Son leaving school.

notsolucky_2

Hi my son leaves school this summer he will be 16 in August.
He says he doesnt want to go to college but hes not sure what career he wants to do, I am getting worried as time is moving on and we want him to do something , he is doing gcses and has talked about most things ie, plumbing, building, mechanicing(sp?), even the army at one point! but still not sure.
My family allowance for him will finish soon is that when they are 16? which just leaves my youngest.
Hes not a bad lad just lacking in motivation at times, I dont know which direction we should be heading in at the moment.
Anyone in a similar situation it would be great to hear from you as I dont know what benefits or help is available, thanks.

pavlovs_dog

my brother is in exactly the same situation..doesnt want to stay on in school, but absolutely no idea as to what he does want to do job-wise :eek:

think he'd be happy with anything that pays :rolleyes: he's just so young for his age (not immature so much as inexperienced), and i really dont think he is ready for the 9-5 grind yet

Stevenj214

You have to be firm with him and say he must stay on at school or go to college unless he has something lined up work wise to start.

Career wise, he should have a guidance teacher or careers advisor in his school who can help him out with his options.

computerwoman

Your child benefit will be paid up till september but you should have had a letter off them asking you what he is going to do if you put (go to college) you can get CB until he is 19 years old.
If he choose's to go to the job centre then he can get £15.00 per week but will have to sign on like he would if he where 18 years old.
Because he's only 16 he can't get full benefits, unless he's got something wrong like he's disabled, my son went through the same thing when he left school at 16, he soon realised that college was more appealling than job hunting, hope this help's T

Penny-Pincher!!

computerwoman-Can you explain the £15 pw sign on abit more please? My niece wasnt able to claim anything and was told that she wouldnt be entitled to anything until she was 18 and this would be JSA.

THanks
PP
xx

tanith

Best thing is for him to actually start looking around now before he has to make a decision maybe once he realises how difficult it can be to even fill in the application forms sometimes and how an interview is a 'result' he will realise that his best option is college...
But just maybe he will find a job that he likes and settle into a work ethic easily....

rchddap1

My partner's nephew essentially left school at 16 and has spent the last few years dossing. He will only work when forced by another member of his extended family.

Its important that your son do something....even if its stacking shelves at a supermarket. Otherwise it'll be so easy for him to fall into the trap of sitting around and waiting for things to be given to him.

Spendless

Penny-Pincher!! wrote:

computerwoman-Can you explain the £15 pw sign on abit more please? My niece wasnt able to claim anything and was told that she wouldnt be entitled to anything until she was 18 and this would be JSA.

THanks
PP
xx

That is also my understanding http://www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/JCP/Customers/WorkingAgeBenefits/Jobseekerallowance/

notsolucky_2

pavlovs_dog wrote:

my brother is in exactly the same situation..doesnt want to stay on in school, but absolutely no idea as to what he does want to do job-wise :eek:

think he'd be happy with anything that pays :rolleyes: he's just so young for his age (not immature so much as inexperienced), and i really dont think he is ready for the 9-5 grind yet

I dont think they realise do they? they think it will be ok because there getting payed but in reality its hard.
Thanks for all your comments .
I know alot of his friends are going on to college but he says its will be just like going to school and he feels hes had enough of that,so its really difficult to try and make him see sense, I know his Dad and me wont let him just stay in bed all day.
I suggested we went to a college open night to see what was on offer but he wasnt interested.
It should be exciting seeing your kids grow up but at the moment i wish he was younger and not leaving school but you cant stop time and we all want the best for our kids but sometimes you can only guide them so far and hope they make the right choices.
He starts exams next week and can leave school after the 12th June.
Hopefully over the next few weeks we can have some chats and try and persuade him to think hard about his future.Can he still choose to go to college later on? just wondering when it would be too late.

Spendless

notsolucky wrote:

I dont think they realise do they? they think it will be ok because there getting payed but in reality its hard.
Thanks for all your comments .
I know alot of his friends are going on to college but he says its will be just like going to school and he feels hes had enough of that,so its really difficult to try and make him see sense, I know his Dad and me wont let him just stay in bed all day.
I suggested we went to a college open night to see what was on offer but he wasnt interested.
It should be exciting seeing your kids grow up but at the moment i wish he was younger and not leaving school but you cant stop time and we all want the best for our kids but sometimes you can only guide them so far and hope they make the right choices.
He starts exams next week and can leave school after the 12th June.
Hopefully over the next few weeks we can have some chats and try and persuade him to think hard about his future.Can he still choose to go to college later on? just wondering when it would be too late.

I'm at college as a mature student. I started my course in January. There are a few students on the same course who left school last summer or the summer before that. Look at your local colleges website or make an appointment at their careers and guidance dept.

margaretclare

Hi

My youngest granddaughter *thought* that she wanted to stay on in Sixth Form College and do 'A' levels plus re-sit the GCSEs that she'd failed. She got abysmal results the following summer so obviously Sixth Form College wasn't right for her. She did some finding out, asking around, looking into it herself after having a few hard words from her parents. She's now doing a BTEC in Travel and Tourism at a nearby college and she loves it. It does tie in with the languages she's already done, but in a much more *practical* way.

Your son's school should have careers advice - I thought all schools did. Having said that, it's not easy for the young people, is it? There are far more possibilities out there than there ever were for my generation (I would have given my eye-teeth for the chance of Sixth Form College and further languages, which my granddaughter blew!!!) But OTOH maybe the fact that there are so many possibilities makes it far harder to choose.

There's a website which deals with apprenticeships - have a look at this:
https://www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Often young people do develop a real aversion to school at that age - they've had enough of it, and see it as just sitting there and being talked at. They have all the energy of youth - an apprenticeship could be the way to go.

BTW my grandson wanted to be a chef - did a college course and qualified, now finds it 'boring', has gone to University as a mature student aged 22 and is funding his course by working as a chef.

How does that make me feel - having a grandson who's a mature student?? My other granddaughter works in Customer Services for B&Q. My daughter, their mum, is passionate about Continuing Education. 'There is no cut-off age' is what she says, and she should know - she's a PA and now doing a part-time degree in Classics.

HTH

Margaret Clare