By registering with Routes Ahead you can save the courses you are interested in and come back to them later. You can add and remove courses as you wish, it`s really easy!

To register follow the steps below:

• click Not registered yet? in the Log in box
• enter your details, and
• click Submit

You are now logged in.

Once you have registered, you will be able to log in using your email address and your password.

To log in, go to the Log in box on the homepage and follow the steps below:

• enter your email address in the first box
• enter your password in the second box, and
• click Go

Forgotten your password?

• click Forgotten your password? in the Log in box
• enter your email address, and
• click Submit

A reminder of your password will be sent to your email address.

Routes Ahead lets you search for courses, Apprenticeships and other learning opportunities in and around Derby and Derbyshire.

If you want to search for a course to study in Years 10 and 11:

• click on the Search button on the homepage
• choose in Year 10 and 11
• choose your school from the pick list
• type the name of the course you`re interested in or a keyword, into the keyword box, and
• click Search

Tip! If you`re not sure what course you want to search for, leave the keyword box blank and just click Search. This will bring up a list of all the courses available to you in Year 10 and 11.

If you are happy with your search results, see the Viewing and printing results section.

If you`ve got too many results or you want to change your search, click Refine search. This will take you to the Advanced search where you can choose from more pick lists — such as level or qualification.

If you want to search for a course to study after Year 11:

• click on the Search button on the homepage
• choose after Year 11, and
• type the name of the course you`re interested in, or a keyword into the keyword box.

You can the choose to search by Location, Learning provider or Postcode, if you want to..

If you want to search for courses in a certain town or city:

• choose Location
• choose a location from the first pick list that appears, you can then choose a distance around the town or city if you want to.

If you want to search for courses at a certain sixth form, college or training provider:

• choose Learning provider, and
• choose the sixth form, college or training provider from the pick list.

If you want to search for courses a certain distance from your house::

• choose Postcode
• type your postcode into the box that appears, and
• choose a distance around your postcode, for example 5 miles.

Click Search

If you are happy with your search results, see the Viewing and printing results section.

If you`ve got too many results or you want to change your search, click Refine search. This will take you to the Advanced search where you can choose from more pick lists — such as level or qualification.

The Advanced search is useful if you want to do a more detailed search — if you`re looking for a particular qualification for example.

If you want to search for a course to study in Years 10 and 11:

• click on the Search button on the homepage
• click Advanced search on the Other searches toolbar on the right hand side of the screen
• choose in Year 10 and 11, and
• choose your school from the pick list.

You will then be able to:

• type the name of the course you`re interested in or a keyword into the keyword box, or choose an area you are interested in from the pick list — you will then be able to choose a subject, if you want to, and
• choose the qualification you want to gain from qualification pick list. If you`re not sure you can leave this pick list blank
• click Search

If you are happy with your search results, see the Viewing and printing results section.

If you`ve got too many results or you want to change your search, click Refine search. This will bring you back to your search selections.

Tip! If you just choose in Year 10 and 11 and choose your school from the pick list, it will bring up an alphabetical list of all the courses available to you in Years 10 and 11.

If you want to search for a course to study after Year 11:

• click on the Search button on the homepage
• click Advanced search on the Other searches toolbar on the right hand side of the screen, and
• choose in after Year 11.

You will then be able to:

• type the name of the course you`re interested in or a keyword into the keyword box, or choose an area you are interested in from the pick list — you will then be able to choose a subject, if you want to

• choose how you want to study — on an Apprenticeship for example. If you`re not sure you can leave this pick list blank

• choose the qualification you want to gain from qualification pick list. If you`re not sure you can leave this pick list blank

• choose the level you want to study at. If you`re not sure you can leave this pick list blank

• choose to search by Location, Learning provider or Postcode

If you want to search for courses in a certain town or city:

• choose Location
• choose a location from the first pick list that appears, you can then choose a distance around the town or city if you want to.

If you want to search for courses at a certain sixth form, college or training provider:

• choose Learning provider, and
• choose the sixth form, college or training provider from the pick list.

If you want to search for courses a certain distance from your house::

• choose Postcode
• type your postcode into the box that appears, and
• choose a distance around your postcode, for example 5 miles.

Now click Search

If you are happy with your search results, see the Viewing and printing results section.

If you`ve got too many results or you want to change your search, click Refine search. This will bring you back to your search selections. If you only answered one of the questions try to make a few more selections — this may reduce the amount of results you get.

You can use the provider search to look for courses at a certain school, sixth form, college or training provider:

• click on the Search button on the homepage
• click Provider search from the Other searches toolbar on the right hand side of the screen
• select a school, sixth form, college or training provider from the list, and
• click Search

Tip! This will bring up a list of all the courses this learning provider offers — this may include courses you can study in Years 10 and 11 as well as after Year 11.

Routes Ahead holds information on courses, Apprenticeships and other learning opportunities available in and around Derby and Derbyshire. If you live close to the border, for example in Glossop or Swadlincote, you may find that not all of the places you`re interested in are on Routes Ahead. You may also want to look at surrounding county`s prospectuses to see what`s available..

• click on the Search button on the homepage
• click Out of county on the Other searches toolbar on the right hand side of the page, and
• click on an area from the list, for example Staffordshire.

Tip! Prospectuses in other areas will look and work differently to Routes Ahead.

To see a list of providers who offer national training schemes:

• click Search
• click National providers

To see a list of schools in and around Derby and Derbyshire for young people with the special educational needs:

• click on the Search button on the homepage, and
• click Special schools on the Other searches toolbar on the right hand side of the screen.

To see a list of independent schools in and around Derbyshire:

• click on the Search button on the homepage, and
• click Independent schools on the Other searches toolbar on the right hand side of the screen.

To look at Purple Pages on the Connexions Derbyshire website:

• click Search, and
• click Job vacancies

Here you will be able to search for local jobs and employed Apprenticeships that are suitable for Year 11 school leavers.

To find out about things to do and places to go in your free time:

• click Search, and
• click Other activities

You can view your search results in two different ways — list format and grid format.

List format

When you have carried out a search it will automatically display your results in an alphabetical list. This list will tell you the:

• name of the course
• type of study
• qualification you will gain
• level of the course
• age range the course is suitable for, and
• provider of the course.

You can sort your results to appear by type of study, qualification, level, age range or provider by clicking on the arrow at the top of each column. 

Click on the name of the course, to find out more information, including the entry requirements for the course, how you will be assessed and so on.

Click on the name of the provider to find out more information, including the provider`s contact details, details of any events they`re holding, what facilities they have and so on.

Grid format

Click the View grid button at the top or bottom of your search results page. This will display your results in a grid on a separate page in order of type of study.

The names of the course providers will be listed along the top of the grid and the names of the courses will be listed down the left hand side of the the grid. The dots match each course with the provider.

Click on a dot to view information about the course. Click on the name of the provider to view information about the provider.

Tip! If you have a lot of search results, this may take a long time to load.

If you want to print this grid, click File and Print.

Tip! If you have a lot of results in your grid, it may print out over several pages. If this happens try clicking Download this info. This will download the grid into an Excel spreadsheet for you to resize and save.

Printing your information

Click the Print button at the top or bottom of your results pages.

My account lets you build up your own list of courses that you can go back to at any time.

You need to log in to save courses. See the Registering and Logging in sections.

Saving your searches is useful as you may want to look through your search results at a later date with a teacher or with your parents or carers.

To save a search:

• carry out a search — see the Searching section
• click the Save search button at the top or bottom the search results page
• enter a search name and search description — this will help you find it easily in your account later, and
• click Save

To view the searches you have saved click My account at the top of the homepage and then click My searches.

Saving your courses is useful as you can build a list of all the courses you are interested in and look at them at a later date with a teacher or with your parents or carers. You can also print off a list of your saved courses to add to your progress file or individual learning plan.

To save a course:

• carry out a search — see the Searching section
• click on the name of the course you are interested in, and
• click on the Save course button at the top or bottom of the course page.

To view the courses you have saved click My account at the top of the homepage and then click My courses.

To change your personal details including your password and email address click My account at the top of the homepage and then click My details.

There are useful links you can click on from the course page.

Provider`s other courses — this will bring up a full list of courses available at this school, sixth form, college or training provider.

Provider`s details — this will bring up a page about the school, sixth form, college or training provider that is offering the course. This page will include information about the facilities they offer, what transport there is to get there and so on.

Qualifications explained — this links to the Connexions Derbyshire website where the different qualifications are explained.

Qualifications table — this opens up a simple grid to show the different qualifications, what level they are at and at what age you can study them.

What can I do next? — this will bring up a list of similar courses at the next level that you may be able to go onto after this course.

There are useful links you can click on from the provider page.

View courses — this will bring up a full list of courses available at this school, sixth form, college or training provider.

View events — this will bring up a list of events at this school, sixth form, college or training provider, for example options evenings and taster days.

View map — this will bring up a Google map to show you where this school, sixth form, college or training provider is based.

View bus maps — where available, this will bring up a map of bus services to and from this school, sixth form, college or training provider.

View Ofsted report — this will link to the latest Ofsted inspection report. This will tell you what the government thinks about the education and training provided at this school, sixth form, college or training provider.

View video — where available, this will show you a video about this school, sixth form, college or training provider or the courses they offer.

DCSF attainment tables — this will link to the government website which tells you about the achievement rates in this school, sixth form, college or training provider. You can also use this website to compare rates with the other providers. There is a user guide available on the site which will help you to understand what these rates mean.

You may need some help and advice before searching for courses and thinking about your option choices.

Click on the Get Advice! button on the homepage.

You can click on the links on this page for help and advice about your options, how to choose, how to apply, open days, money, travel and qualifications.