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

By Laura McCardle, Thursday 26 June 2014

Almost 30,000 16-year-olds were not in education or training at the end of 2013 despite the government raising the participation age to 17, official figures reveal.

Government legislation requires school leavers to continue in education or training until they turn 18. Image: Vicky Matthers
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.

http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1145044/-adolescents-disengaged-despite-raised-participation-age-figures?WT.rss_f=Education+-+Disciplines&WT.rss_a=30%2C000+adolescents+disengaged+despite+raised+participation+age%2C+figures+show