Funding for school leavers 'guaranteed'

An investment of £6.9 billion is to be distributed across the country to ensure that all school leavers have the option of staying in education, say ministers.

Schools secretary Ed Balls and apprenticeships minister Iain Wright have set out how the funding will be spent on the education and training of young people aged-16 to 18, secondary school staff may be interested to hear.

Mr Balls said that all school leavers should consider staying on in education to ensure that they have the skills to get a job after the recession.

He added that with the extra funding announced in the budget a "record number of young people - 1.5 million - will be able to stay on in education or training this year".

Earlier this year saw schools and colleges work with the Learning and Skills Council to determine which areas had highest concentrations of those at risk of being not in education or training (Neets).

The Department for Children Schools and Families had pledged in its September Guarantee to significantly reduce the number of Neets aged 16 to 18 by this autumn.





Published On 28/07/2009