A recent article by Children & Young People Now has highlighted a troubling truth. Disadvantaged young people in the UK are more than twice as likely to be NEET (not in education, employment, or training) in the year after completing their GCSEs.
👉 Read the full article here
This is not just a concerning statistic. It is a warning sign that something is fundamentally broken in our education and social support systems.
This is not about ability. It is about opportunity.
We work with students of all backgrounds across the UK. What we see, time and time again, is not a lack of talent or ambition among disadvantaged pupils, but a lack of access, funding, and guidance. The difference between a young person who thrives after GCSEs and one who becomes NEET is often not about intelligence or work ethic, but about whether they were supported, seen, and given something to aim for.
The article rightly points to the long-term consequences of failing these young people, from poor mental health to unemployment and economic insecurity. It is unjust, it is avoidable and it is happening right now.
No young person should leave school feeling directionless, invisible, or unsupported. We must invest in what happens next. Every pupil deserves access to meaningful guidance and skills that help them see a place for themselves in the world beyond school.
