Report Launch: London’s Post-16 Trajectories

The Greater London Authority (GLA) and London Councils commissioned us, along with partners at the UCL Institute of Education, to conduct analysis to better understand the pathways of London’s young people from GCSE through further study. This research tracks the trajectories of 355,000 London residents from age 15 to 18.

This report sits squarely within our core purpose at Mime; to communicate complex information with clarity in order to improve the life chances of young people. Our key findings and recommendations (outlined below) will inform policy on post-16 education and training in London, including the adult education budget.

Read the full report

This work adds to our growing portfolio around post-16 skills, careers, and pathways. Take a look at our other work in the sector here

Infographic: what drives London’s post-16 outcomes?

Our other key findings

• London’s age 16 provision differs to the rest of the country, with higher proportions of young people in school sixth forms and on academic programmes, partly due to the higher proportion of schools with sixth forms in the capital
• Although overall about 75% of London students remain in the same institution between ages 16 and 17, only about half of those on programmes at level 2 or below at age 16 are in the same institution at age 17, which suggests that planning for transition for these students may be less developed in London than it is elsewhere
• Over half of year 12 students that achieved Level 1 at key stage 4 go directly onto a Level 3 course at age 16, skipping or not fully finishing Level 2, which makes the successful achievement of their post-16 studies more challenging
• There is limited evidence of a structured approach to delivering the three-year programmes needed by many young Londoners, particularly those with a low level of prior attainment, new arrivals to the country or those switching programmes or institutions
• Vocational provision, and college provision generally, is often seen as a second-class option by schools and universities, and therefore in turn by parents and young people themselves.

Our key recommendations

1. Government to monitor schools and further education leaders and governors to ensure they deliver their statutory responsibility to provide high quality Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance
2. Central and London government, schools and further education colleges to demonstrate the value of both A level and technical and vocational programmes – including the new T levels – to parents, carers, students and employers
3. Government to include an accountability measure to show the proportion of a school’s key stage 4 cohort who went on to achieve Level 2 or Level 3 by aged 19, to incentivise good longer-term outcomes for all pupils
4. London government to identify and share good practice between institutions with similar levels of prior attainment including successful transitions to college
5. Regarding three-year study programmes:
   1. Government to ensure all post-16 providers receive full funding for delivering structured three-year post-16 programmes of study
   2. Government, schools and further education colleges to promote structured programmes of three-year study.