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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government Participation of 16-30 year olds in education by mode, age and year
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[Collapse]Gender[Filtered]
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Gender 1[Filter]
[Collapse]SectorSchools: Information is collected in January each year from the Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC). For example, for the provisional year end 2015 estimates, figures from the January 2016 School Census are used. Ages are as at 31 August prior to the start of the academic year. The Census only requests a combined figure for those aged 19 & over, these figures are included for 19 year olds only. Includes all maintained and independent schools.Higher Education:Information regarding enrolments at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is collected on a United Kingdom basis by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). This collection includes further education enrolments at HEIs.The analysis in this release is based on enrolments as at 1 December. Ages are as at 31 August prior to start of academic year. Provisional year end 2015 estimates are based on the Higher Education Students Early Statistics Survey (HESES), collected by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW), which provides an early indication of the number of HE students studying in the academic year 2015/16.Open University: Information on Open University students are whole year figures, i.e. they include enrolments throughout the year. The reference point for age is 1 January. The figures used are for Welsh-domiciled students studying at the OU. Further Education and Work-based Learning: The Welsh Government collects information on enrolments at Further Education Institutions (FEIs) in Wales, including work-based learning (WBL), via the Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR). The analysis in this release is based on enrolments as at the week of 1 December. These data are still under validation so the provisional year end 2015 estimates are based on an early freeze of the data. Where a learner has activities in more than one provision type allocation to a single type has been made in the order: WBL at FEIs, HE at FEIs, other at FEIs, WBL at Other Training Providers. Learners with both WBL activities at Other Training Providers and learning activities at FEIs will be included under the activity at the FEI. FE enrolments includes students on courses at the Workers Educational Association (WEA). and the Young Men\'s Christian Association (YMCA). [Filtered]
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Sector 1[Filter]
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Year End[Filtered]
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[Collapse]AgeThe age groups contained here are selected sub sets of the 16-30 year old group. Ages as at 31 August prior to start of academic year.[Filter]
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Age 1
ModeThe Office for National Statistics (ONS) calculates mid-year estimates of resident population by single year of age as at 30 June. From 2001 onwards, end of year populations have been derived from the mid-year estimates and population projections for the latest year. These estimates have been adjusted to age as at 31 August. For example age as at 31 August 2015 is used in the provisional figures for year end 2015. Work-based learning figures show young people participating in training in the week beginning 1 December. Where a work-based learner has activities in more than one provision type allocation to a single type has been made in the order: WBL at FEIs, HE at FEIs, other at FEIs, WBL at Other Training Providers. Learners with both WBL activities at Other Training Providers and learning activities at FEIs will be included under the activity at the FEI. [Filter]
[Collapse]16 - 18Click here to sort16 - 18[Collapse]19 - 24Click here to sort19 - 24[Collapse]25 - 30Click here to sort25 - 30
Click here to sort16Click here to sort17Click here to sort18Click here to sort19Click here to sort20Click here to sort21Click here to sort22Click here to sort23Click here to sort24Click here to sort25Click here to sort26Click here to sort27Click here to sort28Click here to sort29Click here to sort30
Full-time education153,110134,090108,090131,360108,680107,32078,39048,71032,63023,760129,08018,47015,41012,70011,3409,7308,50028,090
Part-time education16,81012,6809,30013,7208,1908,2509,22010,17011,29011,68020,76011,83011,92012,11011,88011,94012,10025,860
Work Based LearningSource: Welsh Government LLWR. See dimension notes.10,19013,79014,31013,42012,94010,6608,9807,9406,8606,43018,2106,0405,6105,3805,2605,0904,92010,270
PopulationSource: Office of National Statistics. Rounded to the nearest one hundred. See dimension notes.210,100207,600208,700216,500217,400226,500230,900229,700226,900224,200455,600223,000224,200226,600229,200231,800234,300460,400

Metadata

Title

Participation of 16-30 year olds in education by age

Last update

March 2025 March 2025

Next update

November 2025 (provisional)

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC), Welsh Government

Source 2

Lifelong Learning Wales Record, Welsh Government

Source 3

Others: Post-16 Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC), Welsh Government; Higher Education Statistics Agency; Mid-year Population Estimates, Office for National Statistics

Contact email

LabourMarket.Stats@gov.wales

Designation

National Statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Wales

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English only

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

General description

These data provide information on participation of 16-30 year olds in education and training by selected age groups. The single year of age data are also presented. Further age groups in the 16-30 year old range can be provided on request.

Data collection and calculation

Data Source: ONS ( mid year population estimates), HESA, Welsh Government Lifelong Learning Wales Record (LLWR) ,Pupil Level Annual School Census (PLASC)

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

Data is published annually. 2023 data is provisional.

Users, uses and context

Provides policy makers and those working with young people with data to monitor trends in participation and assess the impact of education and labour market interventions on young people.

Rounding applied

Most data are rounded to the nearest ten, apart from population estimates which are rounded to the nearest one hundred. Due to rounding the sums of rows or columns may not add to the total figure given.

Revisions information

2023 figures are provisional and will be finalised in next year's publication, due for release in November 2025.

Previously published estimates from 2012 to 2021 have been revised in this release in order to incorporate the rebased population estimates using Census 2021 data, published in November 2023 by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Keywords

Participation

Statistical quality

From 2004 onwards, the end of year populations have been derived from the mid-year estimates and population projections provided by the ONS then adjusted to age as at 31 August. For example age as at 31 August 2018 is used in the provisional figures for year end 2018.

The economic status proportions are estimated from the Annual Population Survey. Therefore, these estimates will be subject to variation due to sampling error and also non-sampling error and should be treated with caution.

The methodology used to produce the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) data has been updated from the 2022/23 academic year, impacting NEET estimates from 2022 onwards. The impacts of this methodology change on the estimates are small, with the difference in the higher education student population between the old and new methodology being less than 1 percentage point. Given this, no break in the time series is necessary, and comparisons before and after 2022 can still be made. Further information is available in the methodology note (https://www.gov.wales/participation-young-people-education-and-labour-market-methodology-note).