UK School Leaving Age

In the United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, your school leaving age is determined by the government. An Act of Parliament sets the time of compulsory (ie you have to do it) education but it also depends on where you live:

England

You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.

However, you must then do one of the following until you’re 18:

stay in full-time education, for example at a college

start an apprenticeship or traineeship

spend 20 hours or more a week working or volunteering, while in part-time education or training

Scotland

If you turn 16 between 1 March and 30 September, you can leave school after 31 May of that year.

If you turn 16 between 1 October and the end of February, you can leave at the start of the Christmas holidays in that school year.

Wales

You can leave school on the last Friday in June, as long as you’ll be 16 by the end of that school year’s summer holidays.

Northern Ireland

If you turn 16 during the school year, between 1 September and 1 July, you can leave school after 30 June.

If you turn 16 between 2 July and 31 August, you can’t leave school until 30 June the following year.