

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This is all rubbish. There isn't a school leaving age because school isn't compulsory.

 

It is compulsory school education- or you get welfare officers knocking at your door with warnings and if fail to comply with it can lead the parent in getting arrested

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It is compulsory school education- or you get welfare officers knocking at your door with warnings and if fail to comply with it can lead the parent in getting arrested

 

Nonsense. I have been involved in the HE movement for years so I know what the law is and the impact of the raising of the school leaving age on HE kids.

 

in my borough website, they leave school at 17 but anyone in year 9 stay in education until there 18

 

http://www.boroughof...ticipation-age/

 

Local Authority websites are well known for giving half-truths or misinformation about HE. One LA was forced to make large alterations to its website after erroneously thinking that the HE provisions set out in the Children, Schools and Families bill were now law whilst the bill was still circulating in Parliament.

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School education isn't compulsory, but education is. That education can take place at home but you can't just take your child out of school and let them sit on the computer all day, you have to educate them but it doesn't have to be in a school setting.

 

~ Mel ~

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Nonsense. I have been involved in the HE movement for years so I know what the law is and the impact of the raising of the school leaving age on HE kids.

 

 

 

Local Authority websites are well known for giving half-truths or misinformation about HE. One LA was forced to make large alterations to its website after erroneously thinking that the HE provisions set out in the Children, Schools and Families bill were now law whilst the bill was still circulating in Parliament.

 

your wrong there its the truth. I know these things. I even know people go to school until that age.

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Hello everyone, and thanks for the replies.

 

I am quite aware I can home educate, and provide 'education otherwise than at school'. I have done so in the past but, I am not going to do it anymore. even if i did, i think I would have to do it until he's 17.

I put the wrong title - it should have been 'what's the compulsory education leaving age?'. I answered my won question by looking on Gov website.

 

So I am still perplexed as to why an experienced SEN solicitor would not know about this, and it is particulary relevant because of the possibility that the LA will cease to maintain the statement at 16.

 

Mmm.

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I was told by careers adviser that although leaving age has been raised to 17yrs, then will go up to 18yrs, it is not legally enforceable. So if your child did not attend school/ education/ training after age 16yrs the parent cannot be prosecuted. Nor can an employer for employing a 16/17yr old in a job without training. Don't know if this is correct though!

I am interested in this as I have a son Yr11 at a private school funded by LEA. His statement was reviewed with no changes in October but although he wants to stay on at his school in the 6th form and school are happy to have him continue, we have still had to make a case for the LEA panel to assess whether his placement can be extended. We have not had to do this in any other year since he was initially accepted in Yr7. If he has to stay in education for at least another year anyway due to the leaving age being raised, why have we had to go through this process? Have not had a decision from panel yet but fear it will be a refusal. is anyone else in this position? Thanks for any advice.

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I was told by careers adviser that although leaving age has been raised to 17yrs, then will go up to 18yrs, it is not legally enforceable. So if your child did not attend school/ education/ training after age 16yrs the parent cannot be prosecuted. Nor can an employer for employing a 16/17yr old in a job without training. Don't know if this is correct though!

I am interested in this as I have a son Yr11 at a private school funded by LEA. His statement was reviewed with no changes in October but although he wants to stay on at his school in the 6th form and school are happy to have him continue, we have still had to make a case for the LEA panel to assess whether his placement can be extended. We have not had to do this in any other year since he was initially accepted in Yr7. If he has to stay in education for at least another year anyway due to the leaving age being raised, why have we had to go through this process? Have not had a decision from panel yet but fear it will be a refusal. is anyone else in this position? Thanks for any advice.

 

I don't know much about this particular situation. I would advise you speak to www.ipsea.org.uk about it. I think that any change to the Statement can be appealed, and I would appeal any decision to cease the Statement IF his current school goes up to age 19. Have you spoken to the school? They maybe able to give you alot of help and support in your discussions with the LA. Especially if they do specific things such as life skills for these older children.

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