Every teacher and tutor wants to see their students developing the skills they need to secure their own social and economic well-being. But how will raising the participation age to 18 give them a better chance of success when they leave school? And will it really help young people who are already disengaged with education?
For one student at Selby College in Yorkshire, the idea of staying in education post-16 always felt like an impossible dream. After being taken out of school by his parents because he was being bullied, he returned to education six months later withdrawn, de-motivated and extremely low in self-esteem. Then he began studying the Foundation Learning programme. According to Selby College’s Entry to Employment Contact Manager, Philippa Skate, he has since come full circle.
“By giving him the opportunity to learn in at his own pace, in a fun and practical way, he has built up his confidence and is now one of the most enthusiastic students I teach,” she explains.
For Philippa’s star pupil, returning to college and studying Foundation Learning has given him the self-confidence and life skills that he needed for a brighter future. But it could have been a different story – and it still is for some young people who slip out of education at 16 and fall into a life of unemployment and dependency. For this critical minority, last year’s landmark act to raise the participation age to 18 has the potential to help them achieve more than their counterparts from previous generations.
Learning for longer will fuel aspiration and achievement because young people who stay in education or training post-16 tend to aim higher and do better. Add to this recent predictions in the Leitch Review that the number of unskilled workers will shrink significantly in coming years, and it is clear that pupils need to leave education and training with solid qualifications, practical skills and self-confidence if they are going to thrive.