Starting college or other post 16 options
All young people must participate in some form of education or training until they are 18 years old. When Year 11 ends, you will then enter post 16 provision and have a choice about how you continue in education or training.
Here is an overview of the options and opportunities available in our local area, to help you decide which form of post 16 education you would prefer to progress into:
Going in to post 16 education can be very exciting, but it can also be a big change from life at school. It is normal to feel a mixture of emotions; from worries to excitement, feeling concerned about certain expectations and workload and feeling happy about more choices and independence.
Knowing what to expect and where to find support can help make this journey a little easier and a lot less daunting.
Top 5 tips to getting ready for Post 16 Education
1. Start planning early
Your school will have a careers adviser. Arrange to meet with them to discuss your ideas for the future. This can start as early as year 9. And if you’re a little unsure of your options, then you can start some research online. Visit the national careers website for more information.
Look on your local college and sixth form websites and find out when they have open days/evenings to go and have a look around and see what is on offer. They may also offer online virtual tours/videos to help you become more familiar with their facilities before you visit.
It might be helpful to use a Young Person checklist (PDF, 116KB) to help you plan and keep track.
If you have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), transition planning should start to be discussed during your annual reviews (from Year 9), when future options should start being considered. There will be a focus on preparing for adulthood to help you plan for your future and becoming as independent as possible.
2. Good communication
It can be difficult to let new people know how best to support you, especially if you have additional needs/disabilities. It can help to write down who you are and what support you need, this will help the college or new setting get to know you. You can use a one page profile (PDF, 1.5MB) template.
Your current school will also have a responsibility to inform the next setting of your support needs. If you or your parents/carers have any worries about the transition, then contact your school’s Special Education Needs/Disabilities Co-ordinator (SENDco) and ask what information is going to be shared. You can even follow this up with your next setting.
3. Apply for your place
College and sixth form place applications open in September of Year 11. Once you’ve visited the setting and chosen your course/subjects, you can complete an online application via their website.
If you have an EHCP then you will also need to let your SEND Keyworker know your post 16 preference. They will send you a letter asking for your preference at the beginning of Year 11. They will then consult for your place at a post 16 setting, and you should be informed by 31st March in Year 11. If you have an EHCP and want to attend a mainstream college/sixth form, you will still need to complete an application form via the settings website. You can find more information on children with EHCP's moving to a new phase of education.
The Independent Provider of Special Education Advice (known as IPSEA), outline different types of schools and settings on their website.
4. Attend an interview and taster days
The college or education provider will invite you in for an interview, this is an informal meeting and nothing to worry about. This is an opportunity to share your interests and ask questions about your potential new setting. You could make a list of questions and take them with you.
Most local schools are invited into the mainstream colleges at the end of year 10 to complete taster days. This will help you prepare for college and learn about the courses they offer. If you would like the opportunity to do some extra taster days, either let your school know or contact the college and ask if they can support these.
If you have an EHCP you should be offered an enhanced transition during the spring/summer term of Year 11, therefore allowing extra days for you to get used to the new environment and people.
5. Think about transport
Where you go after secondary school might not be as close to home or easy to get to. Most settings do have various bus and public transport options, you will need to check details and eligibility criteria on the setting website. You might also want to check Cheshire East's post 16 transport policy.
Information for parents/carers
The move from secondary to post 16 can bring a lot of questions for parents/carers and how to best support your young person through this transition.
Young Minds provide tips and advice for parents/carers to help your child/young person cope with change.
If your child/young person requires an enhanced transition plan from secondary to post 16 education, there are various tools to help. It is important that their support needs are communicated with the next setting before they start. Together you could use resources such as the Year 11 Transition Form (PDF, 154KB), What Matters Island or What's Important to Me (PDF, 562KB) to help them think about their support needs, if your young person agrees then this can be sent to the next setting.
Transitioning to employment
- A Vocational Profile is a person-centred way of gathering information to discover interests and aspirations.
Feedback
The Transition Team are always looking for feedback on how to improve our service. Use our online form to give feedback on the post 16 information online form. The form takes 2 minutes to complete and we will appreciate your input.
Page last reviewed: 11 March 2025
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