Post 16 education

About

All young people must stay in a designated learning environment until the age of 18. The study programme should provide stretch and progression and help them to achieve the best possible outcomes in adult life. We call this phase ‘post-16’.

This does not necessarily mean staying in school. It could be full time study in a school, college or training provider, full time work or volunteering combined with part-time education or training, or an apprenticeship or traineeship. You can find out more about the options on our Your Future page. Somerset education Business Partnership also has resources on their Imagine the possibilities page to support career education and transition for families and young people moving onto post-16 options with .

There are more than 20 school sixth forms, colleges and training providers in Somerset. Choosing an educational setting can be a really big decision, especially if a child or young person has . Below you can find out more about the different types of school or educational settings for full-time post-16 study.

Young people with plans may need longer education or training to achieve their outcomes and make an effective transition into adult life. If necessary, the plan can stay in place until the young person is 25 years old, although this is not an automatic entitlement or requirement. Read more on our Ceasing an Education Health and Care plan page.

Helen from explains the post-16 information and support available, during October 2022 Local Offer Live sessions.

Mainstream Sixth Form

What is offered?

Schools and academies with a sixth form offer a range of mainstream courses, including A levels, AS levels, maths and English GCSE for students aged 16 to 19 years. Some may also offer vocational courses.

All mainstream schools must publish their Information Report, outlining how they support children with special educational needs and disabilities, on their website. You can find a link to this using the find a school search below.

You can view the draft graduated response of provision that the local authority expects to be available for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities in Somerset schools at post-16. You will be supported by the in a similar way to your time during school.

Find your local school offering 16 to 18 provision

How do you access?

All schools have admission criteria to decide which young people get places in the sixth form. Admission criteria are different for each school, and each course. Schools will let you know what grades you need to get into their sixth form, and what grades they would really like you to have. Applications are usually done on the school website, but if you are already in Year 11 at the school, you might just need to fill out an options form instead of a full application. Post-16 applications are not co-ordinated by Somerset Council.

Children with an Education Health and Care plan have decisions about placement made under consultation with the school as part of the Education, Health and Care Plan and Annual Review process.

General Further Education (FE) Colleges and Sixth Form Colleges

What is offered?

Colleges offer a wide range of different courses. From those that do not need any specific GCSE Grades (Foundation Studies and access courses) through to GCSEs (including English and maths), A levels, apprenticeships, degrees and professional qualifications. Although most full-time Colleges are attended by 16 to 19 year-olds, there are also many adults studying in a college on a range of short, part-time, professional or Higher Education courses.

You can view the draft graduated response of provision that the local authority expects to be available for Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities within Somerset colleges at post-16. There will be a person at College in charge of supporting young people with special educational needs. This person may be called a similar to in schools, or the Lead. The college must make sure that students with know who they can go to for help.

Colleges will have an additional learning support team who will work across the college to support learners with specific learning difficulties and/or disabilities. They may also provide students with one to one or small group work to help with their studies, and examination access arrangements, specialist equipment and software and supporting strategies for alternative ways to learn. You can find our more on the college websites below.

There are 4 Colleges in Somerset:

How do you access?

All colleges have admission criteria to decide which young people get places in the college. Admission criteria are different for each college, and also each course. Colleges will list minimum entry requirements, and preferred entry requirements. Applications are usually completed through the college website. Post-16 applications are not co-ordinated by Somerset Council.

Children with an Education Health and Care plan have decisions about placement made under consultation with the school as part of the Education, Health and Care Plan and Annual Review process.

Special Sixth Form

What is offered?

Specialist schools and academies with a sixth form offer a bespoke pathway through post-16 for pupils aged 16 to 19 years with more complex or multiple special educational needs and disabilities, and an plan, whose needs cannot be met in a mainstream setting. The curriculum is designed to prepare students for adulthood and ensure that they leave fully equipped to be positive and contributing members of their local community. Functional Numeracy and Literacy will be included.

You will find information about each offer within the school’s Information Report:

How do you access?

Children with an Education Health and Care plan have decisions about placement made under consultation with the school as part of the Education, Health and Care Plan and Annual Review process.

Training providers

These offer a range of different courses to all ability levels, from those that do not need any GCSEs to professional qualifications and higher level apprenticeships. Most offer work-based training and apprenticeships. Many specialise in training for certain careers and many offer courses to develop young people’s employability skills, including traineeships.

Find training providers on Step Up Somerset.

Find out more about organisations geared up to help you find the right job or training placement on our Finding and keeping a job pages.

Alternative Provision

What is offered?

There is now a range of alternative day service providers. Examples of Alternative Provision can be accessing experiences of work on a farm, in cafes, shops, running enterprise projects, working with animals, as well as therapeutic service. Others will have opportunities to develop life and work skills, build friendships, access their community; offering diverse provision for young people and adults with .

How do you access?

Alternative provision will not be full time and access to provision should be a decision made in collaboration with, young people, parent/carers and relevant professionals in adult social care.

Independent Specialist Post-16 Institution

What is offered?

Independent special schools and colleges are run privately. Instead of being funded by the government, independent schools and colleges usually charge fees. For an independent school or college to be considered for a young person with (and named in an Education, Health and Care plan) it must be on an approved list by the secretary of state for education. This is known as “approved under section 41 of the Children and Families Act”.

Find a Specialist Post-16 Institution

How do you access?

Where children or young people have an Education, Health and Care Plan, it is a key aim of Somerset Council that wherever possible, their needs are met locally, thereby enabling the majority to remain with their friends and family.

The local authority will only in exceptional circumstances agree to offer to place in a local specialist post-16 institution if there are no suitable places in a local maintained special sixth form and:

if the college is suitable for the child’s special educational needs
if the head teacher agrees to offer a place
if the placement is an efficient use of public money

The independent special school or college sets its own admission criteria, and the Local Authority cannot order an independent school to accept a child or young person. Children with an Education Health and Care plan have decisions about placement made under consultation with the school as part of the Education, Health and Care Plan and Annual Review process.

Universities

What is offered?

Higher education describes post-18 learning that takes place at universities and other colleges and institutions that award academic degrees, professional qualifications, and Continuing Professional Development modules. It is usually referred to as higher education. Find out more about the support available for studying at Higher education with additional needs.

Many people choose to move away from home to attend a university. There are 4 offers of higher education available in Somerset:

University Centre Somerset part of Bridgwater and Taunton College (with The Open University, University of Plymouth, Oxford Brookes University and University of the West of England, Bristol)
Yeovil College University Centre (with University of Gloucestershire, University of Plymouth and Open University)
Bournemouth University Yeovil nursing campus
Strode College Higher Education and Skills Centre (with University of Plymouth)

How do you access?

All higher education settings have admission criteria to decide which young people get places. Admission criteria are different for each setting and each course. Settings will list minimum entry requirements, and preferred entry requirements. All applications need to go through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). When you apply through , you will have the opportunity to share any individual needs or circumstances, including . Sharing this information helps the university connect you to the right support – they may send you more information or contact you to discuss what would help you succeed.

When universities consider your achievements, it helps them to know if you’ve faced any particular circumstances or challenges that may have affected your education or results. By looking at your achievements in context, they may adjust their usual offer to give you a fair chance to access your chosen course. These are called ‘contextual offers’. Not all universities make contextual offers, and some only make them for

Distance Learning

What is offered?

Distance learning courses usually involve students engaging with learning materials at home or work. You also get tutorial support through a virtual learning environment, phone, email or other electronic means. There may be occasional face-to-face interactions with tutors. It means you can fit your learning around your work and home life. You get to decide exactly when and where you study. Many courses are not available to students under the age of 18.

Find distance learning offers from the Somerset colleges:

Find undergraduate distance learning providers on UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

How do you access?

All higher education settings have admission criteria to decide which young people get places. Admission criteria are different for each setting, and also each course. Settings will list minimum entry requirements, and preferred entry requirements. Applications will either be direct with the setting, or through . See the information about universities above for further information.