When did you leave school/education ? — Scope | Disability forum
Please read our updated community house rules and community guidelines.

When did you leave school/education ?

woodbine
woodbine Community member Posts: 11,519 Disability Gamechanger
edited June 2021 in Coffee lounge
Another in the what are you, when did you series, which I don't think will be giving any important personal details away.

So what age/at what point did you leave school?

I left the day I finished my "O"levels (that dates me lol) at 16years and 4 months, had I been a year older I could and would have left a year earlier !
2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

«1

Comments

  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Still in education open University for another three years studying physycology  with counselling 
  • vikingqueen
    vikingqueen Scope Member Posts: 1,410 Disability Gamechanger
                    Same here @woodbine, I left the 1st day I was allowed to, 16 and 2 months with 2 O levels (although I sat 13 of them)    I've never used the maths and English ones I got so the rest were just a waste of time. It's 50 years in September since I put on my High School uniform and walked into the "big pond", I hated every minute of it  :s 
                 I was the only one of our gang to pass the 11 plus so I saw all my friends go off to other schools. I did make lots of good friends but it just wasn't the same  :(
  • janer1967
    janer1967 Community member Posts: 21,964 Disability Gamechanger
    I left when I was 15 after my o levels 3 months before I was 16 

    I took combination of o levels and gcse so think they must have been trialling them 

    I got 7 o levels 

    Later went to uni when I was 32 for 3 years one day a week as well as full time work to do my degree 
  • innocent21
    innocent21 Posts: 35 Connected
    edited June 2021
    When I was at school the school leaving age was 16. However lots of employers like Tesco and Marks and Spencer have complained that school leavers and young adults lack basic reading, writing and maths skills and that companies have had to provide academic lessons to fill the gap. The news article said it was around 20-33% of people. So the government changed the school leaving age to 18 in an attempt to tackle this, which in my opinion won't help because adding 2 years doesn't change the quality of the schools or lesson material.

    I left secondary school at 16, started sixth form or college at 16, then started university at 18 for a 3 year bachelors course. That was the end of my 16 years of education.

    I failed my GCSEs so I was lucky to get into university. I had to study a BTEC National Level 3 in sixth form to get the qualifications to enter university as I wasn't allowed to do A Levels as I never had 5 GCSEs. It was my fault really as I never revised. If I had revised then I would have passed.

    I think the school teachers and examination boards were also partly to blame as they lulled the school kids into a false sense of security. When they gave the kids mock exams from previous years, mock revision material and in class exams, they tended to be very easy and every time kids did revise, hardly anything in the revision material actually appeared in the exam so lots of kids started to think that revision was pointless. There was a controversy with an AQA biology exam in 2010 where lots of students on facebook complained about how irrelevant the exam was compared to all the coursework and revision they did that led up to it. Straight after I left school the Tory government made exams harder by removing the Intermediate paper so afterwards there was only foundation and higher papers. I think it's a way of preventing kids from underprivileged backgrounds from going to university.

    Don't quote me on this, but nowadays people suspect that BTECs are going to be replaced with T Levels.
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    You can still leave school at 16 and go to college or opt in to stay on at school  according to what your exam results are 
  • innocent21
    innocent21 Posts: 35 Connected
    edited June 2021
    Not any more. The government changed the law so now mandatory education ends at 18 instead of 16. After leaving school there is now a legal requirement to go to college or sixth form. Whether this is strongly enforced I don't know.
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    Not any more. The government changed the law so now mandatory education ends at 18 instead of 16. After leaving school there is now a legal requirement to go to college or sixth form. Whether this is strongly enforced I don't know.
    Or an apprenticeship. 
  • OverlyAnxious
    OverlyAnxious Community member Posts: 2,586 Disability Gamechanger
    Left school at 16 with 8(?) GCSEs of C and above.  Went on to do 4 years at college.  

    Not ruling out an open university course in future.
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 13,368 Disability Gamechanger
    I left school in the first year of college at age 17 as my issues were getting in the way too much.

    My issues sadly came to a bit of a head during my last year at school and I really struggled taking my exams. I was predicted to get A*s all round (except for PE lol) but sadly that didn't materialise. I still got 8 GCSEs and 2 ICT qualifications which weren't GCSEs, I think they were called DIDA or something.

    I'm now back in education doing A level economics online, then I plan on doing A level philosophy, then a philosophy degree :)
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    66Mustang said:
    I still got 8 GCSEs and 2 ICT qualifications which weren't GCSEs, I think they were called DIDA or something.

    They were known as CIDA and DIDA. Certificate/Diploma in Digital Applications. 
  • 66Mustang
    66Mustang Community member Posts: 13,368 Disability Gamechanger
    MarkN88 said:
    66Mustang said:
    I still got 8 GCSEs and 2 ICT qualifications which weren't GCSEs, I think they were called DIDA or something.

    They were known as CIDA and DIDA. Certificate/Diploma in Digital Applications. 
    Thanks, I remember "cider" now! :D
  • WestHam06
    WestHam06 Community member, Scope Volunteer Posts: 1,396 Pioneering
    I paused my education journey at the age of 21 but I would not rule going back to studying at some stage in the future. Regardless of education, I think we are always learning, no matter our age, it's part of life. Thank you.
  • innocent21
    innocent21 Posts: 35 Connected
    I think I had something like CIDA or DIDA, but it was either called that or ECDL or both at the same time. European Computer Driving License
  • leeCal
    leeCal Community member Posts: 7,550 Disability Gamechanger
    edited June 2021
    I left school as soon as possible at fifteen looking forward to a long summer holiday as usual but Dad had other plans and I was in full time work within two weeks! 

    I was paid £5 a week, my Dad took half and two pounds five shillings went on train fare to work. I was working for five shillings a week which I spent on cigarettes (4/-6d for 20?) To top it all I was told I couldn’t stop working until I was sixty five! Sixty five! 

    The good old days. ?

    (five shillings is 25p now but in those days the cheapest beer was less than 5p a pint)

    “This is my simple religion. No need for temples. No need for complicated philosophy. Your own mind, your own heart is the temple. Your philosophy is simple kindness.” 
    ― Dalai Lama XIV

  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Listener
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Listener
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • woodbine
    woodbine Community member Posts: 11,519 Disability Gamechanger
    from google:

    Under previous legislation it was compulsory for young people to remain in education untilthe age of 16. However, as a result of legislation introduced in September 2013, the law now requires that young people continue in education, employment or training until the age of 18.31 May 2017
    2024 The year of the general election...the time for change is coming 💡

  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    I have family members that have left school at 16 this year  one starts college next year and the other has started a job this week ?
  • MarkM88
    MarkM88 Community member Posts: 3,127 Connected
    I have family members that have left school at 16 this year  one starts college next year and the other has started a job this week ?
    Exactly. So they are required to continue in education, training or employment, so that’s what your family members are doing. 
  • Lisatho11987777
    Lisatho11987777 Scope Member Posts: 5,911 Disability Gamechanger
    Forgot to say in wales sorry ?

Brightness