The government is calling this ‘Raising the Participation Age’ (RPA), rather than raising the school leaving age, and have been at pains to point out that that pupils won’t have to take A-levels. They can still opt for a college course, undertake an apprenticeship, or combine work or volunteering with accredited training.
Research carried out by The National Youth Agency among young people who will be affected by the changes found that 57 per cent were in favour, but they stressed the need for a wide range of options. They also had varying degrees of knowledge about how RPA would affect them and some felt that impartial advice on the best option for them was not available.
Adults opposed to the move believe it will do nothing to tackle persistent truants and is just a way of stopping young people from becoming NEET (‘Not in Education, Employment or Training’) without actually providing credible alternatives. Many 16 and 17-year olds take on jobs which do not require accredited training and employers may simply choose to recruit older people, who do not need to be seen to be gaining a qualification, for these posts.
On the plus side, teenage pregnancy rates may fall. Research by the University of Royal Holloway has found that when the school leaving age was last raised, from 15 to 16 in 1972, the number of under-16s becoming mothers fell by 17 per cent.
