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Written question asked by Mark Garnier (Conservative) on Monday, 20 October 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 October 2025. It was answered by Josh MacAlister (Labour) on Friday, 31 October 2025 on behalf of the Department for Education.


Further Education: Student Wastage and School Leaving

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion or people without education, employment or training (a) left school and (b) left further education before the end of their course.

Answer

The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/neet-statistics-annual-brief/2024.

Additionally, estimates of young people aged 16 to 18 participating in education and training using the department’s administrative data are published at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/participation-in-education-and-training-and-employment/2024. This release contains the most robust measure for 16 to 18 year olds NEET.

Both NEET sources are based on status at time of data collection and therefore the definition does not rely on being out of education and employment for a specific length of time before being categorised as NEET.

Neither source can be used to estimate the number of young people who left school/further education before the end of their course. However, they will be included in the statistics as NEET if they had left their course prior to the reporting timeframe and not taken part in any employment or alternative education at that time.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
83269
Session
2024-26
Grouped for answer
Yes
Subjects
Further education School leaving Student wastage
Contains statistics
Yes
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk