16+ learning choices
DESCRIPTION
Information for young peopleTRANSCRIPT
Who can advise me?
Pupils in schools will continue to receive
support and advice from Pupil Support staff.
Skills Development Scotland Careers Advisers
work in partnership with schools to help pupils
with career planning and researching.
SDS Careers Advisors continue to offer
information, advice and guidance to young
people beyond school.
Where can I find out more?
Contact your (child’s) school or Skills
Development Scotland if you want to discuss
how 16+ Learning Choices will apply to you
or your child.
In West Lothian, Skills Development Scotland
are based at:
Careers Scotland Centre
Cairngorm House
Almondvale Boulevard
Livingston
EH54 6QN
01506 434249
www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk
Information is available in Braille, tape, large print and community languages. Please contact the interpretation and translation service on 01506 775000
Text phones offer the opportunity for people with a hearing impairment to access the council. The text phone number is 01506 464427.
A loop system is also available in all offices. Published by West Lothian Council
Customers with special requirements
16+ Learning Choices in West Lothian
A guide for young people, parents and carers
What is 16+ Learning Choices?
16+ Learning Choices is the Scottish
Government’s model for helping young people
stay in learning or training beyond their
statutory school leaving date.
The purpose of this is to improve their chances
of finding and staying in work, improve their
employability skills, prevent and reduce youth
unemployment and support economic growth
in Scotland.
What does this mean for young people?
16+ Learning Choices is a guaranteed offer
of a place in learning for every young person
who wants it and has reached their statutory
school leaving date.
Vulnerable young people who require more
choices and more chances are given particular
focus. This includes providing an enhanced
school to post-school transition for all young
people with additional support needs.
What is an offer of post-16 learning?
n Education in school
n Full or part-time further education (college)
n Full or part-time higher education (college
or university)
n National Training Programme eg Get
Ready for Work, Skillseeker or Modern
Apprenticeship
n Employment (not a National Training
Programme)
n Personal Skills Development
n Volunteering.
What will happen?
A young person in school and approaching an
eligible leaving date will be asked what they
intend to do. Support will be given to either
provide an appropriate course for that young
person at school (S4, S5 or S6) or to research
and apply for other learning opportunities, for
example, college, training or employment.
The school will record whether the young
person stays on at school or leaves to continue
their learning elsewhere and passes this
information on to Skills Development Scotland.
Should a young person’s circumstances
change, Skills Development Scotland will be
made aware and can offer information, advice
and guidance.
16+ Learning Choices in West Lothian