Changes in the school leaving age offer an opportunity to provide youngsters with enhanced skills and qualifications, it has been suggested.
Reforms relating to the age at which students are able to leave school provide an opportunity for authorities to work together with various parties to enhance the skills and qualifications available to youngsters, it has been suggested.
Fiona Blacke, chief executive officer of the National Youth Agency, explains there is now a duty on local authorities to be responsible for the entire 14 - 19 education phase.
"This is a real opportunity for authorities to work with communities, employers [and] the voluntary sector, as well as school[s] and colleges, to make sure we are supporting young people to be all [they] can be," she continues.
Ms Blacke notes the reforms are intended to ensure young people have a range of options and choices in terms of staying in education and training for longer, ensuring that they are in a position to positively contribute to the communities in which they live and the prosperity of the country as a whole.
In addition, Maggie Cowan from Connexions, which provides advice and support for people between the ages of 13 and 19 who live in England, states schools are colleges are currently gearing up for the changes.
She explains that since the introduction of the 14 - 19 diploma, academic institutions have been obliged to form consortia to work together on how to best deliver education.
"This bodes well for the future," Ms Cowan states.
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