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Education and Training: Levels and Stages

Age 11 to 13: Year 7, 8 and 9 = KS3

Age 14 to 16: Year 10 and 11 = KS4 (GCSEs)

Age 17 to 18: Year 12 and 13 KS5 Post 16, Further Education Wide range of education and training on offer from Entry Level to Level 3.

Age 19 and beyond: Post 18, Higher Education– University Degrees, Work based training (NVQ to Level 8)

Students begin to take some papers and assessments for GCSE in Year 10, however the majority of GCSE exams are sat in Year 11.

On leaving Severn Vale students go on to a wide range of Post 16 institutions and employers.  The law now states that students must attend a placement with some kind of learning attached to it.  This does not mean that all students need to go into a school sixth form.

Current options are:

  • Apprenticeship – The student is employed, and paid, for duration of the Apprenticeship training which can range from under a year to 4 years.  The learning is hands on in the work place and also involves gaining a qualification either by assessment in the workplace or going to college, usually one day a week.   
  • College – offering a wide range of vocation courses at different entry levels, which prepare the student for a specific career sector. The work is usually assessed on coursework.  Examples are Gloucestershire College, Hartpury College, Stroud and South Gloucestershire College, The Waldorf College.
  • Employment with Training – The student is fully and permanently employed to a specific role, however there must be appropriate training until the student is 18, towards a recognised qualification.
  • Sixth Form at a School - This is the most usual route for students who want to study A Levels.  Normally students choose 4 different subjects.  Each sixth form has it’s own entry criteria and it is important to check requirement. Examples are Archway, Beaufort, Crypt, Gloucester Academy, High School for Girls,  Rednock, Ribston, St Peters.
  • Sixth Form at a College - Some local colleges also have a sixth form.  These are Cirencester College, GlosCol at Cheltenham and The Forest, Hartpury College and Stroud and South Gloucestershire College at Filton.
  • Training Centre – There are a wide variety of specialist and general training centres in the Gloucester area. Examples are Bridge Training, Gloucester Engineering Training, Gloucester Furniture Recycling Project, Independent Training, JHP Training, Prospect Training Services.  Some offer courses linked to apprenticeships, or pre apprenticeship programmes in a particular career area, whilst others offer rolling programmes at entry level to help students to continue learning in an area they are interested in.Traineeship
  • Traineeships- are offered by some Training Centres and Colleges to young people who have a strong idea of the vocational path they want to take, and would suit an apprenticeship, but are not quite ready either academically or emotionally, or lack experience or practical skills. A traineeship is an education and training programme, which provides the essential, sector relevant work preparation training and work experience, along with English and Maths education needed to secure an apprenticeship or employment. It is very important to visit open days, and to carefully research what each course entails along with the facilities on offer to students.  Two courses may have the same title but can vary a great deal in content and how the course is delivered.