What's happened
Dame Rachel de Souza has warned that tens of thousands of 16- to 17-year-olds in England are registered as in college but miss more than half their sessions, hiding from official Neet statistics. The data, drawn from 262 college groups, suggests a rising Neet figure overall, with government plans to boost attendance monitoring.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The story exposes a systemic blind spot in how youth disengagement is measured, with FE attendance data not centrally reported.
- This has policy implications: without accurate attendance data, targeting support for at-risk youths remains weak.
- The timing aligns with a government review of Neets and proposals to improve attendance tracking and mental health support in colleges.
- Readers should consider how attendance definitions shape policy outcomes and the lived experiences of students.
How we got here
The Children’s Commissioner has highlighted a gap in attendance reporting between schools and further education colleges. Official Neet statistics exclude many students who are chronically absent from college, though the August data showed a slight drop in Neets. Colleges report barriers such as mental health, poverty, transport, and work commitments.
Our analysis
BBC: Dame Rachel de Souza’s findings show 42,000 16–17-year-olds officially in college are not attending regularly; the Department for Education plans to centralize attendance data. The Independent reports extrapolated figures across England’s FE sector, estimating about 41,995 severely absent students. The Mirror highlights the political response and calls for tighter reporting and support. All sources emphasize that attendance is a crucial bridge between school and work.
Go deeper
- What changes will the government implement to monitor FE attendance more effectively?
- How can colleges mitigate barriers to attendance for vulnerable students?
- What impact will these findings have on long-term NEET statistics in England?
More on these topics
-
Rachel de Souza - Children's Commissioner for England
Dame Rachel Mary de Souza DBE is a British educationalist, and former head teacher. She was the founding chief executive of the Inspiration Trust and served in that role until March 2021, when she took up the post of Children's Commissioner for England.
-
England - Country of the United Kingdom
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest of England and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. England is separated from continental Europe by
-
Office for National Statistics
The Office for National Statistics is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority, a non-ministerial department which reports directly to the UK Parliament.
-
Alan Milburn - Former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care of the United Kingdom
Alan Milburn is a British Labour politician who was Member of Parliament for Darlington from 1992 to 2010. He served for five years in the Cabinet, first as Chief Secretary to the Treasury from 1998 to 1999, and subsequently as Secretary of State for Heal
-
Department for Education - Government department
The Department for Education is a department of Her Majesty's Government responsible for child protection, education, apprenticeships and wider skills in England.