Teenagers in England who fail to achieve at least a grade C in English and maths GCSEs will have to continue studying the subjects from this term.

 

It means hundreds of thousands of youngsters in school and college will have to carry on with the subjects until the age of 18.

 

Up until now, pupils have been able to drop the subjects at the age of 16 without having gained a qualification in them.

Many would never study these subjects again, prompting concerns from employers' organisations that too many young people lack literacy and numeracy skills necessary for work.

 

RAISING THE LEAVING AGE

• Separately from making pupils keep studying maths and English, this week also sees the raising of the "participation age" in education and training in England to 17.

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• It does not mean that pupils have to stay in school, but those who are not already in education will be expected to continue some element of education and training.

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• This means that teenagers in work, part-time or full-time, will be expected to have some element of training

• In 2015, this will be raised again to 18.

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• Teenagers who are not in education and employers who do not provide training will not face sanctions, as this is meant to be about raising education levels rather than introducing punishments.

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• The last increase was raising the age to 16 in 1972. Research this year suggested there were positive benefits a generation later.

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• In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the leaving age remains 16.