1 featured table
Attainment at 19, including Level 2, 3, Level 2 in English and maths and progression in Level 2 English and maths
Academic year 2018/19
Level 2 and 3 attainment age 16 to 25
Annual level 2 and 3 attainment figures age 16 to 25 in England. Includes qualification type, institution type, characteristics and geographical breakdowns.
Not the latest releaseView latest release: Academic year 2023/24All releases in this series
- Release type
- Produced by
- Department for Education
- Published
- Last updated
Explore data used in this release
This page provides a range of routes to access data from within this statistical release to suit different users.
Download all data (ZIP)
This includes all data sets, guidance files and any supporting files
More options
Featured tables are pre-prepared tables created from a statistical release's data sets. They provide statistics that are regularly requested by users and can be adapted to switch between different categories.
Data sets: download or create tables
Data sets present comprehensive open data from which users can create their own tables using the EES table tool or download a zipped CSV file.
Description of the data sets included in this release, including information on data sources, coverage, quality and any data conventions used.
Alternatively use our data catalogue to search and filter for specific data sets from this release or our entire library, providing full data summaries, data previews and access to API data sets.
Featured tables
Featured tables are pre-prepared tables created from a statistical release's data sets. They provide statistics that are regularly requested by some users (such as local councils, regional government or government policy teams) and can be adapted to switch between different categories (such as different geographies, time periods or characteristics where available).
Data sets: download or create tables
Data sets present comprehensive open data from which users can create their own tables using the EES table tool or download a zipped CSV file.
5 data sets available for download
A. National data, 16-19. Time period based on the academic year the young person turned (or will turn) 19
National
The numbers and proportions achieving Level 2/3 by cohort year, age, qualification type and institution type. Overall cohort numbers are taken from school census population data when learners were academic age 14 (i.e. age 14 at the start of the academic year; 15 by the end of the academic year).
- Number of rows
- 1,217
- Indicators
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Number in national cohort
- Filters
- Age
- Institution type
- Numbers or percentages
- Time period
- 2003/04 to 2021/22
D. State sector 16-19 local authority data. Time period based on the academic year the young person turned (or will turn) 19
Local authority, National, Regional
Local authority and regional level figures for the number of young people in the state sector who reached Level 2/3 or Level 2 with English and maths by age , gender, FSM and SEN. Also includes numbers and proportions achieving GCSE/other Level 2 English and maths by 16 and the numbers and proportions achieving at 19 whom were below at 16.
- Number of rows
- 235,706
- Indicators
- Level 2
- Level 2 in English and Maths (all qualifications)
- Level 3
- Filters
- Age
- Characteristic
- Numbers or percentages
- Time period
- 2004/05 to 2018/19
C. State sector data, 16-19. Time period based on the academic year the young person turned (or will turn) 19
National
The numbers and proportions of young people in the state sector who reached Level 2/3 or Level 2 with English and maths by age and characteristics (gender, FSM eligibility, disadvantaged status, ethnicity, SEN and IDACI). Also includes numbers and proportions achieving GCSE/other Level 2 English, maths by age and the numbers and proportions achieving at 19 whom were below at 16.
- Number of rows
- 21,829
- Indicators
- Level 2
- Level 2 in English (GCSE only)
- Level 2 in English (all qualifications)
- Filters
- Age
- Characteristic
- Numbers or percentages
- Time period
- 2004/05 to 2021/22
1. Level 2 and 3 attainment at 19 headlines (includes English and maths and progression in English and maths)
National
A table summarising the headline figures of the release, including the proportions of young people achieving level 2 and 3, level 2 in English and maths and progression in level 2 English and maths (i.e. those who had not achieved by 16 but had achieved both by 19). Also included are annual change figures for the aforementioned figures.
- Number of rows
- 17
- Indicators
- Level 2
- Level 2 annual change
- Level 2 in English and maths annual change
- Time period
- 2003/04 to 2018/19
B. National data, 20-25 (also includes 16-19). Limited experimental statistics available for young people who turned 19 in the 2012-13 academic year
National
Published as experimental statistics, this file contains the numbers and proportions achieving Level 2/3 for the cohort aged 19 in 2013/25 in 2019 from age 20 up to 25. Level 2 and 3 attainment figures from 16 to 19 are included in the files above and are repeated here for convenience of use. Overall cohort numbers are taken from school census population data when learners were academic age 14 (i.e. age 14 at the start of the academic year; 15 by the end of the academic year).
- Number of rows
- 21
- Indicators
- Level 2
- Level 3
- Number in national cohort
- Filters
- Age
- Numbers or percentages
- Time period
- 2012/13
Data guidance
Description of the data sets included in this release, including information on data sources, coverage, quality and any data conventions used.
Description
This document describes the data included in the ‘Level 2 and 3 attainment by young people aged 19 in 2019’ National Statistics release’s underlying data file. This data is released under the terms of the Open Government License (opens in new tab) and is intended to meet at least three stars for Open Data (opens in new tab).
The underlying data files include:
1, Overall national estimates
(i) Numbers (numerators) are based upon all young people in the dataset (the Young Person’s Matched Administrative Dataset, or YPMAD), not just those in the state sector at 15.
(ii) The cohort sizes (denominators) are taken from school census population data when learners were academic age 14 (i.e. age 14 at the start of the academic year; 15 by the end of the academic year). It includes those in independent schools, alternative provision and PRUs who are excluded from the state-funded cohort figures.
The following underlying data reports on attainment for young people who were in the mainstream state sector at academic age 15. As well as overall attainment for this group, we report on attainment by characteristics, as recorded in the school census at academic age 15. All estimates are based on the YPMAD dataset.
2, National estimates by characteristics for those in the state sector at academic age 15
(i) Numbers are based upon the number of young people in the state sector at academic age 15 who reached Level 2/3 or Level 2 with English and maths by 19.
(ii) The cohort is the number that were in the state sector at academic age 15.
(iii) Pupils attending independent schools, PRUs and other non-mainstream provision at academic age 15 are excluded from these figures.
3, Local authority figures by characteristics for those in the state sector at academic age 15
(i) The cohort and attainment numbers are as in ‘2, National estimates by characteristics’.
(ii) The figures are calculated for each local authority based on where the pupil was learning at academic age 15.
(iii) Regional figures are aggregated from local authority figures and are not directly comparable with ‘1, Overall national estimates’.
The technical document published with the release should be referenced alongside this data. It provides information on the data sources, their coverage and quality as well as explaining the methodology used in producing the data.
File formats and conventions
Rounding
All figures in the underlying data are unrounded except in the local authority underlying data where regional and national figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 in order to avoid secondary suppression within local authorities.
Disclosure control
In the local authority data all figures where the cohort is 5 or less have been suppressed to avoid disclosure.
All characteristic data for the Isles of Scilly has been suppressed due to risk of disclosure due to small cohorts.
Characteristics information
Gender
The gender of the pupil is recorded as male or female on the school census. If a school is unsure as to which gender should be recorded for a particular pupil, the advice from the department is to record the gender according to the wishes of the pupil and/or parent.
Disadvantaged
In order to be counted as disadvantaged the learner must have been recorded as falling into at least one of the following categories by (academic) age 15;
- being eligible for free school meals on Census day in any termly or annual Census in the last 6 years up to the learners current year, or the learner must have been recorded as eligible for FSM in any other termly School Census. This includes the Alternative Provision (AP) and the Pupil referral Unit (PRU) Census.
- being part of a Post looked After Arrangement (PLAA) through adoption, a guardianship order or a child arrangement.
- being looked after for at least one day during the year.
Free school meals
Free School Meals (FSM) is a binary indicator variable that states whether a pupil's family have claimed eligibility for free school meals in the academic year reported at the time of the annual spring school census. Parents are able to claim free school meals if they receive a qualifying benefit.
Please note: The FSM variable does not relate to pupils who actually received free school meals but those who are eligible to receive free school meals. Pupils not eligible for free school meals or unclassified pupils are described as ‘Not eligible for FSM’ in this release.
Ethnic Group
Ethnicity is broken down into two main variables: a minor grouping variable and a major grouping variable.
If a pupil or parent has refused to give the information then refused is recorded and returned. Ethnicity is a personal awareness of a common cultural identity. Ethnicity relates to how a person feels and not necessarily how they are perceived by others. It is a subjective decision as to which category a person places themselves in and therefore does not infer any other characteristics such as religion, country of origin etc. Ethnicity monitoring advice is available from the Department’s website.
Table 1: The DfE main ethnicity categories and descriptions
| Ethnic grouping | code | code description |
| White | WBRI | White – British |
| White | WIRI | White – Irish |
| White | WIRT | Traveller of Irish Heritage |
| White | WOTH | Any other White Background |
| White | WROM | Gypsy / Roma |
| Mixed | MWBC | White and Black Caribbean |
| Mixed | MWBA | White and Black African |
| Mixed | MWAS | White and Asian |
| Mixed | MOTH | Any Other Mixed Background |
| Asian | IND | Indian |
| Asian | APKN | Pakistani |
| Asian | ABAN | Bangladeshi |
| Asian | AOTH | Any Other Asian Background |
| Black | BCRB | Black Caribbean |
| Black | BAFT | Black African |
| Black | BOTH | Any Other Black Background |
| Chinese | CHNE | Chinese |
| Other | OOTH | Any Other Ethnic Group |
| Refused | REFU | Refused |
| Information not obtained | NOBT | Information not obtained |
Special Educational Needs
The SEN variable indicates whether a young person has learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most young people of the same age.
Prior to 2015 the school census return for pupils with special educational needs comprised those at School Action, School Action Plus or with statements of SEN:
- School Action – where extra or different help is given, from that provided as part of the school’s usual curriculum.
- School Action Plus – where the class teacher and the SENCO receive advice or support from outside specialists (the specialist teacher, an educational psychologist, a speech and language therapist or other health professionals).
- Statement – a pupil has a statement of SEN when a formal assessment has been made. A document setting out the child’s needs and the extra help they should receive is in place.
The 2015 school census return changed to take account of the implementation of the SEND reforms introduced in September 2014. Two new categories were added:
- Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan
- SEN support
The transfer of statements to an EHC plan took place in April 2018. All categories are included in this release.
Special primary educational need
The SEN type field on the school census records the nature of a pupil’s primary special educational need.
Up to and including 2014, the type of special educational need was only collected for those with a statement or on school action plus. In 2015, the type of special educational need was collected for all those: with a statement, with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan, on School Action Plus or on SEN Support.
In 2016, the type of special educational need was collected for all those with a statement, with an EHC plan, or on SEN support.
Table 2: Pupil SEN type
| Code | Description | Notes |
| SPLD | Specific Learning Difficulty | |
| MLD | Moderate Learning Difficulty | |
| SLD | Severe Learning Difficulty | |
| PMLD | Profound & Multiple Learning Difficulty | |
| BESD | Behaviour, Emotional & Social Difficulties | BESD replaced with |
| SEMH | Social, Emotional and Mental Health | SEMH in 2015 census |
| SLCN | Speech, Language and Communication Needs | |
| HI | Hearing Impairment | |
| VI | Visual Impairment | |
| MSI | Multi-Sensory Impairment | |
| PD | Physical Disability | |
| ASD | Autistic Spectrum Disorder | |
| OTH | Other Difficulty / Disability |
Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index (IDACI)
IDACI is provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), now the ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG). The index is based on Super Output Areas (SOAs) in England based on 2001 census data. Each SOA is given a rank between 1 and 34,378 where 1 is the most deprived SOA.
IDACI is a subset of the Income Deprivation Domain of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IoD). Each SOA is given a score showing the percentage of pupils aged under 16 that live in families that are income deprived, i.e. they are in receipt of certain benefits and their equivalised income is below 60% of the median before housing costs.
The IDACI bands used in this publication are based on 2015 IDACI scores.
Geography
Geographic data which is matched to DfE data collections and used in all official statistics is provided by ONS Geography, a business unit of ONS that provides the geographic data and services that support the production of high quality statistics.
The ONS’s presentation guidance for administrative areas sets out the recommended standard for presenting and publishing statistics at regional and sub-regional levels in the UK ONS guidance: presenting statistics for administrative areas.
The geography structures and codes used in the production of DfE’s statistical releases can be downloaded from the ONS geography portal.
Local authority (LA) tables show the LA that maintains the school which returned the school census.
Contact us
If you have a specific enquiry about Level 2 and 3 attainment age 16 to 25 statistics and data:
Post-16 statistics team
Email: post16.statistics@education.gov.ukContact name: Elisha Duddle
Telephone: 0161 600 1497
Press office
If you have a media enquiry:
Telephone: 020 7783 8300
Public enquiries
If you have a general enquiry about the Department for Education (DfE) or education:
Phone: 0370 000 2288
Opening times
Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 5.30pm (closed on bank holidays)