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The education secretary has vowed to “rewire” the education system after statistics showed that school leavers from disadvantaged backgrounds or with special educational needs are far more likely to be out of work, training or education.

Lucy Powell suggested that the latest government findings on children (Neet) reinforced the government’s stance on the issue, including its plan to introduce new technical education routes, which was announced last week.

The education secretary said today: “Making sure young people stay connected to education, training and opportunity starts long before results day.

“We’re rewiring the entire education system to give young people from all backgrounds the chance to thrive.”

Promoting vocational education

Government policy will include “transformational reforms that stop technical and vocational career paths playing second fiddle in schools”, Ms Powell added.

She made the comments in response to published by the government today, showing that Neet young people are more likely to have been eligible for free school meals (FSM) or to have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). They also have lower attainment at age 15 than those not classified as Neet, according to the .

A major review into the Neet crisis, published in May, found that the school system does too little to prepare students for work. Almost 1 million young people aged 16-24 in the UK are considered Neet.

Today’s research explores how the proportion of young people achieving the highest level of attainment varies according to their level of disadvantage, and how many students progress to high-earning employment by age 25.

Just 22 per cent of “disadvantaged learners” - defined as those eligible for FSM - had a higher education qualification or equivalent at age 25, compared with 42 per cent of non-FSM learners.

Disadvantaged pupils will earn less

Students eligible for FSM are also less likely to have high earnings by age 25 than non-FSM learners, regardless of their level of attainment.

Just 21 per cent of students eligible for FSM earned more than £30,000 by age 25, compared with 38 per cent of non-FSM learners.

The same trend is also seen with students with SEND.

Around 15 per cent of learners with SEND achieve a qualification at Level 6-plus by age 25, compared with 42 per cent of learners without SEND. Meanwhile,19 per cent of students with SEND earn over £30,000 by age 25, compared with 38 per cent of learners without SEND, regardless of their highest level of qualification.

Ms Powell said today’s findings support the government’s approach to preventing young people from becoming Neet.

Last week, in a significant indication of new prime minister Andy Burnham’s priorities for education, the government announced that new technical education routes in schools would be available to 14-year-olds. A phased introduction from 2028 is understood to be planned.

The government has indicated that Year 10 students will be able to combine core academic subjects, such as English and maths, with technical education linked to jobs available in their area. However, much of the detail about how the new routes will work has yet to emerge.

Life chances ‘determined by lowest point in school’

Ms Powell said: “Too often, too many young people’s life chances are being determined by their lowest point in school.

“Disadvantage is being entrenched and young people are working against the odds before they’ve even got going. What happens at 16 becomes a lifetime of struggle.”

The government is yet to confirm how the new technical routes will be funded, with no confirmation of any new money beyond existing central DfE budgets.

Ms Powell said today that the “rewiring” of education would encompass a number of areas, from “fixing the SEND system and a focus on securing a strong foundation in core subjects for all, to transformational reforms that stop technical and vocational career paths playing second fiddle in schools”.

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