The conclusions – by a major venture philanthropy charity – come amid concerns
that young people have been hit hardest by the economic downturn.
The study recommended a series of reforms including a shake-up of Ofsted
inspections to rate schools on the extent to which they provide pupils with
“employability” skills.
It also claimed that the Government’s pupil premium – additional funding for
schools to teach poor pupils – was “flawed” because it went to all schools
irrespective of performance. In the future, a proportion of the cash should
be ring-fenced for schools that boost pupils’ exam results and job
opportunities.
Jenny North, director of policy and strategy at Impetus – The Private Equity
Foundation, said that children born around the millennium are due to choose
their GCSE options this year, aged 14.
“There is still an opportunity to ensure that they don’t fail to make the
transition from school to work or into further education, which so many
young people before them have,” she said.
“Britain needs a vision for the youth labour market, one which recognises that
our NEET problem is structural and long-term, not just a hangover from the
recession.”
The study looked at the exam performance of 604,441 children born in 2000 and
predicted their chances of becoming NEET before the age of 24.
It estimated that 120,888 are at serious risk of leaving compulsory education
without a job, training place or university degree because they already
perform below national averages in the three-Rs.
White boys from poor homes are particularly at risk as they currently perform
worse at school than other ethnic groups, the report said. Just a quarter of
these teenagers go on to gain five good GCSEs, compared with four-in-10 poor
black boys and six-in-10 other pupils.
From 2015, all pupils will be required to remain in some form of education
until the age of 18 – up from 16 previously – in a move designed to boost
their chances of finding a career.
But the report claimed that it would fail to improve children’s chances of
being NEET because long-term opportunities are often dictated by pupils’
earlier performance at primary and secondary school.
“If we want to tackle Britain’s NEET problem then we have to look at the
sources of that problem,” it said. “That means intervening early enough to
make a preventative difference.”
A Department for Education spokeswoman said: “All disadvantaged pupils are
eligible for the pupil premium, which will be worth £2.5bn in 2014-15.
“We expect all schools to use these funds effectively and they will be held to
account by Ofsted for how well they are closing the gap between
disadvantaged pupils and their peers.
"All our reforms are designed to ensure young people leave school with the
skills they need to secure a good job or continue studying.
“That includes introducing a curriculum and qualifications fit for the 21st
century and ensuring all young people who don't achieve at least a C in GCSE
English and maths continue studying those vital subjects up to 18.
“We also plan to spend £7.4 billion in the coming year to fund an education
and training place for every 16 and 17-year-old who wants one and we are
committed to helping more young people benefit from Apprenticeships and
Traineeships which give them the skills, confidence and experience demanded
by employers.”
