BAD luck if you happen to be a school pupil in England - or good news, depending on how much you like school. Westminster's Education Secretary Ed Balls plans to raise the school leaving age from 16 to 18.

Under legislation expected to be announced in the Queen's Speech today, the compulsory school leaving age will be raised first to 17 in 2013, and then to 18 in 2015.

The move could have echoed one made in Scotland had the SNP lost May's elections.

Labour in Scotland had planned to introduce the measure as part of its manifesto.

Already, however, Scots teaching unions have expressed worries about any future plans to increase the leaving age here.

EIS general secretary Ronnie Smith said: "The last thing we want is a group of conscripted youngsters being forced into circumstances where they don't want to be.

"I also think it's very important that we think about the quality of the training or the employment of the educational experience that they would be compelled to participate in."

But shadow education secretary Rhona Brankin said: "This is not about forcing unwilling pupils to stay in school - this is about raising the age of which youngsters have an opportunity to participate until age 18."

Pointing to the 15,000-20,000 young Scots currently not in education, training or a job, she said this was a "massive waste of talent, and for many of these youngsters, they require more opportunities".

She also believes that Scotland's global competitiveness could only be increased by giving access to training to as many teens as possible.

What do you think? Is raising the leaving age to 18 a good idea? Or would it merely result in lots of bored, unwilling pupils causing disruption to the rest? Opinion is divided on whether Scotland should follow England's example Maureen Johnston, 37, breakfast cook, Bishopbriggs It is a good idea as my daughter left at 16 and I would have preferred it if she had stayed on at school. Graeme Running, 22, stockroom staff, Cumbernauld It would be better to stay in school so I think it is a good idea. A lot of people don't know what they want to do when they leave. Kirstinne Stoney, 16, student, North Kelvinside You should be allowed to leave at 16 so I wouldn't agree with increasing the leaving age. Danny O'Halloran, 62, security guard, Bishopbriggs If it was my choice then the leaving age wouldn't go up as I would always rather be out working. Martin Ryan, 31, call centre worker, Paisley It's a good idea in theory but the kids are the main thing. At that age a lot of people don't know what they want to do - I didn't. Laura Cooke, 24, trainee solicitor, Kings Park It's a bad idea. Pupils should be given the choice to do something else if their heart's not in staying on at school. Peter Staunton, 26, underwriter, Eastwood It is a good idea to increase the leaving age as it might make them work a bit harder and it keep them off the streets. Jonathan Urquhart, 18, engineer, Drumchapel I don't think that it would be a good idea to change the school leaving age from 16 to 18 as people might not want to stay at school.