School Leavers: Leaving School & Moving Into Further Education
A UK Guide for Families
Leaving school can feel exciting, scary and overwhelming, especially for autistic young people and those with .
This hub is here to help families understand the options after Year 11, how to prepare, what support may be available, and what questions to ask before choosing a college, sixth form, apprenticeship or supported internship.
What Are The Options After School?
After Year 11, young people may move into:
- Sixth form
- Further education college
- Specialist college
- Apprenticeship
- Supported internship
- Traineeship or work-based learning
- Home education
- Volunteering
- Employment with training
- Life skills or independence programmes
Not every young person will be ready for the same path. The right route is the one that meets their needs, not the one that looks best on paper.
EHCPs After School
An can continue after school if the young person still needs special educational provision and is staying in education or training.
EHCPs can support young people up to age 25, but they do not automatically continue forever. They should be reviewed and updated before any move to college, sixth form or training.
Before leaving school, ask for an annual review focused on preparing for adulthood.
The should include:
- Education or training outcomes
- Communication needs
- Sensory needs
- Travel needs
- Independence skills
- Mental health needs
- Social care needs
- Employment goals
- Reasonable adjustments
- Support required in the new setting
Choosing A College Or Sixth Form
When visiting a college or sixth form, do not just look at the course. Look at the whole environment.
Ask:
- Is there a team?
- Is there a named contact?
- Is there a quiet room?
- Can my child have a phased start?
- Can they visit more than once?
- What happens if they become overwhelmed?
- Is support available during breaks and lunch?
- Will staff understand autism, , , anxiety or sensory needs?
- How will they support attendance difficulties?
- Can instructions be given in writing?
- Are timetables predictable?
- What happens if the course is too much?
Transition Tips
Start planning early. A good transition may include:
- Extra visits
- Photos of the building
- A map of the college
- A visual timetable
- Meeting key staff before starting
- Practising the journey
- A phased start
- Reduced timetable if needed
- A safe space plan
- A named trusted adult
- Clear written expectations
- A backup plan if things go wrong
Supported Internships
Supported internships are usually for young people aged 16 to 24 with who have an .
They are designed to help young people move towards paid employment, with support such as a job coach and structured workplace learning.
They can be a good option for young people who want to work but need more support than a standard job or apprenticeship.
Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships combine paid work with training. They can work well for some autistic young people, but it is important to check what support and reasonable adjustments will be available.
Ask:
- Will instructions be written down?
- Is there a mentor?
- Can tasks be broken down?
- Is the workplace sensory-friendly?
- Is there support with communication?
- Can interview adjustments be made?
- What happens if anxiety affects attendance?
Reasonable Adjustments
Reasonable adjustments may include:
- Quiet space
- Extra processing time
- Written instructions
- Visual timetable
- Reduced timetable
- Phased start
- Sensory breaks
- Ear defenders
- Flexible deadlines
- Exam arrangements
- Smaller groups
- Support with travel
- Communication support
- Permission to leave when overwhelmed
- A trusted adult or mentor
Travel And Independence
Travel can be one of the biggest barriers. Think about:
- Can they manage public transport?
- Do they know what to do if the bus is late?
- Can they ask for help?
- Do they have a phone and emergency contacts?
- Can the route be practised?
- Is travel training available locally?
- Is transport support available through the council?
Independence should be built slowly and safely.
Warning Signs The Placement Is Not Working
Watch for:
- School or college refusal
- Increased meltdowns
- Shutdowns
- Sleep problems
- Panic attacks
- Physical complaints
- Burnout
- Refusing to leave the house
- Becoming withdrawn
- Masking all day then exploding at home
- Loss of confidence
- Talking negatively about themselves
If this happens, ask for an urgent review. Do not wait for crisis point.
What To Do If Things Go Wrong
- Put concerns in writing.
- Ask for a meeting.
- Ask for reasonable adjustments.
- Ask for the support plan to be reviewed.
- If there is an , ask for an emergency annual review.
- Keep records of emails, attendance, incidents and changes at home.
- Ask for a phased return if needed.
- Contact , or your local support service for advice.
Do's For Parents
- Start early
- Visit settings more than once
- Ask lots of questions
- Put everything in writing
- Listen to your child's worries
- Ask about sensory needs
- Ask about unstructured times
- Check transport
- Prepare visuals
- Keep records
- Push for updates before the move
- Build independence slowly
Don'ts For Parents
- Assume college will know your child's needs
- Accept vague promises
- Leave transition planning until the last minute
- Ignore masking
- Focus only on grades
- Push independence too quickly
- Let support be removed too soon
- Assume anxiety is defiance
- Agree to ending an without advice
- Wait until things completely break down
Do's For Colleges And Settings
- Listen to parents
- Listen to the young person
- Provide clear information
- Offer extra visits
- Identify a safe person
- Identify a safe space
- Put adjustments in writing
- Understand masking and burnout
- Review support regularly
- Communicate early if concerns arise
Don'ts For Colleges And Settings
- Expect instant independence
- Remove support too quickly
- Treat anxiety as laziness
- Blame behaviour without understanding need
- Ignore sensory overload
- Assume good grades mean no support is needed
- Leave parents out of communication
- Wait for attendance to collapse before helping
Useful UK Support
Families can look at:
- GOV.UK education and training information
- GOV.UK guidance
- GOV.UK supported internships
- GOV.UK Access to Work
- Local Authority Local Offer
- Contact
- National Autistic Society
- Ambitious about Autism
- Disability Rights UK
- Citizens Advice
- Scope
- Mencap
- Local college teams
- Jobcentre disability employment advisers
- Disabled Students' Allowance for university
Parent Checklist Before Leaving School
Before the move, check:
- reviewed
- New setting named if needed
- support agreed
- Transport considered
- Transition visits arranged
- Safe space identified
- Named contact agreed
- Timetable shared
- Adjustments written down
- Anxiety plan created
- Break and lunch support considered
- Backup plan in place
- Benefits checked if turning 16
- Young person included in planning
Final Message
Leaving school is not just a change of building.
For many young people, it is a huge emotional, sensory, social and practical change.
The aim is not to force independence overnight.
The aim is to build safe, supported independence at the young person's pace.