Debate: Should the school leaving age be lowered to 14? Have your say on new Tory plans

The school leaving age could be dropped to as low as 14 under new plans unveiled by the Scottish Conservatives.

Proposals from the party suggest that children as young as 14 could leave school for either an apprenticeship or to continue their education at college.

It would represent the biggest change in how education is delivered in Scotland for decades.

Party leader Russell Findlay claimed it would “transform opportunities for those young people who are being left behind”.

‘Trapped’ in system?

Under the current rules school education is mandatory until the age of 16.

He claimed too many young people become “trapped” in a system that doesn’t work for them, or even worse, they exit it altogether.

“This is not about writing off these young people – it is the very opposite of that,” he claimed.

But the policy was slammed by SNP education chief Jenny Gilruth, who described it as Dickensian.

What do you think of the policy? Do you agree that it would transform opportunities or are the current rules about right?

Vote in our poll and have your say in the comments below.