Resources
Information for Parent/Carers
School leaving age
Young people can leave school on the last Friday in June if you will be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.
You must then do one of the following until you are 18:
stay in full-time education, for example at a college
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training
The School is required to report any students we think are not, or may not be, following these rules to Kent County Council. Click here.
Talking Futures
Techical Education Opens doors for your child. Education options available to young people today are often different to when their parents were in school. Find out how options like T-levels, apprenticeships and HTQs can help unlock your child's full potential. Click here.
How to support your child as they decide on their future career
When it comes to something as important as your teen's future career it can be difficult, as a parent, to know how to give the right advice. Things may have changed a little since 'your day' and your child might have very different ideas about what they want to do.
Whether they're about to leave school or considering what choices to make at GCSE, there may be some difficult conversations ahead. This resource from the BBC helps support you in having these conversations with your child. Click here.
The Parent Perspective Podcast - Episode 1: The Careers and Enterprise Company and Gen
In this episode: Parent Q&A with Nicola Hall, Director of Education at the Careers & Enterprise Company, and top tips from workplace wellbeing expert George Anderson of Gen Healthy Minds. Click here.
A Parent's guide to post-16 qualifications
The introduction of T-Levels means the number of post-16 qualifications on offer to students is growing even further. For parents looking to support their children in their next steps, the choice can be overwhelming. On this page, we help parents understand the three main qualifications on offer to students so you can provide better guidance for your child. Click here.
Success at school
An excellent resources which covers all areas of post 16 and post 18 qualifications with useful advice and guides. Click here.
Apprenticeship Information for Parent/Carers
Apprenticeships: Hints & Tips for Parent/Carers
This guide has been designed to help parents and carers explore the exciting world of apprenticeships with their child, to understand the range of resources and support services available to them, and how to access them. Click here.
What is an apprenticeship?
Explore 10 key apprenticeship facts to help you fully understand what apprenticeships are. Click here.
Rapid Read: Apprenticeship finances
Discover more about what financial support you are entitled to as an apprentice in this Rapid Read.
Explore information about apprenticeship salary rates, financial support, work-related expenses, tax, discounts and more. Click here.
Rapid Read: Top tips to find a green apprenticeship
This Rapid Read explains what a green apprenticeship is and highlights the ways that you can find one. Click here.
ASK Webinar: Finished Year 11 or Year 13 and want to find an apprenticeship?
If you’ve just finished your course(s) and taken your exams, but aren’t sure what you’re doing next, or may want to change your mind about what you are planning to do, watch this webinar to find out about what to do right now to start finding an apprenticeship. You haven’t left it too late! Click here.
Apprenticeship and Benefits
Turn 2 Us explains how apprenticeships and child benefit work. Click here.
Rapid Read: What is a degree apprenticeship?
Degree apprenticeships are level 6 and level 7 programmes that lead to a full degree-level qualification. This Rapid Read explores questions people often have about degree apprenticeships, including the recent changes to level 7 apprenticeships. Click here.
Rapid Read: Apprenticeship levels explained
With apprenticeship levels ranging from level 2 (foundation and intermediate) through to level 7 (master’s level) and lots of recent changes, this updated Rapid Read will help you understand the different levels and which might be right for you. Click here.
Army Apprenticeships
Discover a career that builds your skills, boosts your confidence, and sets you up for success. Click here.
NHS Apprenticeships
Earn, learn and make a difference with an NHS apprenticeship. Our apprenticeships offer routes into many of the more that 350 NHS careers through a mix of on-the-job training and classroom learning. Click here.
Accountancy and Tax Apprenticeships
BPP's accounting apprenticeships provide an immersive, well-organised pathway for your employees to achieve professional qualifications in AAT, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, ATT or CTA. This on-the-job training develops the knowledge and skill sets to apply in their accountancy or tax role immediately. Click here.
Engineering Apprenticeships
It’s important for young people to receive good advice & guidance when considering what their next academic or career step may be. The below information is for parents to help you understand what an apprenticeship can offer and how a young person can go about finding and applying for an apprenticeship. Click here.
A Parent's Guide to Apprenticeships
Apprenticeship provides on-the-job training with professional qualifications. This guide tells you everything you need to know about how apprenticeships can give your child the edge. Click here.
UCAS Parents' Podcast- Apprenticeships Today
Apprenticeships are on the rise, but are they right for your child? In this episode of the UCAS Parents' Podcast, host Jon Smith is joined by apprenticeship graduate Tash Tustin and careers adviser Gina Visram to explore how apprenticeships work, the industries offering them, and how they compare to university.
From earning while learning to career progression, we answer key questions parents have. Tune in now to discover whether an apprenticeship could be the best path for your child!
Want to know more as a parent?
Sign up here for expert advice straight to your inbox. And click here for further guidance.
Apprenticeships: 8 top resources for information and insights
Supporting young people with additional education needs to access education and training.
Career Interview Information
A career interview is an exciting opportunity for your son/daughter to explore and plan their future study pathways and career. Read below to find out what this involves, what they can expect, and you can support them with their preparation.
What is a careers interview?
A careers interview is a discussion a person (in this case, a student) has with a careers adviser to help: identify their personal qualities and skills, and those that would like to be developed investigate their interests, likes and dislikes, family influences, personal obstacles, and work experience come up with ideas for study and work explore specific career areas understand study and work application and recruitment processes search for current and future job and apprenticeship opportunities think about how study, work experience, and home-life can all contribute to employability.
Why is my child having a careers interview?
Most young people need help with making decisions about what to do after school and further education, as there are so many options and possibilities available! An interview with a careers adviser has the potential to:
- Reduce anxiety about the future
- Improve knowledge and understanding of various study and career routes
- Illustrate the most effective ways of exploring career ideas
- Motivate students to work hard in, and engage with, their studies
- Encourage constructive steps towards decision-making
- Highlight targets that can be useful for continued careers exploration and planning
- Show young people how to be realistic as well as optimistic about the future
How can my child prepare for their careers interview?
We hope that your son/daughter is looking forward to their careers interview. We understand that some students may be feeling worried; please reassure them that careers advisers are experienced in supporting their clients no matter what stage they are at in their careers exploration and planning. It is their chosen profession to provide this support. No question is a silly question!
For students who are feeling very uncertain about their next steps at the moment, careers advisers can help them start exploring broad possibilities, often initially through their academic subject preferences, or any work-related experience they have had. This can help young people start to focus their interests within key study and career areas.
Students can prepare for their careers interview in advance by thinking about:
- What subject(s) they enjoy and why
- What career(s) they have thought about pursuing (if any) and why
- The types of ways they enjoy learning and working (if they have gained work experience)
- What they would like to explore during the careers interview
- Things they do not yet know about or understand in relation to their study and/or career options that they would like to be explained to them
The more a young person engages with and takes an active part in the careers interview process, the more likely they are to benefit from it.
Can I attend my childs careers interview?
We suggest and encourage that your son/daughter attends their careers interview independently, as young persons often find the opportunity to speak with a careers adviser confidentially and on a one-to-one basis most useful. Our careers advisor at SST Maidstone works is DBS checked and registered with the Careers Development Institute (CDI), the professional body for careers guidance practitioners whose members must abide by a strict code of ethics for professional practice. Some students may feel the need for additional support from a parent during their interview; a parent is welcome to attend if this is the case. The decision you come to will depend on your's and your son/daughter's personal circumstances and what you feel to be in their best interests.
If you wish to attend your son/daughter's careers interview, please contact our careers advisor Mrs A Thomson (a.thomson@sst.viat.org.uk) in the first instance. Parents are welcome to contribute to the discussions and support their son/daughter throughout the careers interview process (and beyond); please be aware that the careers adviser's focus will respectfully be on your son/daughter and meeting their best interests. You can also ask your son/daughter to see their careers interview action plan, including the targets they were set.
Who will my child have their career interview with?
Mrs A Thomson a.thomas@sst.viat.org.uk
My question is not answered here
Please email Mrs H Chapman (Careers Leader), who will be happy to help- h.chapman@sst.viat.org.uk
Benefits of a careers interview
Year 8 Options
Making Subject Choices at Age 12-14
At the age of around 12-14, perhaps for the first time in their life, your child will have to make important decisions. Some young people find it easier to decide on what to do than others, but because the choices they make now can impact on their futures, they need to take time to consider their options. Click here.
GCSE Options Information SST
We aim to give both students and parents the knowledge and guidance that will enable students to choose from the wide range of GCSE courses available at SST. This will provide students with an Individualised Curriculum; a programme that enables you to choose subjects that are appropriate to your talents, interests and academic abilities. Each subject section below includes a short video from the Lead Teacher, providing information about what you will study, careers it could lead to and how the course will be assessed. Click here.
Further Education Information
Education Participation Requirements
You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you will be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.
You must then do one of the following until you are 18:
stay in full-time education, for example at a college
start an apprenticeship or traineeship
spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training
The School is required to report any students we think are not, or may not be, following these rules to Kent County Council.
School leaving age
Kent Choices
Find out about all of your options after Year 11. Search and apply for Sixth Forms, Colleges, Training providers, Apprenticeships and Work experience specifically for Kent. Click here.
Further education events in Kent
Further education provider event dates and locations ranging from Sixth Forms and Colleges to Kent Career Fairs and Webinars. Click here.
What is the difference between A-Levels and BTECs?
Students who get 5 GCSEs at grades 4-9 have a range of choices at 16, which include staying on in the sixth form, going to a college to do a range of courses, or doing an apprenticeship. Students not wishing to do an apprenticeship at 16 have the option to do Level 3 qualifications, such as, A Levels or vocational qualifications, called BTECs, T Levels, OCRs, City and Guilds, etc. These qualifications are available in schools and also in colleges. Colleges have a bigger choice of courses.
But what's the difference between an A Level and a vocational qualification, like a BTEC? This guide provides the answer.
Going to College
Information to support your understanding of the different pathways post GCSE. Click here.
Higher Education Information
Parent/Carer Guide 2026
Guide, containing everything you need to support a young person with their options and decision-making, and help them through the UCAS application process. Covers everything from personal statements to student finance, apprenticeships, accommodation, and results day advice so you can feel well-informed, whatever your child decides are their next steps after school. Click here.
Parent/Carer Guide to University
Expert advice from universities across the UK: Your supporters guide to university events, student finance, applications, and how students can prepare for university. Click here.
University Taster Days
University events, suitable for ages 16-18.
Aspire Higher Parent/Carer Guide to Higher Education
A Parent/Carer Guide to University - Student Finance and Support
Clearing toolkit - UCAS
Heard of clearing but not sure what it's all about? Here we share what you need to know and pracitical tips for supporting someone through the process. Click here.
Extra choices
If you've used all five choices on your application, and you're not holding any offers, you could still find a place using Extra. Click here.
Should you pay for University upfront or take the new Plan 5 student loan?
In September, the new ‘Plan 5’ loans launch for higher education starters from England. This big change could see many graduates and university leavers repaying far more, so some with savings are, understandably, considering avoiding the loans if they can. Click here.
University applications- everything Parent/Carers need to know
Unifrog
UniFrog
Students at SST Maidstone use UniFrog, a complete destinations platform which supports all students with discovering, exploring, researching, planning, and deciding on their next steps.
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