Press release: Tens of thousands of teenagers ‘falling out’ of the education system after they turn 16

• Almost one in ten (9%) fall out of education, training or employment after completing year 11 

• For ‘disadvantaged’ young people it rises to almost one in five (17%) and of those classified as ‘disadvantaged’ white boys it rises to more than one in five (21%), higher than any other demographic group 

Our new analysis finds that tens of thousands of young people across the country are struggling to make the transition to post-16 education or training – further driving the growing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training. 

Despite education being compulsory until the age of 18, analysis of the most recent official data from the Department of Education, published last week, shows that 55,065 young people – almost one in ten (9 %) – who finished the final year of secondary school (year 11) in summer 2024 spent six months or less in education or employment in the next academic year. This includes both young people who did not enrol in further education, as well as those who started a course but dropped out after a few weeks or months. The data shows that many young people simply disengage from the system once they leave secondary school.  

We are warning that currently too many young people are being left without the support they need to navigate this critical point in their lives. Government research  shows that dropping out of education or employment age 16 can increase the risk of a young person being NEET as an adult by as much as three and a half times. 

This problem is particularly acute among young people who have special educational needs and/or a disability or who are classified as ‘disadvantaged’ – 15% and 17% respectively compared to 9% for all young people. 

The data also shows the ongoing challenge in engaging white working-class boys in education, with 21% of ‘disadvantaged’ white boys not making the transition to post-16 education or employment – higher than any other demographic. 

Outcomes vary between regions, with 11% of young people in the North East and 10% in the North West failing to sustain education or employment, compared to 7% in Outer London and 7.5% in the East of England. Over the last decade, the proportion of young people not making the transition to post-16 education or employment has risen. This trend has accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic, leaving thousands more young people cut off from education or employment. 

The analysis comes in advance of the publication of the final report of the independent review into young people not in education, employment or training led by Alan Milburn. The review has found that over a million young people aged 16 to 24 are already not in employment, education, or training, at an annual cost to the country of £125 billion. 

We are warning that without a step change in how young people are supported, the current trends will continue.  In the decade to 2023/24 the proportion of young people failing to make the transition to post-16 education or employment has risen from 6% to 9%. 

As responsibility for 16-19 education transfers to elected mayors in the near future, we are calling for mayors to also have responsibility for identifying those young people most at risk of disengaging and ensuring they stay in education or training post-16.  To effectively tackle this problem, the government needs to ensure local areas put in place a range of specialist post-16 options, including supported internships, pre-apprenticeships, and tailored small-scale provision aimed at those who have dropped out of school or college or struggle in bigger colleges, supported by sustainable funding. It needs to be targeted at those who are particularly at risk of falling out of education such as young people in the care system, those with special educational needs and those with poor prior attainment. 

Enver Solomon, CEO of Nacro, said: 

“Tens of thousands of young people, fresh out of school, are being failed by the system. Rather than thriving in education, they end up falling out of the system with their contribution to society lost. This is unacceptable and must be addressed. 

 “We know from our work in our education and skills centres that young people who have struggled in mainstream education can and do succeed when given the right kind of support. 

“Devolving powers for 16–19 education creates a generational opportunity to build a joined-up local system that gives every young person the opportunity to thrive.” 

ENDS. 

Notes to Editors: 

1. The Department for Education has published data on KS4 Sustained Destinations data here. 
   To have a sustained destination, a young person has to spend more than six months in employment, education, or training in the academic year after they complete Year 11. 

1. The data shows that there were 629,662 young people completed Year 11 in 2023/24 in either a state-funded mainstream school, or a state-funded special school. Of these, 574,597 had a ‘sustained destination’. This means that 55,065, or 8.7%, of young people did not have a sustained destination. Source 

1. 166,811 young people defined as ‘disadvantaged’ completed Year 11 in either a state-funded mainstream school, or a state-funded special school. Of these, 83.3% had a sustained destination the following year. Source The DfE defines ‘disadvantaged’ young people as those who receive Free School Meals, have spent time in care, or have spent time in Alternative Provision. 

1. 109,067 young people with identified SEN completed year 11 in either a state-funded mainstream school, or a state-funded special school. Of these, 84.9% had a sustained destination the following year. Source 

1. 50,100 ‘disadvantaged’ young people categorised as ‘Male, White’ completed year 11 in a state-funded mainstream school. Of these, 78.7% had a sustained destination.
   Data broken down by ethnicity among ‘disadvantaged’ pupils: Source 

1. Data broken down by Government region: Source 

1. Since 2013/14, the proportion of young people failing to make the transition to post-16 education has risen from 6.2% to 8.7: Source 

To contact the press office email: media@nacro.org.uk