Engaging all young people in meaningful education post 16

A qualitative study by Laura McLarty and Rhetta Moran - Click here for pdf of report

Generic Report Quotes

Disengaged young people stressed the following solutions: reduction in class sizes; availability of hands-on practical learning from age 12 and delivery of learning in community/youth based settings.

Young people would like to see a range of academic and vocational opportunities being made available to all - regardless of their abilities, aspirations and considered careers - as they feel that only then will they be able to make an informed decision as to the best routes available to them.

The study reveals the importance of recognising how external factors in young people's lives can affect their engagement in learning, either temporarily, or in the longer term. Positive support and advice from parents and other family members appears to be one of the most significant contributory factors that enabled the young people to feel more confident and decisive about their learning routes and the eventual outcomes.

Many of these young people also reported that they were not benefiting from a prescribed style of teaching that expects them to listen and record information. They would rather learn through interactive learning styles - wherever they are. Many of these young people described having low self-esteem and a real uncertainty about their capabilities, or access to further learning opportunities.

Most who had become disengaged explained that they started to struggle and become disenchanted at around 13 and 14 years of age. Because of this, they felt it is important that more options for vocational tasters and different routes of learning are offered to people at this age or even before, to help ensure people stay engaged and value the idea of furthering their knowledge and understanding.

Regardless of whether their own pathway appeared to be linear or more disconnected, the young people talked about the negative impact of large class sizes on the quality of learning. They suggested that large class sizes influence the teacher's ability to effectively control the class, leading to poor concentration and further intensifying feelings of boredom.

Young people who were living independently and having to pay living expenses, or work to help subsidise the family, felt they would struggle with continuing their engagement in learning if they were not able to benefit from financial support.

All young people stressed that they needed comprehensive advice and information on ALL learning options post-16, including academic and vocational options, and would benefit from seeing the whole picture.

Topic quotes from participating youth


'You do this and this and what are you actually doing here, you are taking stuff from us, when we are actually not. We are exactly the same, we pay the taxes, we pay exactly the same as they do. So we are not different really we are just from a different place. Yeah they can be really mean because of that. It is just that we are. look at us not in a bad way because we didn' t come here to make a mess. May be the situation back in the country it was hard so some people came here to have a better life, to change their life so they should also not think what they think without knowing - they need to find out first, what do we think.' (Female, 17, migrant worker family, first year FE College)

'Sometimes it depends on the family, if you are getting a good atmosphere at home there then you can study in a good atmosphere in the family.Financial crisis or other legal stuff. I have an opinion because in the last two or three months before I got a letter from the Home Office saying that we are going to send you to the original country that you come from. That' s the main reason my Mum and Dad gets upset. My Dad is suffering from many diseases, sometimes I am getting worried about him, about my mum, so I can' t concentrate on my studies sometimes. That' s the main thing sometimes we get this depression in the mind.' (Female, 17, refugee seeking asylum, first year FE College)

'I' d say it' s better now [learning]. You learn a lot more here to be honest. Like I said before, the classes are smaller.' (Female, 17, young offender)

'They [parents] thinking I should be working. It' s not on them what I want to do. It is on me. I want to learn.' (Male, 16, migrant worker family, year 11)

'Some teachers like keeping your attention.they just drone on and on and on. There is nothing interesting, they get a textbook, read it out and say "copy what I am reading". But the fact that I could not keep up with his speaking also meant that I fell behind.' (Male, 17, LGBT, at college)

'If people were allowed to leave at 14 and if there were more options you wouldn' t get as many people in here [young offenders institution].' (Male, 16, young offender, left school at 15)

'Sometimes you have to go around different lines like I did. I failed my tests and I took another route you know. It always leads you where you want to be. If I did not have the confidence then I would just be like a lazy boy lying in the bed and don' t know what to do.' (Male, 18, migrant worker family, second year in FE College)

'I think it' s a good idea to encourage more people to continue and finish A-level so they have a better chance of securing a job in the future but. not everyone is suited to education after GCSE and it may not be motivating to young people.' (Male, 18, ethnic minority, at university)

'My family is working class so working class and middle class families might have different priorities for their children. Like working class families might be concerned with bringing money into the household whereas maybe middle class families they have different priorities because they don' t need the money.' (Female, 18, refugee, first year university student)

'But that' s just slave labour. It' s an extra tenner a week but you' re doing a proper job.' (Male, 16, young offender, Young Offenders Institution)

'I tried four different subjects and I would tell tutors about my disability. The issue was that they would draw too much attention to me in the class, would look at me too much so other students were thinking you know
'why is he looking at him' and it was embarrassing.' (Male, 18, disabled young people, NEET)

'I didn' t get to pick mine [GCSEs]. I was ill one day and they just went
'you' re doing your maths, English, IT and Art. I wanted to do CDT.' (Male, 17, disabled young person, at college)