The Orchard Gate: Go and have a look

If you are 14 or 16, or will be by 1 September, now is a good time to look at local colleges and find out when their open days are.

At 14, some colleges offer (post 14) courses for young people who are home educated. At 16, you can explore a wider range of courses, including apprentiships, GCSEs and Functional Skills in English and maths.

An open day is your chance to see the place, meet the tutors and ask what qualifications you would need for a course that interests you.

If you decide to apply, say on the application that you are home educated and give the college my details as your teacher. The college may contact me for a reference. I can give one if I have taught you for long enough to know your work. What I can say will depend on the learning you have completed and shown me.

So now is a good time to practise working independently: complete your assigned work, show it to me and ask for help when you need it. That will help you prepare for college and give me a clearer picture of your progress when I write a reference.

Applying does not commit you to taking a place. It tells the college you are interested. They will explain the next steps, which may include an interview. You can use that opportunity to ask questions and decide whether the course feels right for you.

Your next step: find one local college and put its open day in your diary.