Year 12

Since September 2013 all young people are under a duty to participate in education or training until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17. Since September 2015 this rose to their 18th birthday.

Raising Participation Age (RPA) – Year 12

Statutory Duty

When the participation age increases, young people will need to continue to study or train in one of three routes.

Full time study – school, college or training provider
Full time work or volunteering with part time education or training
An Apprenticeship

What counts as participation

A full time programme has been set at 540 hours
Employment with training programme requires at least 20 hours of employment
Fixed hours will be set for home education. Guidance will suggest that local authority’s could confirm with parents that home education will be provided.
Volunteering, self-employment and holding office combined with part-time study will count as participation.
Caring together with part-time study can count but only if the young person receives a carer’s allowance or are on the local authority’s register of carers.

What does raising the participation age mean for me?

RPA for Students

Raising Participation Age

RPA for Parents

School Leaving Age

RPA Timeline

Help, support and advice for young people

Baseline

Baseline provides support and advice for young people including:

doing better at school
getting into further education
getting a job, training or volunteering
relationship advice
gang and potential crime involvement

Open Monday 2pm–5pm Tuesday–Friday 10am–5pm

Baseline is a drop-in service for children and young people aged 8-19 (up to 25 with learning difficulties and/or disabilities). Younger people aged 16 or under and still at school can use this service outside school hours.

Specialist one-to-one youth workers are available daily to help young people and they can also get support from other organisations and services. These include: