Post 16 specialist school or college - video transcript

Transcript for the video on the Post 16 specialist school or college page.

Caption: CXK inspiring people to thrive. Specialist School or College Post 16 options cxk.org.

Chris, a careers advisor is sitting outside talking.

"Hello there my name is Chris, I'm a Careers Adviser with CXK. Today I'm sitting in the Kent countryside and I'm going to be talking to you about the options you have for post 16, if you find yourself in a specialist school or college.

Now, the options that you have are varied and it relates to the things that you can do after year 11, once you've finished your current studies. You've got around about four different options, so I hope this video helps you."

Chris holds up a small white stone.

"First of all, the first option you've got represented by this stone. So this option is that you could stay at your current school or college if they have what's called a post 16 provision, which is of options available for you for after year 11. The courses you can do could vary depending on what they actually are at your particular place, but they might be vocational, relating to a particular job, like hairdressing or construction. Or, it might be what we call employability skills, which are to do with learning the skills that you need to get a job, like people skills communication and time keeping. The options will vary depending on where you are, so that could be your first option."

Chris puts down the stone and holds up a grey stone.

"Another option you've got is that you could go to a further education college. This might be a specialist college out of county or it could be a local college, and the course is there very considerably. You've got courses for pretty much every different sort of ability, depending on where the college that you're looking at. From those who haven't got so many GCSEs to those who've got more GCSEs depending on different ability levels. You've got courses that are to do with jobs so like vocational, so learning a particular skill such as cooking to become like a chef. You've got those that are to do with subjects like art or health and social care. The options vary depending on the colleges that are available to you, but this could be your other choice that you could do so that could be one for you".

Chris puts down the grey stone and picks up a smaller white stone.

"The other option you've got is that you could do what's called a study programme, now a study programme is a bit like a college but it's often just a smaller setting. You're in classes of around about five to ten and often working on your individual needs to move you forward to what you want to do in the future. They to do with employability skills, like time keeping and communication skills helping you to develop the skills that you need for work. But, the settings are often much smaller and much more informal, so that could be another option for you".

Chris puts down the smaller white stone and picks up a red stone.

"The last option you've got is that you could decide to do a work based option, so this is what we call an apprenticeship, so it's four days a week at work, one day a week at training (or the equivalent thereof) that's one option within those. But you also get supported internships and other forms of supported employment, where you might have work experience or work tasters to help get you ready for the idea of work. Again it varies depending on where you are as to what support is available, but often you'll be actually having help from trained professionals that can help you get into work, and actually work. It will also depend on your ability and where you are".

Chris moves the camera down to show a bench holding the three stones he has previously picked up. He keeps hold of the red stone associated with work based options and moves them against the other stones as he talks about the various options.

"With these choices it's quite interesting, so if we come down here I've got these stones set up, the work based option, could be done at any point after any of these so you could stay where you are and then do it you, could go to college then do it, or you could do the study program and then do it. So this is quite movable".

Chris picks up the different rocks showing how a young person could move around their options.

"What some students do is that they move things around that they might stay where they are, then they might decide to go to college, and then into work, or for example they might move that around and do a study programme. These paths can change".

Chris moves the camera back up to a sitting position and continues to talk into the camera.

"Depending on what your needs are and where you find yourself you might go through several of these at different points.

Just because you don't do them now it doesn't mean you won't do them later. For example I've worked with some students that have stayed exactly where they are at their current school or college then gone on to a study programme. That's helped them get their confidence up to then be able to go on to college and then finally into work, that's one path. But some students find they don't need to go to college and they go straight into work, so there's lots of different paths that you can take, that's really important.

The other thing that you might find is that you've got an education health care plan or an EHCP. That means that you'll be getting support with these options possibly a bit sooner than other students, in other schools because, they need time to put the support in place. You might find in the summer of year 10, you'll be meeting someone like myself, who'll be helping you coming into the school (independent careers advisor) to help you with your choices, or working with your family to help you with those choices or with your parents or carers, whoever's looking after you and with yourselves of course.That's basically to give everyone time to get the support in place and to give you time to think about what you want to do so.

Hopefully that helps you to give you a bit of a starting point. I hope this gives you some ideas of the four choices you've got. I wish you the best of luck with your choices, and if you do need help please make sure that you reach out for support at the school or college you're at or with your local independent career service.

I wish you all the best and hope all goes well."

Caption: CXK. Inspiring people to thrive. cxk.org