1. Parents/carers: what can you do?

2. Helping your child progress to Higher Education
What can you do?

3. Help your child reach Higher Education.
Imagine you are the parent of Emma.
Emma is currently in year 9. She has never thought about what she wants to do when she’s older and she doesn’t know what her options are. She is a very able student but prefers socialising with her friends over school.
You need to help Emma on her journey to Higher Education.

4. Emma doesn’t know what she wants to do later in life. What would you do?
Leave her for now. She is still very young and doesn’t need to make a decision yet. She has plenty of time and should be allowed to explore and enjoy her childhood.
Talk to Emma to find out what she is interested in. Do an online quiz with her to find out what are her interests in school.

5. Emma doesn’t know what she wants to do later in life. What would you do?
Leave her for now. She is still only young and doesn’t need to make a decision yet. She has plenty of time and should be allowed to explore and enjoy her childhood.
Talk to Emma to find out what she is interested in. Do an online quiz with her to find out what are her interests in school.
Emma may be young but it is important that she starts to consider what is out there. She does not have to make a definite, concrete decision, but helping her to do some research and discovering options available to her after school would benefit her.
For example, by doing an online careers quiz, Emma could find out what careers might suit her personal preferences in a fun and easy way.
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6. Emma has just been given her GCSE option form. What would you do?
Let her fill it in herself, she can do what she wants. She will do better in things she has chosen herself.
Talk to Emma to find out what she thinks she might want to do when she’s older. Use the UCAS website to research what qualifications she will need to do this career and if there are any GCSEs she will need to be able to do these qualifications.

7. Emma has just been given her GCSE option form. What would you do?
Let her fill it in herself, she can do what she wants. She will do better in things she has chosen herself.
Talk to Emma to find out what she thinks she might want to do when she’s older. Use the UCAS website to research what qualifications she will need to do this career and if there are any GCSEs she will need to be able to do these qualifications.
It is true that, generally speaking, children do better at subjects they enjoy. However, it is important to do some research before Emma chooses her GCSE options. This is because if she has not done a certain GCSE, she may not be allowed to take that subject further which will limit her when it comes to choosing her Higher Education qualification. She may not be able to pursue the career she is interested in if she has not chosen the right GCSEs!
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8. Emma needs to choose her options for Further Education and where to go
Emma needs to choose her options for Further Education and where to go. What would you do?
Research Emma’s options online (e.g. to stay at her school and complete A Levels, to go to the local college and complete a BTEC or Diploma, or to start an Apprenticeship). Talk to Emma about what she wants, does she want to continue studying full time or would she rather be learning while working and earning money? Think again about what career Emma wants to do and research whether courses that lead to this career require any specific qualifications using the UCAS website.
The school will be in the best position to give her advice. They do it every year and know exactly what her options are. Tell Emma to talk to her teachers about it and make a decision from those conversations.

9. Emma needs to choose her options for Further Education and where to go
Emma needs to choose her options for Further Education and where to go. What would you do?
Research Emma’s options online (e.g. to stay at her school and complete A Levels, to go to the local college and complete a BTEC or Diploma, or to start an Apprenticeship). Talk to Emma about what she wants, does she want to continue studying full time or would she rather be learning while working and earning money? Think again about what career Emma wants to do and research whether courses that lead to this career require any specific qualifications using the UCAS website.
The school will be in the best position to give her advice. They do it every year and know exactly what her options are. Tell Emma to talk to her teachers about it and make a decision from those conversations.
Although the school are likely to be able to help Emma consider her options, you can still help! You will be able to offer 1-1 support, while schools have to support hundreds of students at once. Have a conversation about what she wants from her future and do some more research to check she is doing everything she needs to do to get what she wants.
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10. Emma really wants to go to university for Higher Education, but you are concerned about the cost. What would you do?
Tell Emma that you do not think university is the best option. Remind her of the debt she will be getting herself in to and advise her to start working or do a higher/degree apprenticeship.
Talk to Emma about why she wants to go to university and ask her if she has considered higher/degree apprenticeships. Go on to the Student Finance England website to see what financial support Emma will be eligible for and how repayment works.

11. Emma really wants to go to university for Higher Education, but you are concerned about the cost. What would you do?
Tell Emma that you do not think university is the best option. Remind her of the debt she will be getting herself in to and advise her to start working or do a higher/degree apprenticeship.
Talk to Emma about why she wants to go to university and ask her if she has considered higher/degree apprenticeships. Go on to the Student Finance England website to see what financial support Emma will be eligible for and how repayment works.
University is expensive, however the cost should not be the thing that stops your child from going. There is a lot of financial support available in the form of loans, bursaries, scholarships and allowances. Information on the financial support available can be found on Student Finance England’s website and information about scholarships and bursaries can usually be found on the university’s own website. It is important that Emma has valid reasons for choosing university over other Higher Education routes, however if it is what is best for her, finance should not be a barrier.
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12. Emma doesn’t know which university to go to. What would you do?
Ask Emma if she wants to move out or stay at home and whether she’d prefer living in a city or on a campus. Use the UCAS website to find universities that offer the course that Emma is interested in and check the required grades. Visit universities for open days.
Tell Emma that wherever she ends up at she will be happy. Tell her to ask her friends where they are going to get ideas. Tell her to ask her teachers what they think would suit Emma.

13. Emma doesn’t know which university to go to. What would you do?
Ask Emma if she wants to move out or stay at home and whether she’d prefer living in a city or on a campus. Use the UCAS website to find universities that offer the course that Emma is interested in and check the required grades. Visit universities for open days.
Tell Emma that wherever she ends up at she will be happy. Tell her to ask her friends where they are going to get ideas. Tell her to ask her teachers what they think would suit Emma.
There are so many universities just in the UK, it is likely that your child will feel overwhelmed when tasked with picking a ‘top choice’. It is important that your child does their research and you can support your child with this. The course is the most important thing, so make sure that your child is certain on what they are studying and then see which universities offer that course. Make a list of priorities (distance from home, city or campus, extra-curricular clubs on offer etc.) and then select some universities that match. Use university open days to experience what it would be like there and to get a feel for each university and its location before picking.
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14. Emma is worried she’s not going to get the grades she needs for her firm or insurance university. What would you do?
Tell Emma that you’re sure she will get in, they wouldn’t have offered her a place if she wasn’t likely to get the grades. Reassure her by saying that you’re sure they’ll let her in even if she slips a grade or two from the offer.
Ask Emma what she would want to do if this were to happen; apply through clearing or take a year out and re-apply/take another Higher Education route. Research some universities that offer the course with lower entrance grades (‘access’ routes) and note down their contact details in case.

15. Emma is worried she’s not going to get the grades she needs for her firm or insurance university. What would you do?
Tell Emma that you’re sure she will get in, they wouldn’t have offered her a place if she wasn’t likely to get the grades. Reassure her by saying that you’re sure they’ll let her in even if she slips a grade or two from the offer.
Ask Emma what she would want to do if this were to happen; apply through clearing or take a year out and re-apply/take another Higher Education route. Research some universities that offer the course with lower entrance grades (‘access’ routes) and note down their contact details in case.
You should always be prepared for any situation on results day. There is the possibility that if your child were to miss their offer by a grade or two the university of their choice could still offer them a place, however this is unlikely and should not be relied upon. Make sure you have discussed options before results day with your child. Clearing is a good option if your child really wants to go to university; it allows your child to apply to new universities that may have spaces left on courses which require lower grades. Make sure you have contact details for all the universities your child is interested in with you on results day.
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16. Emma has got in to university, however she is worried that her dyslexia will prevent her from doing well. What would you do?
Sit down with Emma and discuss what support she thinks she might need. Call or her university to see what support they will be able to offer Emma. Get in contact with Student Finance England to ask about the Disabled Students’ Allowance and to see what Emma could be eligible for.
Tell Emma that you are sure she’ll be okay. She got the grades to get on to the course and that should mean she is more than capable of doing well on it. Tell her that you’ll always be happy to read her essays to help and that you doubt it will be that different from school.

17. Emma has got in to university, however she is worried that her dyslexia will prevent her from doing well. What would you do?
Sit down with Emma and discuss what support she thinks she might need. Call or her university to see what support they will be able to offer Emma. Get in contact with Student Finance England to ask about the Disabled Students’ Allowance and to see what Emma could be eligible for.
Tell Emma that you are sure she’ll be okay. She got the grades to get on to the course and that should mean she is more than capable of doing well on it. Tell her that you’ll always be happy to read her essays to help and that you doubt it will be that different from school.
Universities and other Higher Education providers make huge efforts to ensure that students with special educational needs and disabilities, mental health issues, long-term health issues, students who have been in care or who are carers themselves, are supported effectively during their studies. Students with things such as dyslexia are also eligible for an extra, non-repayable allowance, the Disabled Students’ Allowance, to help them access any extra support they might need. It is a good idea to get in contact with both the Higher Education provider and Student Finance to see what can be arranged.

18. What have you learnt?
Was there anything you found out that you didn’t know before?
What will you do now to support your young person?

19. Questions?

21. For further information: www.ucas.com www.gov.uk/student-finance
Information gathered from:
UCAS
SFE
For further information:

22. Thank you