Progression into higher level of study
'Sustained progression from achieved aim' details the proportion of learners with a sustained further learning aim, who went on to sustained study at a higher level than they just achieved.
Just under two thirds of learners who moved on to a sustained learning aim progressed into a higher level of study
65% of learners with a sustained learning destination progressed to a higher level of learning in the 2019/20 academic year than the level they had achieved in 2018/19. This represents a 1 ppt decrease compared to the previous year, but is consistent with the rate when monitoring first began in 2013/14.
Learners who achieved an apprenticeship were more likely to progress to a higher level of learning than students studying an education and training course
The percentage of apprenticeship learners progressing onto a higher level of sustained learning in 2019/20 than they had achieved in 2018/19 (87%) was 25 ppts higher than for education and training learners (62%).
The rate of progression for apprenticeship learners has increased over time, and was 9 ppts higher in 2018/19 (87%) than in 2013/14. This is likely due to the increase in the number of learners undertaking higher (Level 4+) apprenticeships over this time period.
Rates of progression to a higher level of learning in 2019/20 varied considerably by level of learning achieved in 2018/19
There was considerable variation by level in terms of progression from an education and training course to a higher level of learning, ranging from 26% for Level 2 ESOL courses, to 87% for learners at Full Level 3 and Level 1 English & Maths.
Progression to a higher level of learning in the destination year for apprenticeship learners also showed variation between levels, although the range was much narrower than for education and training learners. Rates ranged between 70% for Higher (Level 5) apprenticeships, and 92% for Intermediate (Level 2) and Higher (Level 4) apprenticeships.
Progression of young learners
The department has used the National Pupil Database (NPD) in conjunction with the Individualised Learner Record (ILR) and Higher Education Statistics Authority (HESA) data to detail students’ attainment throughout their educational history . The resulting dataset includes attainment records from schools, and further and higher education institutions allowing for robust comparisons over time.
This has enabled experimental statistics on progression to be calculated for those learners whose full educational history has been recorded. This cohort is limited to learners who were born in 1988 or later, as this is the earliest year the department has attainment data available for.
Please note that the data displayed in this section of the publication is experimental.
Of the 983,800 learners achieving their further education aim in 2018/19, 236,500 (24%) were born in or after 1988, and had a full educational history recorded by the department.
The rest of the analysis in this section relates specifically to this group of learners.
Young learners studying at this level of learning for the first time
Data on studying a particular level of learning for the first time is presented to provide further insight into learners’ pathways through further education and training. Care should be taken when interpreting the data, particularly when making comparisons between different subgroups or seeking to draw wider conclusions. In particular, there may be valid reasons for a learner to take a qualification at a level of learning they have previously achieved, including:
- Where a learner is moving from an academic to a technical pathway, and needs to develop the core technical skills and knowledge that will enable them to progress to higher levels
- Where the qualifications are complementary, such as a qualification in English or maths that is required to access a technical or vocational qualification at the same level
- Where a learner is retraining in order to develop a new career pathway, or to update their skills after a significant career break in order to re-enter employment.
Just over one in five young learners were studying at their level of learning for the first time
For 22% of these 236,500 young learners, the aim they achieved in 2018/19 was the first time they had achieved that level of learning.
Apprenticeship learners were more likely to be studying at their level of learning for the first time (34%) than education and training learners (13%).
Since 2015/16, the rate of young learners who were studying at their level of learning for the first time has risen for apprenticeship learners, and fallen for education and training learners
The rate of young learners who were studying at their level of learning for the first time rose 1 ppt from 2017/18 to 22%, the highest rate since monitoring began in 2013/14.
For both types of provision, rates declined from 2013/14 to 2015/16. However, since 2015/16 the trend for apprenticeship learners and education and training learners has been markedly different.
For apprenticeship learners, the rate of learners studying their level for the level for the first time has increased by 11 ppts from 23% to 34%, while for education and training learners the rate has fallen by 4 ppts for education and training learners from 17% to 13%. This trend is likely to be driven by the increase in learners undertaking higher (Level 4+) apprenticeships over this time period.
Generally young education and training learners at higher levels of learning were more likely to be achieving their level of learning for the first time
There was wide variation in the rate of young education and training learners studying at their level for the first time in 2018/19, ranging from 1% for Level 1 to 92% for Level 4.
Broadly speaking, for education and training aims, learners at higher levels of learning were more likely to be achieving their level of learning for the first time, although learners at Level 5 (62%) and Level 6 (89%) were less likely to be achieving their level for the first time than learners at Level 4 (92%).
Young apprenticeship learners also showed a general trend of more learners at higher levels achieving for the first time
As with young education and training learners, young apprenticeship learners showed variation between levels in the proportion of learners achieving their level for the first time in 2018/19, ranging from 23% for intermediate (Full Level 2) apprenticeships to 89% for higher (Level 4) apprenticeships. This range was narrower than for education and training learners.
In general, more apprenticeship learners at higher levels were achieving for the first time. The exception to this was the rate for learners on Level 5 apprenticeships (88%) which was slightly lower than that of learners on Level 4 apprenticeships (89%).
Young learners progressing to highest level of sustained learning to date
'Sustained progression for learner overall’ gives the percentage of learners that progressed on to a sustained level of learning higher than they have attained at any point in their educational history.
Of the 983,800 learners in 2018/19, 69,400 (7%) were born after 1988, had a full educational history recorded by the department, and went on to a sustained learning destination. The analysis in this section relates specifically to this group of learners.
The proportion of young learners progressing to their highest ever level of sustained learning is at the highest since monitoring began
61% of these young learners in 2018/19 progressed into their highest level of learning to date in 2019/20. Although this rate has not changed since 2017/18, in general it has steadily increased over time and is now 6 ppts higher than when monitoring began in 2013/14.
Young learners who achieved an apprenticeship were more likely to progress to their highest level of sustained learning to date than students studying an education and training course
The percentage of apprenticeship learners progressing into their highest level of sustained learning in 2019/20 (71%) was 17 ppts higher than for education and training learners (54%).
Rates of progression to the highest level of sustained learning to date in 2019/20 varied considerably by level of learning achieved in 2018/19
There was considerable variation by level in terms of progression from an education and training course to the highest sustained level of learning so far. This rate ranged from 35% for Level 1 English and Maths courses, to 86% for learners at Level 4.
Progression to the highest level of sustained learning to date in the destination year for apprenticeship learners also showed variation between levels, although the range was much narrower than for education and training learners. Rates ranged between 65% for intermediate (Level 2) apprenticeships, and 95% for higher (Level 4) apprenticeships.
The numbers of young learners at Level 6 was too low to draw any meaningful comparisons and this data has therefore been omitted from the chart below.