Parents urged to get clued up on post-GCSE options

Gatsby Charitable Foundation is encouraging parents to get clued-up on post-GCSE options in order to better support their children when it comes to making their decisions.

The call follows research which shows that parents feel as though they lose influence over their teenager’s education choices from the age of 13.

Only 16% of parents surveyed believe they have a lot of influence over their teenager’s education decisions and 83% of parents believe other people, like teachers, friends and careers advisers have the most influence.
 
Yet, according to a poll of students aged 14-16 they do feel most influenced by their parents, with an overwhelming 66% of students saying they are still influenced by their parents when it comes to education choices. This also resonates with schools and colleges surveyed who said parents and family members were the biggest influencers when it comes to education choices for teenagers. These contradictory figures suggest a potential information gap that could mean teenagers don’t consider all options available to them post-GCSEs, such as T-levels.
 
As students confirm their parents as the most influential, Gatsby are encouraging parents to get clued-up on post-GCSE options in order to better support their children when it comes to making their decisions. New technical education options like T-levels are an exciting alternative to A-levels and Apprenticeships, which put career-focused learning at the forefront. T-levels have been designed with employers and combine classroom study with a 45-day industry placement, giving young people the skills they need for the world of work and addressing skills shortages faced by employers across the country to build the economy.
 
While many parents rely on their teenagers for more information around post-GCSE options (40%), many also say they need to learn more about their children’s future career options (42%), so they feel able to share knowledge on the pathways their children can take.
 
Speaking at Gatsby’s Charitable Foundation T-level conference at the Science Museum on 2nd November 2022, Tim Campbell MBE added:
“As a father myself, I know it can sometimes feel like you have little influence when it comes to kids choosing what to study. As the latest research shows, parents have more influence over teenagers’ educational choices than they think – even though teenagers might not always make this clear.
 
“It’s important for both parents and schools or colleges to work together to ensure they’re armed with all the information needed to support their teenagers to make decisions that will help them in their future careers. T-levels are an exciting career-focused option and are developed by employers themselves, so I would encourage all parents to look them up by going to tlevelinfo.org.uk for more information.”
 
Lord David Sainsbury, Founder of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and former Science Minister said: "T-levels are at the heart of the new, high-quality system of technical education in England. They have been designed with employers to equip young people with the technical knowledge and skills that employers are looking for, opening doors into fulfilling and economically valuable jobs – be that directly after completing their T-level, or after choosing to go on to further study.
 
“We now need to tell young people, their parents, and employers that the country has for the first time a high-quality national system of qualifications that will enable young people to take up these fulfilling and well-paid jobs."
 
Simon Parker who is a T-level lead at South Essex College commented: “From an educator’s perspective, there is always more that can be done to engage with parents around education choices for their children. Having the opportunity to engage with parents earlier on in the school year will help us better inform them about T-levels and the other options available.
 
“Detailed or tailored information about each T-level will help parents develop a better understanding of how they differ from other options and how they can benefit their child. Our first cohort of T-level students have finished their courses this year and sharing their experiences will also help parents understand the courses from a young person’s perspective.”
 
This research is revealed alongside the opening of Technicians: The David Sainsbury Gallery at The Science Museum - a new, Gatsby funded, gallery opening on 3rd November 2022 which sets to shine a light on the vital but often hidden role of technicians.