Where to find help with post-16 choices
Choosing what to do after GCSEs can be difficult. Talk through your options with teachers, parents or carers, friends, and careers services.
Classroom resources
Resources to help you help your students search for courses and decide what to do, including lesson plans, and websites and services for schools.
Resources to use with your students
- What are my options? explores the range of post-16 choices available to students. While our qualifications page lays out in detail the main qualifications available.
- Choosing where to study or train explores the differences between school sixth forms, sixth form colleges, FE colleges and training providers.
- The ideal next step for some students may be a traineeship or apprenticeship. We have details on both options.
- Students may want to explore their career options – we have information on job families to help them choose the next step.
- All students in England will be offered a post-16 study programme incorporating information on their training or courses as well as personal development.
- We also provide interview tips and guidance on writing a personal statement.
Useful websites and services for schools
- TES Growing Ambitions – information and resources for teachers and careers professionals
- Inspiring the future – free service with volunteers from lots of sectors and professions going into schools and colleges to talk about their jobs
- Speakers for Schools – the 'sister' charity to Inspiring the future
- My Big Career – charity supporting the provision of 1:1 careers guidance for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds
- Bright Knowledge – charity helping young people access the education and career pathways they might not think were available to them, providing careers info, advice, online mentoring and online resources
- Future First – organisation supporting schools and colleges setting up an alumni community to offer support to current students, such as career and educational role models, mentors and work experience
- Prince's Trust – runs a range of programmes working with disadvantaged young people
- Informed Choices – Russell Group guide to making decisions about post-16 education, with a view to going on to higher education
- LifeSkills – a range of free, interactive curriculum-linked lesson plans, workshops and resources to help young people develop the skills to enter the world of work and access work experience opportunities, traineeships and Apprenticeships.
Parents and carers
Information for parents and carers about the opportunities for post-16 education and training,.