Concern for hundreds of Calderdale teenagers not offered education or training place, despite government guarantee

Hundreds of teenagers in Calderdale are likely to be missing out on education or training after leaving school, despite a government guarantee.
Concern for hundreds of Calderdale teenagers not offered education or training place, despite government guaranteeConcern for hundreds of Calderdale teenagers not offered education or training place, despite government guarantee
Concern for hundreds of Calderdale teenagers not offered education or training place, despite government guarantee

Further education leaders have claimed this is due to government funding running out for apprenticeships.

Since 2014, local authorities have been required to find an education or training place for all 16 and 17-year-olds after they finish their GCSEs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This can include studying A-levels, starting an apprenticeship or work combined with training.

Department for Education figures show that in 2018, Calderdale Council gave 95.5 per cent of its 4,870 school leavers suitable offers of education or training.

That leaves 219 teenagers who could be missing out.

Of those, for 97 the offer was not considered appropriate, usually due to personal circumstances, and 97 received no offer.

A further 24 teenagers did not have their situation recorded, possibly because they were not contacted by the local authority, or they moved address.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Association of Employment and Learning Providers chief executive Mark Dawe it was “scandalous” that the Government cannot guarantee funding any more apprenticeships for school leavers.

“The DfE’s most senior civil servant told a Commons committee on Monday that the big issue is that the apprenticeship levy is running out of cash and that hard choices have to be made.

“But the easiest choice is to safeguard apprenticeships for the youngest, many of whom come from disadvantaged backgrounds.”

A lower proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds were made offers by Calderdale Borough Council last year than in 2017, when 97.3 per cent received a suitable training or education place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Calderdale handed out more places than councils across Yorkshire and the Humber on average, where 95 per cent of pupils received a suitable offer.

Across the region, more than 5,000 teenagers could have missed out on education or training in 2018.

A DfE spokeswoman said: "This year’s September Guarantee data showed that almost 95 per cent of 16 and 17-year-olds in England received a suitable offer in 2018."

She added that a teenager who does not receive an offer will not always be missing education or training.