There could be tens of thousands more teenagers who are not in education, employment or training (Neet) than official statistics suggest, the children's commissioner has warned. A report by Dame Rachel de Souza said around 42,000 16- and 17-year-olds were officially classed as studying at college, but were not showing up at least half of the time. She said they had gone "under the radar" and were "not getting the support that they need".
The Department for Education (DfE) said it planned to help colleges track attendance and ultimately to gather that data centrally. Unlike schools, further education and sixth form colleges in England are not required to collect or report attendance data. Dame Rachel's report is based on attendance data obtained from 262 college groups in England and says rates are "substantially lower" than in schools.
It suggests that more than half (52.2%) of 16- and 17-year-olds are estimated to be persistently absent by the standards used in schools, meaning they are missing 10% or more of college sessions. And around 42,000 (5.9%) are severely absent, meaning they are missing at least half of college sessions. The DfE estimates that 57,000 16- and 17-year-olds in England are Neet, and Dame Rachel's report argues that these persistently absent teenagers should be considered as "hidden" Neets alongside them.
Dame Rachel told the BBC a range of factors led to teenagers missing college, including part-time work and travel costs, and that some had been largely absent from education since the Covid pandemic. She said while those juggling part-time employment were likely to miss college every so often, it was those who are "far more vulnerable" who were likely to be severely absent. She added that it was "shocking" that the DfE did not collect the data as it meant the issue was "ignored".
"It's under the radar and these kids are not getting the support that they need," she said. One in eight young people still out of work or education ahead of major review Want your job application to stand out? Employers say they look for these six skills Competition for degree apprenticeships quadruples as university costs rise Liam Sloan, principal at Bolton College, said not many students missed more than half of classes, but those who were absent often had mental health challenges or part-time jobs.
"Sometimes the student being able to be offered that £30 shift there and then means more... than the potential qualification in six or seven months' time," he said. He said there was a particular issue in English and maths GCSE classes, which students in England are required to study alongside other courses if they don't have a grade 4 or above. Attendance rates at the college had improved in recent years though, he said, and this year it has introduced full-time "positive engagement officers" to greet students each morning and contact those who do not show up.
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