Minimum School Leaving Age

Please find below the information surrounding school leaving ages for each section of the UK.

 

England - You can leave school on the last Friday in June if you’ll be 16 by the beginning of September.

 

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.