1.5b. How do the educational pathways and outcomes of care leavers compare to those of their non-care-experienced peers?

Background

Post-16 provision is pivotal in supporting young people to progress into meaningful education, employment or training. It also provides critical upskilling and re-skilling opportunities to adults to support them into better employment. Recent qualification reforms, including changes to funding and the introduction of new pathways such as V Levels and foundation apprenticeships, are reshaping the options available.

These developments raise important questions about accessibility and equity, particularly for learners at risk of becoming NEET and those with additional needs. Ofsted is interested in understanding how these changes influence participation, progression and outcomes. We also want to understand what effective practice to prevent learners from becoming NEET looks like across diverse learner groups.

Next steps

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Related UKRI funded projects


  • Understanding the Impacts of Time in Care on Educational Attainment of Young Adults Aged 16-18 in England

    In many countries, the educational attainment of looked after children is far below that of the general child population. However, how being in care influences children's educational attainment is not clear. In this proj...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

    Why might this be relevant?

    This project directly addresses the educational pathways and outcomes of care leavers compared to non-care-experienced peers, utilizing advanced quantitative methods.

  • Refining and reinvigorating adult education and training research through longitudinal analyses.

    The proposed project aims to investigate patterns of participation in education and training among adults and their related potential benefits in the domains of (1) health, (2) work and careers, and (3) the social commun...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Glasgow

    Why might this be relevant?

    While this project focuses on adult education and training, it may provide insights into educational pathways and outcomes for care leavers indirectly through longitudinal analyses.