Overall, students agreed that leaving school at 16 was a good idea, although some wanted the flexibility of leaving earlier. Pictured are Kay Wheatley, 14, Fern Gomez, Rosie Grimes and Luke Guppy, all aged 15. (Picture by Tom Tardif, 0799615)

YEAR 10 pupils have given their backing to a change in the law that will keep them at school for another 12 months.

New legislation came in earlier this year raising the school leaving age from 15 to 16.

This means that about 740 teenagers will have to stay on for another year at school, regardless of their wishes.

But pupils at Les Beaucamps High School agreed with the politicians that this was the right move to make.

Rosie Grimes, 15, wanted to become an accountant when she was older. She felt qualifications were important for teenagers’ futures.

‘Most of my friends want to stay on,’ she said.

‘I think people are too young to make such big decisions about leaving school as they often don’t know what to do next.’

Kay Wheatley, 14, said she would have stayed on regardless of the law so that she could go to university in England.

‘Without good qualifications, it is hard to get employment. We need these grades so we can be equal with UK students when we compete for jobs.’