Survey of leeds school leavers shows positive destinations

A massive survey of what happened to students in the Leeds area after they completed their compulsory education in 2004 has provided an encouraging picture of increasing numbers of young people going into either continued education or employment with organised training.

The Destinations Survey, which is conducted for the Connexions service annually by igen, the regional career and personal development services company, also indicated a corresponding drop in the number of people who left school in 2004 and did not go into education, training or employment without organised training.

This is an encouraging trend just a few weeks after Gordon Brown announced in his Budget that nine out of ten young people should stay in education or training until the age of 18.

Mr Brown, who put in measures to improve skills at the heart of his Budget, told the Commons during the Budget: ìWith China and India producing 4m graduates a year, I am convinced that Britain cannot afford to waste the ability of any young person, discard the future of any teenager, or leave untapped the talents of any adult.î

The aim of the Leeds Destinations Survey is to track the movement of every Year 11 student in the city after they finish school.

Out of a total of 8,725 young people ñ a figure up 3.26% on the previous year ñ who completed their compulsory education last year, the survey successfully accounted for more than 98% of them.

The survey showed:
- More than one in three (35.75%) stayed on at school or sixth form
- 31.31% went into further education.
- 14.28% went into an employment opportunity with formal training (up 0.27% on the previous year)
- The percentage going into employment without any training on offer dropped by 0.62%.

This was the second consecutive annual rise in the number of young people who opted for employment with training after they finished school, making it the next most popular career path after continuing in post-16 education.

Equally encouraging was that the Not in Education Employment or Training (NEET) figure fell marginally (down 0.36% to 11.3%) for the second year running.

The ten-year analysis from 1994 to 2004 shows a changing demographic picture with the key statistic being the 21% increase (to 8,725) in the number of young people in Leeds completing statutory education ñ 275 more in 2004 than in the previous year.

Since 1994 the percentage of those who, having completed compulsory education, chose to stay on at school fell by 3% (from 38.7% to 35.7%) but the percentage going into further education rose almost 9% (22.4% to 31.3%) and the popularity of employment with training almost trebled from 5.14% to 14.28%.

Steve Higginbotham, igen Chief Executive, said: ìThe picture over the last ten years, and over the past year alike, has been of a steady and encouraging move towards young people making more considered post-16 career choices.

ìThey are taking advantage of both the information and the opportunities available to them to make decisions that provide them with either a higher level of formal education, or employment that provides real future prospects because it is accompanied by structured training leading to the acquisition of recognised skills and qualifications.

ìThe other good news is that this has been the case even though the number of young people making the transition from year 11 has increased.

Shaid Mahmood, Connexions West Yorkshireís Partnership Director, said: ìWe can rightly celebrate a year of improving outcomes for young people in Leeds. Although, there is still a lot we need to do, the Connexions service can build confidently on the strengths of our local partners to continuously improve outcomes for all young people.î