Latest policy insights on youth employment from Youth Employment UK Policy and Research Director, Rupal Patel.
Last week, data from the Department for Education (DfE) showed the rate of children being suspended from school is on the rise. There were 511,270 suspensions for the autumn and spring terms alone in 2022/2023. Further analysis by FFT education datalab shows there has been a further increase this year and we are on track to see a record number of suspensions this year.
Combined with suspensions, we also know that both absence and persistent absence is on the rise in schools. To date, for the academic year 2023/24 DfE have highlighted a fifth of all pupils have been persistently absent, i.e. they have missed 10% or more of their sessions.
Worryingly, we are witnessing a large number of pupils missing an extensive amount of their schooling. While disruptive behaviour is the most cited reason for pupils being suspended from school, this is a complex and difficult situation. There are many underlying reasons causing disruptive behaviour such as mental health issues, disengagement from education, pupils or parents having specific health conditions and a lack of unmet educational needs to name a few.
These figures are a real cause for concern for young people and their futures. It highlights an education system that is broken. With pressures of underfunding, recruitment and retention challenges, schools can no longer afford to provide pastoral and other support to those young people who need it the most. Crucially, the figures also highlight that early intervention has been missed and as a result a large number of young people have ended up on a trajectory of suspension.
For these young people, missing school will have a negative impact on their future careers. By removing children from school, the underlying reasons for disruptive behaviour are left unaddressed. We know from the 2023 youth voice census that mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression were a key factor in holding young people back from employment.
School suspensions also reduce the chances of young people completing their education. Excluded children miss a lot of school and typically fall further behind their peers making re-integration more difficult. Research conducted by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) found that pupils who were suspended just once during their time at secondary school were less likely to get a ‘pass’ grade in English and Maths GCSE exams. A pass grade in both English and Maths is required for entry onto many further and higher education courses, as well as for many jobs and training courses.
We also know that young people who regularly engage with employers and businesses while at school, are less likely to be NEET (Not in education, employment and training) and earn more as adults. Excluded children will miss out on these opportunities and are therefore at risk of having difficulties making the transition to employment.
Whilst suspensions are sometimes necessary, it is important that young people are supported and not penalised. We want to see an equity of opportunity which enables every young person to flourish to a fulfilling career. The Young Person’s Entitlement provides a clear set of principles that will help to ensure the education system is inclusive of all individuals, provide holistic support to those who need it the most and inspire our young people to become passionate about their future employment opportunities.
The Entitlement puts young people back at the heart of the education and skills system and sets a bold and ambitious plan for realising a system that will meet the needs of both learners and employers. At Youth Employment UK, we use our knowledge and expertise to work with policymakers, educators and employers to ensure developments can be made to ensure we are building a system that is truly inclusive for all young people where they can go on to thrive in a rewarding career.
