11-08-2010, 01:24 AM
(11-07-2010, 07:19 PM)Munch link Wrote: School is where the the law tells you to go until a certain age. After that it's just education, not school. College is classed as sixth form aswell (I'm in my second year of college) but you don't go there by law or anything so I don't consider it school.
Actually in the UK age has nothing to do with it. You can leave school up to a month before your first GCSE exam... Most of the time that means your 16 but the 15 year olds have a right to leave as well.
Also you can be forced by law to go to college or 6th form if you have no other means in which to pay council tax. Kids 16-18 have to pay council tax and the only way not to pay council tax is by being in full time education... 16-18 are in the unique position where they are not entitled to job Seekers allowance or housing benefits yet still have to pay rent/tax unless you have a child then you are entitled to income support and child benefits.
So technically by law kids do have to go to sixth form/college or else they are forced to pay taxes and if they can't pay then you are evicted from your home... Fortunately most parents choose to pay their childs taxes although they force their kids to go to college anyway.
Also you don't have to go to school either... If you tell your school to go fuck themselves then there is absolutely nothing they can do about it... It's not illegal to skip school and teachers can't physically stop you leaving.
You can find more information on the subject at www.direct.gov.uk
But since you are leaving college soon anyway I have a bit of advice for you... Sign on a college course that is in between 12-16 hours per week so you are entitled to EMA (£30 per week) then leave your college course and get a letter saying you have left from the college, then rejoin so you still get your £30 a week. Then sign on Job Seekers Allowance from the government and show them the letter saying you have left college (If you show them they don't check because they assume you didn't rejoin) Then you get both EMA and Job Seekers Allowance £65+30 = £95 per week... for doing absolutely nothing... The go to the doctor and say you are stressed out and suicidal and then they write a letter and you can also claim Disability Living Allowance which is an extra £50 a week... So basically I get £145 per week plus I'm learning stuff at college and getting qualifications.
I love the government!!