Students sometimes think about leaving school early when:
- they are having difficulty studying
- they learn things easier in a hands-on environment, rather than a classroom
- there are problems with their friends or health.
The legal leaving age is 17
In Victoria, the law is:
- Your child cannot leave schooling until they are 17 years old.
- Your child must go to a school campus (or an approved alternative) until they finish year 10.
- After year 10, your child does not need to go to a school campus. But they must take part in education, training or employment for at least 25 hours per week, until they are 17 years old.
The benefits of staying at school
Research shows that many students who leave school without finishing year 12 will:
- earn less money when they start work
- be more likely to have long periods of unemployment
- be less likely to return to study later in life.
Encourage your child to stay in school and explore their options for finishing year 12. Finishing year 12 will help them later in life.
Talk to your school
Talk to your school’s careers practitioner and bring your child to the meeting. The careers practitioner can tell you about their options.
Schools provide different ways to finish year 12 and can tailor the experience to your child’s goals, interests and strengths by including:
- the study option that suits them. This could be the VCE, VCE Vocational Major or Victorian Pathways Certificate
- vocational training in your child’s studies, which is practical or hands-on learning
- incorporating an school-based apprenticeship or traineeship where you child will split their leaning between school, a workplace and potentially a TAFE.
If finishing year 12 is not the best option for your child, there are other options like finishing year 12 through a non-school provider.
For help with preparing for this conversation, see Talk to your child about their career.
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