EDUCATION 1 Go Higher West Yorkshire WHO ARE WE?
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Parent & Carer Guide HIGHER EDUCATION 1 Go Higher West Yorkshire WHO ARE WE? GO HIGHER WEST YORKSHIRE Go Higher West Yorkshire is a group of universities, specialist institutions and Further Education (FE) colleges from across West Yorkshire, who are working together to provide information and advice about choices young people face and opportunities available to them. Our main aim is to encourage students to enter Higher Education (HE). CONTENTS 3 INTRODUCTION 17 RETURNING TO EDUCATION? 4 WHAT IS HIGHER EDUCATION? 18 OPEN DAYS 5 WHY SHOULD MY CHILD GO? 20 HOW TO APPLY THE HIGHER EDUCATION STUDENT SUPPORT 6 JOURNEY 22 8 GCSES 24 MONEY MATTERS 10 FURTHER EDUCATION 25 APPLY AND REPAY GO HIGHER WEST YORKSHIRE SUBJECT CHOICES 12 26 PROVIDERS 14 HIGHER EDUCATION: CHOICES 27 EXTRA HELP 15 WHICH HE ROUTE? 28 THINGS TO REMEMBER HIGHER EDUCATION: INDEX/GLOSSARY 16 COURSES 29 HELLO 2 Go Higher West Yorkshire INTRODUCTION We know that over the next few years you will see your child faced with many important decisions which will impact on their education and employment opportunities in the future. No matter how old they are, or at what stage of their education, it is important that they see Higher Education as an option for them. This guide will introduce you to the choices your child will face over the coming years. It will help you understand the journey your child is on, and how you can help them make decisions in an informed way; allowing them to explore and pursue Higher Education, should it be the route they decide to take. HELLO Parent & Carer Guide 3 WHAT IS HIGHER EDUCATION? Higher Education refers to the qualifications studied after and above the completion of level 3 study (A Levels and BTEC Extended Diplomas, for example). There are many Higher Education qualifications: degrees; foundation degrees; degree apprenticeships; and higher national certificates (HNC) and diplomas (HND). There are over 400 Higher Education providers in the UK including universities, colleges with Higher Education provision, and specialist institutions such as conservatoires. Altogether they provide over 50,000 courses and along with the growing number of employers providing higher level or degree apprenticeships; there really is something for everyone! OVER 90,000 HIGHER EDUCATION COURSES TO CHOOSE FROM 4 Go Higher West Yorkshire WHY SHOULD MY CHILD GO? FINANCIAL AND CAREER BENEFITS Higher Education students: On average earn more money over a lifetime than non-graduates. Have access to a wider range of career opportunities and higher salaried jobs or can ‘fast track’ with certain careers like the army or the police. Develop transferable skills for the workplace such as budgeting and organisation. Depending on the course, have the opportunity to gain work experience to develop skills suitable for a specific career. EARNINGS OPPORTUNITIES SKILLS EXPERIENCE Parent & Carer Guide 5 THE HIGHER EDUCATION AGEYEAR 12-14 11 JOURNEY (Year 8/9) Choose their GCSE options. think about Higher Education options Begin as to some courses require specific GCSEs. AGEYEAR 16-17 1211 (Year 12) SIT GCSE EXAMS. YEAR 11 AGEYEAR 15-16 11 (Year 11) Decide what Further Education 6 Go Higher West Yorkshire qualifications to take BTECs, diploma or apprenticeship). They need to find out what subjects and qualifications are best for the Higher Education course they (Aare Levels, interested in. They decide where to study Further Education (sixth form, college, etc.). BEGIN HIGHER EDUCATION TO GAIN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING QUALIFICATIONS: Begin Further Education (A Levels, BTECs, diploma Bachelor’s degree or apprenticeship) at either a college, sixth form, Foundation degree or a place of work. Or higher national certificate/diploma Consider Higher Education in depth. Research courses, Sit A Levels/ universities and colleges, and or other attend open days or UCAS fairs. BTECs Organise work experience that is qualifications. relevant to the course they are interested in. Write a personal statement. Apply for student finance online through Student Finance England. 13) AGEYEAR 17-19ear 11 (Y Apply to Higher Education using the UCAS website or sometimes directly to an employer for a higher or degree apprenticeship. Parent & Carer Guide 7 GCSEs The decisions that will shape your child’s GCSEs are extremely important. future begin in Years Nearly every course offered at 8/9 when your child Higher Education providers across is asked to choose the the UK will ask for a minimum subjects they want achievement level at GCSE. to study at GCSE. GCSEs are no longer graded using letters A* – U. Instead, as of 2017 students will receive grades 9 to 1 for each subject, with 9 being the highest and 1 the lowest. The minimum achievement level required by Higher Education providers varies depending on the university, college, and course. Usually, a minimum of five or six GCSEs at grades between 9 and 4/5 is required. Most often Mathematics and English Language GCSEs are required at grade 4 or 5. Some courses will ask for much higher grades, for example some medical courses ask for five or more 8/9 grades. 8 Go Higher West Yorkshire CHOOSING GCSE SUBJECTS Each school is different when it comes to When making their choices, your child which GCSE subjects must be taken by must consider what they might want to do students and which subjects are optional. at sixth form or college and even at Higher Every student has to take a core set of Education. If there is a specific Higher subjects that include Mathematics, English Education subject they have in mind, it is and Science. Typically, optional subjects are worth looking at some of the universities/ chosen from groups such as: colleges that offer that subject to see if there are specific GCSE requirements. Arts (e.g. Art, Drama, Theatre Studies, For example, to study French at Higher Dance), Design and Technology (e.g. Education, in most cases the language Graphic Design, Food Technology, Textiles), must have been studied at A Level, and Humanities (e.g. History, Geography) and to study French at A Level, in most cases Modern Foreign Languages (e.g. French, it must have been studied at GCSE. German, Spanish). GCSE CHOICES: THINGS TO CONSIDER Make sure your child: Picks subjects that they enjoy as they Makes a decision that is right for are likely to achieve better grades in them, not a decision based on what these. other people think they should do. Discusses their choices with you Does not choose to take a subject just before committing to them. because their friends are taking it or because they like the teacher. Speaks to their teachers before picking new subjects which they haven’t studied before to ensure they know exactly what is involved. Parent & Carer Guide 9 FURTHER EDUCATION In Year 11 your child makes their next set of Apprenticeships big decisions. These decisions determine what they study at Further Education and Apprenticeships are designed to where they study, e.g. sixth form or college. develop skills for a specific career At post-16 level study there is a wider range by studying and working a paid job of subjects and qualifications on offer to at the same time. students. Three of the main types of post-16 Up to 80% of hours is spent at level qualifications are: A Levels, BTECs and work, for example, 4 out of 5 apprenticeships. working days. However, other apprenticeships are organised as placement blocks, with weeks at a A Levels time in work or at study. A Levels are academic qualifications that are With at least 20% of your paid taught in a similar way to with exams taken at the time dedicated to your studies, you end of two years of study. There is a broad range may be required to attend college, of subjects on offer and they can be taken in combination with BTEC qualifications. A Levels are university, or an alternative training accepted by all universities and colleges, including provider. However, you may have the most academically competitive institutions. the option to study at your place of work, online, or use a combination BTECs and diplomas of options. (such as OCR nationals) Employers must provide apprentices with learning opportunities and BTECs take a practical or hands-on approach to learning and often involve a lot of coursework but formal qualifications. It is important also often include end of year exams. BTECs can to note that the application process be taken by themselves, allowing the student to can be very competitive. specialise in one subject usually over two years, or they can be taken alongside A Levels. BTECs are There are different levels of accepted by most universities and colleges, however, apprenticeships. Degree or higher some of the more competitive universities do not level apprenticeships lead to a accept BTECs or specify that they must be taken Higher Education qualification. along with A Levels. For more information go to www.gov.uk/apply- apprenticeship 10 Go Higher West Yorkshire POST-16 SUBJECT CHOICES The subjects and qualifications studied at sixth form or college determine which Higher Education courses your child will be able to study. It is important that your child understands the impact of these choices on their future options. See the table on the next page for guidance on subject and qualification choices. WHERE SHOULD THEY STUDY FURTHER EDUCATION? If your child decides to follow an 1. Sixth Form at a school. apprenticeship route their employer 2. Further Education college. will decide their place of study. If your child chooses to study A levels or BTECs 3. Sixth Form college. they also need to choose where to study. There are three main options: Below are some questions to consider when discussing your child’s options for studying Further Education: Do they want to stay somewhere Is your child predicted to meet familiar or go somewhere new? the entry requirements for this institution? Do they want to study at a large institution where there are lots How easy is the institution to get to? of students, or would they prefer Will your child be able to afford the a smaller institution with fewer transport costs? students? Does the institution have the facilities Does the school or college offer the that are important to your child (e.g.