Post 16 Options Deep Dive

• New lesson editor
• PSHE
• Careers
• Upper Secondary (Key Stage 4)
• Further Education (Key Stage 5)
• BTEC, GCSE

Introduction

Welcome to this lesson - Post 16 Deep Dive! Hope you appreciate the diving theme....but in all seriousness this is about young people exploring and being bold about their futures! You can modify this lesson to make it more specific to your centre, and there are a variety of activities to engage learners.

POST-16 OPTIONS

DEEP DIVE

Welcome to this lesson on Post-16 Options.

You can easily edit this to make it suit your centre.

Learning Objectives

To explore the pathways available 16+

Know the difference between A-Levels, T-Levels, V-levels and Apprenticeships

Learning Objectives

How confident do you feel about your post-16 plan right now?

A starter using emoji poll.

The Academic Route

• Key Info:

  • Focus: Subject-based, theoretical, and academic.

  • Study: Usually 3 subjects over 2 years.

  • Assessment: Mostly exams at the end of Year 13.

A-levels

Deep-Dive Fact

Best for students who want to keep their options broad or are targeting specific competitive university courses.

Information slide on A Levels

True or False:

You can take 4 A-Levels

if you have high enough GCSE grades.

"

Extra answer context

Even though this is true, few people actually take four A-levels - you only need three for university courses plus the additional workload is high!

A

True

B

False

each information slide has a different follow-up activity, in this casea simple true or false question.

The Technical Powerhouse

Key Info:

Focus: One specific industry (e.g., Digital, Health, Engineering).

Structure: 80% classroom, 20% industry placement (minimum 45 days).

T-levels

Deep-Dive Fact

One T-Level is equivalent to 3 A-Levels in UCAS points..

information slide on T Levels

Match the 'routes' to their T-Level Subject

Business and Administration

Construction

Creative and Design

Digital

Education and Early Years

Engineering and Manufacturing

Health and Science

Legal, Finance and Accounting

Agricultural, Environmental and Animal Care

Sales, Marketing and Procurement

Digital Production, Design and Development: Primarily software development and programming.

ANIMAL CARE AND MANAGEMENT: Animal management and science.

LEGAL SERVICES: Legal services for business and individuals.

HEALTH: Supporting adult nursing, midwifery, mental health, and therapy teams.

MAINTENANCE, INSTALLATION AND REPAIR FOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING: Practical maintenance for electronics, vehicles, and mechatronics.

Digital Production, Design and Development: Primarily software development and programming.

MEDIA, BROADCAST, AND PRODUCTION: Focuses on content creation, lighting, sound, and technical production.

BUILDING SERVICES FOR CONSTRUCTION: Covers electrical, plumbing, heating, and air conditioning.

HUMAN RESOURCES: Covers HR legislation, organizational culture, and employee relations.

EDUCATION AND EARLY YEARS: Specialisms include early years education and assisting teaching.

A drag and drop activity - I could have included more routes but the page was getting cluttered. If your centre is focused on T Levels you could duplicate this slide and add more routes.

Career Focused

Key Info:

• New Level 3 qualifications replacing many old BTECs.

• The Difference: Unlike T-Levels (which are a full-time block), V-Levels are smaller and can be "Mixed and Matched" with A-Levels.

V-levels

Deep-Dive Fact

You could study A-Level Music alongside a V-Level in Media Production.

V levels information....don't forget the diver hotspot!

If you could mix one academic subject with one practical skill, what would they be?

An open question to generate discussion.

Apprenticeships & The New "Foundation" Route

Key Info:

• The Deal: Earn while you learn (80% work, 20% study).

• Foundation Apprenticeships: A new entry route for 16-21s who need extra support before a full Level 3 apprenticeship.

Deep-Dive Fact

Apprenticeships can now be as short as 8 months (down from 12).

Infromation slide

What percentage of time is spent working in apprenticeships?

A

50%

B

40%

C

60%

D

80%

A simple quiz question to reinforce one of the key facts from the last slide.

Reflection & Next Steps

No path is 'better' than the others—only better for you.

Where do you see yourself in the future?

What do you need to do next to reach that goal?

Deep-Dive Fact

Help is always available - never be afraid to ask for advice about finding YOUR future.

Conclusion - you could make this more centre specific.

Write down one thing you need to research further after this lesson

Exit ticket - you could ask further, more specific questions if you wanted to by duplicating and editing the slide.

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