RAISING THE SCHOOL LEAVING AGE.

5 November 2007

Commenting on Ed Balls’ speech ‘Raising the Participation Age: Opportunity for All Young People, Steve Sinnott General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Europe’s largest teaching union said.

“We cannot afford to neglect those young people who currently leave school at 16 unprepared for the rigours and demands of life in the 21st century. Young people remaining in education and high quality training will be good for our country and our economy.

“I warmly welcome the proposals to encourage participation in post- 16 education. This is something we were promised in 1944 it’s about time our young people got it. It is important that we do not let this important opportunity for young people to be lost in a debate about sanctions and criminalisation.

“This is a vision that cannot be realised on the cheap, sufficient extra funding is needed.  The last move to raise the school, leaving age form 15-16 in 1972 was not accompanied by sufficient preparation and additional resources.

Schools need proper audits of the additional staff, training, space and curriculum adaptations necessary to meet this groups needs with the necessary accompanying resources”.