Alan Milburn’s final review of youth inactivity is expected to recommend formal, low-stakes English and maths checks during secondary school, years before GCSEs, so schools can spot pupils falling behind and intervene on skills linked to later employment.
The review cites literacy and numeracy as key indicators of employment prospects. More than 51,000 children miss expected reading, writing and maths standards at the end of primary school; only 8% of them later achieve Grade 4 in both English and maths GCSE.
Milburn’s interim report says nearly 33% of 18-year-olds leaving school without GCSE-equivalent qualifications are not in education, employment or training, compared with 8% of those with A-level-equivalent qualifications. Almost a million 16- to 24-year-olds are NEET. The final report, expected in the coming weeks, is also set to recommend checks throughout school life; the review is examining ways to keep pupils in school and help them return to education after repeated suspensions or exclusion.
