Education chiefs say there are no plans to follow the English Government and raise the participation in education age to 17 in the island.
From this month, students in England have to stay in education – such as at school, a further education college, or part-time alongside employment – to 17 rather than 16.
In addition, 16-year-olds who do not get a C grade or better in their English and maths GCSEs will have to continue studying the subjects.
The island’s director of education, Martin Barrow, said that students who haven’t achieved a C in English and maths and who stay on in education are ‘expected’ to continue with the subjects.
‘There are no plans to introduce this on the island as the vast majority of our young people already choose to follow this route and either enter sixth form or move on to courses at the Isle of Man College of Further and Higher Education,’ Mr Barrow said.
‘If young people follow those routes they are expected to continue with maths and/or English if they haven’t gained a Grade C at GCSE and that has been the case in recent years.’
In September 2012, 52 per cent of year 11 students (ages 15 and 16) returned to the sixth forms of the island’s five state secondary schools and 31 per cent went into further education at the Isle of Man College.
