Preventing high NEET rates: How tutoring can be part of a collective solution.

Milburn’s report was triggered by findings released in May from the Office for National Statistics, which revealed that nearly 1 in 8 young people (16-24) are NEET, which is the highest rate since 2013. Most concerning to us, as a charity founded to make tutoring accessible as part of a fairer education system, is that young people from low-income households are far more likely to become NEET.

Tutor Trust and NEET

Tutoring can support positive engagement in education and contribute to reducing the number of young people who are NEET. Evidence shows that tutoring improves attainment, which is a key factor to becoming NEET. We believe our impact is strongest when tutoring is embedded within a wider support system. It should form part of a collaborative network of public and third-sector organisations working together to support young people. 

NEET and Attainment 

The report shows that low prior attainment is a key predictor of NEET status, with around 50% of 19-25 year olds without level 2 qualifications (GCSE grades 9 to 4) have spent time NEET.

The issue of attainment starts in primary school, despite public focus being placed on secondary schools. Expectations for children in primary school is low, the government expects one in four will not have the age-appropriate level of numeracy and literacy skills. It has been found that only 8% of these young people will achieve a grade 4 at GCSE in English and maths, showing the system has failed them at the start of their journey. Without these GCSE qualifications young people are less likely to enter sustained education, employment or an apprenticeship.

Tutor Trust has clearly demonstrated how tutoring can mitigate these concerns for young people. Across the local authorities disadvantaged pupils receiving tutoring had a higher pass rate than their disadvantaged peers not receiving tutoring in both SATs and GCSEs.

Absenteeism and NEET

Absenteeism at secondary school has been linked as a factor to rising NEET rates. In addition, absenteeism has a direct consequence on attainment, which can increase a young person’s chances of becoming NEET. Pupils who attended school at least 95% of the time in Year 11, were 1.9 times more likely to achieve Grade 5 in English and Maths GCSE compared to pupils who attended 90% to 95% of the time, and 3 times more likely than those attending 85 to 90%. Missing just ten days of Year 11 reduced the likelihood of achieving Grade 5 by around 50%.

An evaluation conducted by ImpactEd on Tutor Trust’s programme found that school attendance improved for nearly 1 in 5 pupils who received tutoring, with even great gains observed among Pupil Premium pupils. One pupil’s attendance rose from 67.2% to 93.2% over the course of the evaluation, showing the powerful impact tutoring can make. 

Furthermore, our dedicated Tutoring Plus programme support young people, often on a 1:1 basis, who face challenges in accessing their education. This programme is often chosen to support young people who are finding it challenging to engage with education, with almost 40% of young people on the programme being persistently or severely absent from school. Our Tutoring Plus programme provides these young people with bespoke support to help them with attainment, engagement in education and their confidence. 

Our new podcast series is dedicated to the ongoing attendance challenge, as we sit down with guests from across the education sector over 3 episodes.

Advocating for a ‘Student Premium’

Young people who don’t pass their GCSEs on their first attempt often do not receive enough support in college to receive a pass on their second attempt. Last year, only 17.1 per cent of the 206,732 learners aged 17 or older taking GCSE maths and England achieved at least a grade 4.  

Colleges do not receive enough funding to provide support, such as tutoring, to help post-16 pupils with their resits. Pupil Premium funding which helps to support disadvantage young people in secondary school abruptly when students finish their GCSEs. This year 180,000 young people who would have been entitled to this additional support in Year 11 lose it when they move into Year 12.

We have therefore partnered with a coalition of 14 leading social mobility and education organisations calling for a Student Premium. The aim is to create ring-fenced funding or post-16 providers to help 16-19-year-olds engage with education through support like tutoring for re-sit examinations. The aim of this campaign is to help disadvantaged 16–19-year-olds stay in education, move towards rewarding employment and avoid becoming NEET. 

We are hopeful that the government will commit to a ‘Student Premium’ and allow learners from post-16 settings to access tuition and support their further education and employment prospects, which we believe would reduce the number of young people who are NEET.

Our aims

Tutor Trust exists to make education and access to tutoring fairer. As we wait for the full findings from the Department of Work and Pensions on young people who are NEET, we will continue to support those from disadvantaged and vulnerable backgrounds from Primary School to Post-16. 

Through our work of providing transformative tutoring we hope to play our part in supporting thousands of young people who experience disadvantage and recognise the difference we can make to young people at risk of becoming NEET.