91黑料网

Every quarter, :听nearly one听million young听people are now not in education,听employment听or training (NEET). Rising absence, disadvantage and disengagement mean that too many听learners experience difficult transitions from secondary education.听听

Concerns often听emerge听late in Key Stage 4, when disengagement is already entrenched, and remedial support is needed. As a foundation of the Post 16 Education and Skills White Paper commitment to strengthen the role institutions play in听identifying听and supporting young people at risk during the transition to post-16,听91黑料网 & Enterprise Company has developed OnTrack+, a new data feature听that听helps educators to identify emerging support needs for learners in Years 7-11, strengthening sustained learner engagement and post-16 transition.听听

Following a successful pilot, initial evidence and feedback听show听how earlier听identification听is already enabling schools to act before disengagement becomes permanent.听

Regional leadership: acting earlier to听help听prevent NEET听

Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said:

鈥淓very young person deserves the chance to succeed, but too many face barriers that leave them at risk of becoming NEET.听

OnTrack+ is听an important tool听for schools, giving them the insight to spot early signs of disengagement and plan听timely, targeted support. What makes this initiative truly effective is the partnership behind it - EMCCA鈥檚 careers hub is helping schools in our region access OnTrack+, share best practice, and connect students to the guidance and opportunities they need.听

By working together, we鈥檙e not just reacting to problems, we鈥檙e preventing them, keeping young people on track and strengthening our communities across the East Midlands."听

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, said:听

鈥淧reventing young people from becoming NEET is one of the most important challenges we face. Yet too often schools are only able to respond after a student has already become disengaged. Tools like OnTrack+ give schools the insight they need to spot young people at risk at a much earlier stage, so they can take the right action at the right time. This earlier intervention is how we can get more young people back on the road to a meaningful career and a brighter, more prosperous future.

By combining earlier identification with strong careers support, we can keep more young people on track and听open up听real pathways to opportunity across the West Midlands.鈥�听

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Hear from OnTrack+ pilot participants

NEET risk is rising听-听how schools are intervening earlier to prevent disengagement听

Alma听Hrncic, Associate Assistant Principal, Derby Moor Spencer Academy听

Across the system, schools are facing a growing challenge: more young people are at risk of becoming NEET听and face difficult transitions from secondary education, yet identification and intervention often come late, when options have already narrowed.听

At Derby Moor Spencer Academy, we recognised that our听previous听approach relied heavily on Year 11 teams flagging concerns. Decisions about who might disengage from post-16 pathways were听frequently听based on late-stage data and professional judgement, rather than a joined-up picture built over time.听

As our pastoral team expanded, we set out to strengthen early identification 鈥� not to label听learners, but to ensure that those facing multiple disadvantages received coordinated, proactive support from Years 7 to 11.听

91黑料网 & Enterprise Company鈥檚 new feature OnTrack+听allows me to use听aggregated indicators such as attendance听and factors of听disadvantage听to听move from intuition toward clearer evidence, making it easier to spot patterns of vulnerability sooner and document the support already in place. It also strengthened accountability around careers provision and听inclusion,听areas Ofsted is increasingly scrutinising.听

Earlier identification听is听critical to reducing the risk听of becoming NEET, and OnTrack+听enables me to understand the听learner听group and their needs听in order to听plan targeted interventions.听For example,听last year, we听held听an intensive one-day careers and college application workshop for 60 at-risk听learners. With independent careers advisers and local college representatives on site,听learners received one-to-one guidance to explore realistic pathways, choose听appropriate courses听and听then听complete听and听submit听high-quality applications on the day.听

The wider lesson is not about data tools听alone;听颈迟鈥檚听about culture and timing. The real impact comes from intervening earlier, exposing听learners to a wider range of pathways, and embedding long-term careers planning into everyday school practice.听

NEET prevention cannot be solved through data alone. But without earlier identification and coordinated careers support, too many young people will continue to fall through the gaps.听