Deciding what to do next

There is a wide range of courses to choose from in school sixth forms, sixth form colleges or colleges of further education. From September 2007 you will be able to access an online Local 14-19 Prospectus which lists all of the courses available in your area. For more information, speak to your Connexions personal adviser or careers co-ordinator.

Find out how to access the Local 14-19 Prospectus for where you live at www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19.

Advanced Subsidiary (AS) and Advanced (A) levels

If your teenager wants to study a particular subject in more depth, this option may suit them. This could be the chance to carry on with a favourite subject or to try a new one. As well as the familiar subjects, there are also subjects related to an area of work, such as leisure and tourism, or accountancy. A levels are useful for entering higher education or going straight into a job.

A levels are two-year courses made up of the AS level and the A2, with each part being 50% of the overall grade. Most students take three or four AS levels in the first year and then choose to continue with three A2s in the second year to make full A levels. There is also the chance to take Advanced Extension Awards alongside A levels with two pass grades - distinction and merit.

There are changes coming in from September 2008 to stretch the most able students. There will be a reduction in the number of units of work from six to four in most subjects. An optional extended project will be available. These changes will increase the range, breadth and challenge of A levels available. The extended project would be completed towards the end of Year 13.

Higher education modules now allow teenagers to work in greater breadth and depth, and will also enable them to develop their independent working skills in preparation for progression onto higher education courses.

International Baccalaureate

In some areas, your teenager may have the option of doing an International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. For 16-19 year olds, the programme leads to an International Baccalaureate, which is recognised by many of the world's leading universities. It aims to help develop the intellectual, personal, emotional and social skills that teenagers will need in order to live, learn and work in a globalising world.

The programme takes two years to complete. Students study six subjects selected from a range of subject groups. Normally three subjects are studied at higher level (courses representing 240 teaching hours), and the remaining three subjects are studied at standard level (courses representing 150 teaching hours). All three parts of the core - extended essay, theory of knowledge and creativity, action, service - are compulsory and are central to the philosophy of the Diploma Programme.

14-19 Diplomas

14-19 Diplomas will be available in selected areas from September 2008. They are available at Levels 1-3 and may be an option at whatever level is appropriate, given a student's previous learning or achievement. The subject areas are Construction and the Built Environment; Creative and Media; Engineering; Information Technology; Society, Health and Development.

For more details on 14-19 Diplomas, see The range of subjects.

Full-time qualifications related to the workplace

These may suit your teenager if they have a definite career in mind and want to do something specific towards this. There are a wide range of qualifications offered at different levels, such as the BTEC National Diploma (Level 3 of which is equivalent to A levels) and NVQs at Levels 1-3. Some are offered in school sixth forms, but the majority are available in further education colleges.

To find out how these qualifications fit in with other qualifications, see The National Qualifications Framework.

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships give young people the chance to work and learn while they earn. Working for an employer or as a trainee on a programme-led Apprenticeship, your teenager can choose from a broad range of jobs, such as hairdressing, engineering, business administration, laboratory work and many others. They work towards a nationally recognised qualification, such as an NVQ, BTEC or City & Guilds qualification.

They can take these qualifications at Level 2 or Level 3. All 16-17 year olds with five or more GCSE passes at grades A-G can choose to do an Apprenticeship. A Connexions personal adviser can help your teenager decide which employment sector and level is best for them.

The national minimum wage of £3.40 an hour for 16 and 17 year olds (from October 2007) does not apply to Apprentices under the age of 19. Pay can vary, but all employed Apprentices funded by the Learning and Skills Council in England must receive a minimum of £80 per week. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk.

Going into employment

If your teenager is thinking of going straight into a job, encourage them to find one that offers part-time training to learn skills and gain qualifications, as this will offer them better prospects for promotion and higher wages.

If your teenager does not have a Level 2 qualification - that is, GCSEs at grades A-C or NVQ Level 2 or equivalent - they are entitled to have paid Time Off for Study and Training (TfST). To be eligible, they must be aged 16-17 and in employment. To find out more, visit www.connexions-direct.com.

If they do have a Level 2 qualification, it is still in their best interest to aim for a job with training. Their Connexions personal adviser can help them find a job where they can continue to learn new skills and gain valuable qualifications.

For more information on qualification levels, see The National Qualifications Framework.

If your teenager is thinking of starting their own business, they should still plan to do further training to develop their skills.

Help is available through

• Business Link on 0845 600 9006 www.businesslink.gov.uk
• the Prince's Trust on 0800 842 842 www.princes-trust.org.uk

Entry to Employment (e2e) is a programme that helps 16-18 year olds move on into further education, training or employment. If your teenager needs help with their literacy, numeracy and IT skills, e2e could be the right option for them. e2e gives them the chance to gain qualifications in these skills and the opportunity to try out different jobs.

Ongoing support and advice is available from their Connexions personal adviser. Your teenager could be eligible to receive an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) while on the programme and may get help with travel expenses.

For more information on financial support, see Financial help post-16.