This is why Kent’s further education  system needs a through revision:

The other week I wrote saying how I couldn’t understand the huge pressure there is upon 18 year olds to get into university at any cost… including that £21,000 debt after three years.

But more importantly my attention has been drawn to the scandalous way many of our 16-year-olds are being treated.

Firstly, here’s a little publicised fact for you: did you know that almost every secondary school in Kent with a sixth form forbids any visits or inputs by colleges?

That means year 11 pupils don’t really get the chance to see what else is on offer. The school provides its sixth form option and the pupil makes a choice.

A cynic might say this is purely to ensure the schools retain the funding for two more years – most of our college bosses do too.

And our children are being let down, I mean really let down.

The first let down is purely the fact that the average sixth form  is not particularly vocational nor does their limited one-size-fits-all approach to A-levels suit many.

I know of two cases where youngsters had to chose four A-level subjects and they were told they could drop one after a year. Photography A-levels were offered to youngsters who had no interest at all.

So students are forced to choose the A-levels available rather than the ones they may wish to take. A clear case of youngsters having to fit the system rather than a system geared up to individual needs

But worse than that: what happens if your child does not meet the grades for sixth–form?

Bear in mind you are dealing with an individual who has geared his life and expectations, driven by the school, for the next two years to a place in sixth form.

I will portray this with one school: Norton Knatchbull in Ashford.

A decent boys’ grammar school with an above average record in pupils attaining five grade Cs or above at GCSE, which is one of the main benchmarks for schools.

As an aside, it’s a pretty useless benchmark when you consider that five passes at GCSE don’t get you anywhere, really.

Norton Knatchbull insists that its sixth formers will need eight grade Cs or above to get in.

They must achieve Bs in subjects they wish to take at A-level and a minimum of Cs in English and Maths.

In one case this year a pupil has managed only a D in Maths and has been told two days before term begins that there is no place for him because the sixth form ‘could be filled twice over.”

Now he was never warned about this so a week after learning his results, he has begun the search for a college place.

And the school admitted that it doesn’t allow colleges to access its pupils. Additionally, when it was accused by his parents of casting someone aside because his exam results were a little low, the master agreed that it 0was the case.

This to me this is more worrying than the way pupils are forced through an academic system which results in a £20,000 debt for what in many cases, is a useless degree.

So, the warning for all GCSE pupils, and their parents, is clear: take a look at what colleges can offer you and do not assume sixth form is best.

I believe it’s the fault of the system that has evolved and a teaching staff geared up to retaining their income rather than what’s best in the long term for their students. Either they know it's failing the students and they can't be bothered to change it, or they are so out of touch with the real world that they don't recognise how badly they are letting younsters down.

This outrage should be addressed immediately, colleges must be allowed access to our secondary schools, and schools must do more for those individuals who fall below their predicted results.

As always, Gary, you talk a lot of sense, but you miss one point. While schools may not allow colleges to attempt to spirit away their funding, there is presumably no ban on 15/16 year-olds having a look for themselves at what colleges have to offer.

I can't believe that no-one, including the lad's parents, had no idea at all that he might not do very well at maths, so why weren't they looking at the options?

It's too easy to let the school lead the way. Let's face it, your own assertion that five GCSEs ain't up to much is a good indication of how academic you need to be to get a D in maths; it that's you, then get out there and look at the vocational courses on offer elsewhere.

Perhaps this is a chance for KoS to increase its advertising revenue by inviting the colleges to make sure they reach potential pupils in a different way.

And its easy to blame the parents.

Of course options are available and parents educate their children themselves - however schools have a duty of care to their students and this means they should be accessible by all relevant organisations.

I would support proper consistent careers advice through secondary schools and an open door policy rather than what there currently is in place.

Secondary schools need to realise they are dealing with individuals not numbers.

It's alway the responsibility of the parents when it suits the school.

Schools have a duty of care, after all we entrust them with a very special commodity - don't we?