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Key Findings - Pupil destinations from schools in Wales 2022

Young People who are Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET)

  • In 2022, there were 1,066 school leavers from Year 11, 12 and 13 known to be NEET in Wales, representing 1.9% of the total cohort
  • As in previous years, the Year 13 cohort continued to have a higher percentage of NEET (2.8% (322) individuals) compared to the Year 11 (2.1% - 664 individuals) and Year 12 cohorts (0.7% - 80 individuals)
  • The percentage of Year 11 customers unable to enter Employment, Education or Training (EET) due to illness, caring for others or pregnancy stood at 1.4%. In the same category, the percentage of Year 12 and Year 13 customers stood at 0.4% and 1.5% respectively
  • The percentage of NEET Year 11 females who are unable to enter EET this year was slightly higher than for NEET males (68.1% of NEET females and 65.8% of NEET males)

Continuing in Full Time Education (FTE)

  • Continuing in full time education (FTE) continues overwhelmingly to be the most popular choice of destination for pupils in each of the three-year groups
  • A higher percentage of females than males across all three cohorts chose to continue in full time education
Table showing cohort, males, females and difference data:
Cohort Males Females Difference
Year 11 85.6% 90.2% 4.6 percentage points
Year 12 93.5% 94.9% 1.3 percentage points
Year 13 73.5% 79.5% 6.0 percentage points

Where percentage points changes or differences are shown, these are calculated using unrounded figures. This can provide a different figure compared to when using rounded figures.

A greater proportion of those continuing in full time education (FTE) after Year 11 chose FE over school 6th forms, by 19.8 percentage points.

  • Sixth Form 40.1%
  • FE College 59.9%

In 2022, of those classified as continuing in FTE, going to FE was a more popular route for both males and females. The difference was greater for males (62.2% going to FE, compared to 37.8% staying in school) than it was for females (57.5% going to FE, compared to 42.5% staying in school).

In Year 11, Year 12 and Year 13 a higher percentage of those in minority ethnic groups continued in FTE compared to those who are white.

Table showing cohort, white and ethnic minority data:
Cohort White Ethnic Minority
Year 11 87.4% 92.9%
Year 12 94.1% 95.4%
Year 13 75.9% 84.5%

Entering the Labour Market - Work and Training Routes

  • The percentage of young people entering Government supported training and work (Employed and Non-Employed status) was highest for those in Year 11 at 4.4% (1,437 individuals). 1.2% (144 individuals) of the Year 12 cohort and 2.9% (327 individuals) of the Year 13 cohort entered one of these options
  • The percentages of young people going straight into employment stood at 3.4 % for Year 11, 2.4% for Year 12 and 12.7% for Year 13
  • Entering the labour market (either training in the workplace or employment) was a more popular choice with males than females across all 3 cohorts in 2022
Table showing percentage of males and females by year group choosing to enter the labour market
Cohort Male Female
Year 11 9.5% 6.2%
Year 12 4.0% 3.1%
Year 13 17.8% 13.8%

A much smaller percentage of those in minority ethnic groups entered the labour market (employment or work-based training) than those who are white.

Table showing cohort, white, ethnic minority data
Cohort White Ethnic Minority
Year 11 8.4% 2.9%
Year 12 3.8% 2.2%
Year 13 16.5% 8.3%

No Response Rate

The overall ‘No Response’ stood at 1.6%. The percentage for the ‘No Response’ rate was greatest for the Year 13 cohort at 4.1% (466 individuals).

Table showing no response rate data
Year 11 1.0%
Year 12 0.9%
Year 13 4.1%

View pupil destinations by year group