Your future. It’s your choice.
You need to stay in education or training after you’re 16, but how you do this is up to you. There are lots of options and you need to pick the one that will help you get the future you want.
Learn full time
Stay on full-time at school or college
Lots of school have sixth forms. You can stay at your current school or move to a new one. Sixth forms tend to be smaller, and offer more teaching structure and student support than colleges.
Colleges are often larger and more informal than sixth forms, and they offer a wider variety of courses, but they will expect you to be able to manage your own work and time effectively.
If you’re not sure which is right for you, some schools run joint courses with colleges so you can experience both.
You need to find a school or college that offers the courses or subjects you are interested in studying, or the best route to the level of qualifications you want. If you have special educational needs, you’ll also want to think about whether your chosen provider is suitable for your situation.
Search and apply for courses through UCAS Progress
Open days
Schools and colleges have open days that you can go along to and find out more about what’s offered and get a feel for the place.
Find open days in your local area
Kent County Council
www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/college-sixth-form-employment-and-training/options-at-16-and-beyond#tab-1