GCSE Results Day On The South Coast

22 August 2013, 05:19 | Updated: 22 August 2013, 05:22

Thousands of teenagers on the South Coast find out their GCSE results today.

We've been told more young people are choosing to go on to do apprenticeships or traineeships as well as A Levels or vocational courses.

It's also the first year school leavers will have to continue with some form of learning or training so they're more qualified for a job.

The government has increased the age to which all young people in England must continue in education or training, requiring them to continue until the end of the academic year in which they turn 17 from 2013 and until their 18th birthday from 2015.

This means that pupils who left year 11 in summer 2013 need to continue in education or training until at least the end of the academic year in which they turn 17. Pupils starting year 11 or below in September 2013 will need to continue until at least their 18th birthday.

This does not necessarily mean staying in school; young people have a choice about how they continue in education or training post-16, which could be through:

  • full-time study in a school, college or with a training provider
  • full-time work or volunteering combined with part-time education or training
  • an apprenticeship.

Click here to find out more about what the changes could mean for you.