School Leavers

16+ Learning Choices

Clackmannanshire Alliance logo 16+ Learning Choices is a Scottish Government commitment to giving every young person an entitlement to learning at least until aged 18. It is part of the senior phase of Curriculum for Excellence.

Key Aspects

The 3 key aspects are:

The right learning provision must be in place - a range of options including staying on at school, entering further or higher education, participating in the national training programmes, or taking part in personal and social development opportunities offered through community learning and development, must be available to each young person.
The right financial support must be available to ensure that young people make choices based on the most appropriate learning for them, rather than on the amount of money offered.
The right information, advice and guidance must be available to make sure that young people know what opportunities are on offer, how those fit with their own needs and ambitions, and how they will progress.

Why is 16+ Learning Choices important?

Clackmannanshire Council wants every young person who leaves school to be in the best possible position to take up employment, training and further learning. To do this successfully, every school leaver should be confident and ready to move ahead with their learning.

Some young people need more support than others to achieve this. They may face a number of barriers to participating in learning and moving on with their lives. For them, Clackmannanshire has a new Activity Agreement programme.

What is an Activity Agreement?

An Activity Agreement is a written arrangement between a young person and their Activity Agreement key worker where they agree to take part in a programme of learning and activities to help support them to become ready for formal learning or employment. Activity Agreements are not time limited and are based on an individual's needs.

Who is eligible for an Activity Agreement?

Young people eligible for an Activity Agreement are

those who choose to leave school at their statutory leaving date, but who hve not secured an 'agreed offer' at the point of leaving,
those who are about to leave school from alternative provision, but who are at risk of not making a positive transition,
those who made an initial positive transition from school, but have subsequently moved into a negative destination.

Young people who sign up to an Activity Agreement may be entitled to apply for an Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).