30,000 adolescents disengaged despite raised participation age, figures show

Government data shows that 28,700 16-year-olds were not in education or training at the end of last year despite new legislation introduced in the same year requiring all young people due to leave school in the summer of 2013 to continue studying until the end of this month.

However, the data shows that the proportion of 16-year-olds not in education or training has fallen by 2.5 per cent since the end of 2012 when 44,700 were disengaged.

The figures also show that the proportion of 16- to 18-year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neet) is at its lowest level since 1994. At the end of 2013, 7.6 per cent of 16- to 18-year-olds were Neet, compared with 8.4 per cent in 1994.

Broken down, the figures show that more than 1.6m 16- to 18-year-olds were in education or training at the end of 2013, while 133,200 were in employment.

Despite the improvement, Jonathan Rallings, assistant director of policy and research at Barnardo’s, is concerned by the number of disengaged 16-year-olds.

He said: “While we welcome the drop from the previous year, the fact that still so many young people are Neet highlights the government still needs to do more to help prevent young people from slipping out of the system."