Conference first in country to tackle problems of keeping youngsters involved in education after GCSEs

John Roberts Education Correspondent

YORKSHIRE’S head teachers are being urged to ready themselves and their pupils for the school leaving age rising amid fears over how keeping young people in education until the age of 18 will be paid for.

Leaders from schools and further education colleges will be warned that the region’s economy relies on them being able to keep pupils’ engaged in education.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A conference takes place in Leeds on Friday, thought to be the first of its kind in the country, to help the region’s education providers prepare for an impending law change which will raise the age by which young people have to stay on in school.

Head teachers believe sixth forms will need to join forces with neighbouring schools and other education providers to ensure they can provide the variety of courses to allow all their pupils to stay on beyond the age of 16.

From 2013 the education leaving age will increase to 17 meaning secondary school pupils aged between 11 and 13, who are currently in years seven and eight, will have to stay on for another year.

In 2015 it will increase to 18 and will apply to pupils who are now in primary school from year six and younger.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

David Harbourne, project director of the Yorkshire and Humber 14-19 Challenge, said schools needed to ensure these pupils understood that they would remain in education long and wanted to do so.

He said: “Young people currently in year eight will be the first to experience this law change in 2013.

“We know that many are under the impression they will be leaving education after their GCSEs in the summer of 2013 and many will be in for a shock.

“The same can be said for businesses as the law change has not been widely publicised nor properly understood.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But while the change may come as a surprise to some people, it also presents a big opportunity for employers and education to work together. By working with young people before they leave school, employers can help develop their confidence and skills like teamwork and problem-solving. This will give them a head start when they go out into the world of work.”

The conference at the Royal Armouries on Friday, will be attended by more 180 guests from schools, colleges and businesses in Yorkshire.

Suzy Alderson, the executive director of the Young People’s Enterprise Forum, which is organising the event, said: “We are looking at keeping young people engaged. If you have young people who are struggling at school at the age of 12 and 13 and they face being in education until they are 18 then we need to think about what that education will look like.

“There is an economic driver for this. To be competitive in an increasingly competitive world we need to have enough young people with high-level skills. However when you look at the cuts to university funding and the pressures on college budgets and you see the numbers who will be staying on in education you can see there might be a problem.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dennis Richards, the head teacher at St Aidan’s CE School, in Harrogate, said smaller school sixth forms would not be able to cope without joining forces with neighbouring schools once everyone is required to stay on in education until they are 18.

Val Malcolm has been seconded from her job as head teacher at Kirk Balk School, in Barnsley, to lead Barnsley Council’s work in preparation for the changes.

In Barnsley schools have already formed alliances to allow them to share resources and the councils’ plans for nine new schools include the capacity to cope with extra numbers.

Kirk Balk School itself has prepared for the changes by taking the existing year eight pupils to Barnsley College for taster sessions to get them to think about the options available to them.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speakers at the conference on Friday include Helen McMullen, the director for children and learners at the Government Office for Yorkshire and Humber, and Alex McWhirter, assistant director for business, at regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.

Related topics: