Plans to raise School leaving age
 Raising the education leaving age in England to 18 is a key plan of the government. The leaving age bill includes a duty on parents to assist their children to participate in education or training. There are also moves to reform the apprenticeship system and to improve achievement for children in care.
It means that in England by 2013, all pupils will have to stay in education or training until the end of the school year in which they turn 17. By 2015, this leaving age will be raised to the 18th birthday. The bill includes a duty on young people to comply with this regulation - and also a duty on their parents “to assist their children to participate”.
This raises the prospect that parents as well as children will face legal responsibilities to ensure attendance until the age of 18. Employers will also be required to release young people for the equivalent of one day a week of training. There are currently 250,000 apprenticeships available, offered by 130,000 employers. In step with plans to keep all young people in education or training until the age of 18, by 2013 all school leavers will be entitled to an apprenticeship place. By 2020, there is a target of 500,000 apprenticeships in the UK - 400,000 of which will be in England.
|
