Year 12 baseline. Many students arrive assuming 'university'. This module re-opens the full menu: traditional uni, degree apprenticeship (now growing fast), school-leaver programmes, gap year, employment with training. Each option mapped to careers and lifestyle.
Learning outcomes
- I can compare 4+ post-18 routes across cost, time, debt, exit salary
- I can describe degree apprenticeships in detail
- I can articulate my current leaning with reasons
Success criteria
- Five-route comparison sheet completed
- Provisional post-18 leaning + reasons
1
Five-route comparison
individual task · 30 min
Build the table: cost, time, debt, salary at 21, salary at 25, lifestyle. Five routes.
Builds: Problem Solving
2
Degree apprenticeship deep-dive
reading · 15 min
10 real degree apprenticeships from PwC, BBC, NHS, Rolls-Royce, etc. Salary, qualification, location.
3
My leaning
exit ticket · 15 min
Pick your provisional route. Three reasons. Add to Chapter goals.
📓 Chapter timeline: Save your provisional route + three reasons to Chapter goals.
🎮
Chapter Student Game
+60 XP
Action: Add your provisional post-18 route to Chapter goals
Add your provisional post-18 route to Chapter. You'll iterate through Y12.
Skills: Problem Solving, Planning
Plenary discussion
Pair-share for 2 minutes: one thing you'll take from this lesson into next week.
Homework / follow-up
Use 2026 data on degree apprenticeships — they're the fastest-growing route. Don't let university be the assumed default.