Publication of Destination Measures for KS4 and KS5

KS4 and KS5 education and employment destination measures have now been published, and are available on the Department for Education (DfE) website. Both KS4 and KS5 are reported at institutional, local authority, regional, parliamentary constituency and national level. Data relate to those students who left KS4 or took A level or other level 3 qualifications in 2010/11 and show their destinations in 2011/12. This year, for the first time, DfE have also reported: KS4 and 5 destinations from independent schools; KS4 destinations from pupil referral units (PRUs) and other alternative provision; KS4 and 5 destinations from maintained and non-maintained special schools; Destinations to independent schools, special schools, specialist post-16 institutions, PRUs and other alternative provision. DfE have also separated out school and college destinations as requested at the last stakeholder group meeting. Destinations in the Year After Key Stage 4: State-funded mainstream schools achieved almost 90% sustained destinations. 89% of pupils were recorded in a sustained education, employment and/or training destination in the year after key stage 4. The figure has remained the same from last year. School sixth form was the most frequent destination for young people (37%). Pupils in independent schools remained mostly within the independent sector. Of those schools included in our measure, 92% of pupils were recorded in an education, training or employment destination after KS4. The vast majority (67%) stayed in the independent school sector. Over 80% of pupils in special schools stayed in education 85% of pupils from maintained special schools were recorded a sustained destination, with 83% going into sustained education. Destinations in the Year After Taking A Level or Other Level 3 Qualifications: The numbers of pupils from state-funded schools and colleges going into sustained HE destinations increased to over half this year. 74% of young people were recorded in a sustained education, employment or training destination the year after taking A level or other level 3 qualifications, an increase from 69% in 2010/11. The increase is largely attributable to those going into higher education (HE) which increased from 48% in 2010/11 to 53% in 2011/12 and reflects the increase in students going to HE in the year prior to the increase in tuition fees. 16% had a destination to a ‘Top Third’ university. Of the 53% that went to a Higher Education Institution (HEI) in 2011/12, 16% went to an institution in the top third of HEIs, 11% went to a Russell Group university and 1% went to the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge. Independent schools performed well in getting their pupils into the top universities. Three quarters of pupils from independent schools (74%) went on to a sustained education destination after KS5. Nearly two thirds (64%) went to a HEI, of which 46% went to a top third HEI, 38% went to a Russell Group university and 5% went to the Universities of Oxford or Cambridge. Feedback: The data have again been published in a statistical first release (experimental statistics) to allow DfE to continue to evaluate publication of the measures and develop them for future years. Feedback on the measures is encouraged via the Destination Measures mailbox. DfE are interested to hear about how the measures are being used by institutions, other organisations, researchers, students and parents. Briefing materials on the measures published last week are below. Destination Measures questions and answers Destination Measures general information June 2014