The relationship between school characteristics and students becoming ‘not in education, employment or training’

The impact of student-level risk factors on not in education, employment or training (NEET) rates (e.g. low attainment, absenteeism and socio-economic disadvantage) are well-documented. However, there is limited research on how school characteristics influence NEET rates, despite recognition that inclusive school environments can have a positive effect on education outcomes. In this work, we hypothesized that proxy measures of ‘inclusivity' would affect sustained post-16 engagement, and we tested this hypothesis using 3 years of administrative data for secondary schools in England while controlling for known student and school local area risks. Our results indicate that schools with lower suspension rates, higher student progress (‘Progress 8’) and onsite post-16 provision had lower rates of students becoming NEET. Single-sex and faith schools also exhibited reduced NEET rates. These results suggest school culture and inclusivity play an important role in shaping student trajectories. The proportion of 16–17 year olds in England who become NEET has remained stubbornly high for more than a decade, putting these individuals at risk of long-term adverse outcomes. Our results suggest that policies promoting inclusive school environments, supportive disciplinary practices and clear post-16 pathways may help increase sustained engagement in education and training.