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GCE A-level

Question for Department for Education

UIN HL3669, tabled on 27 March 2024

To ask His Majesty's Government what are the latest available data on the number and percentage of students who left school after their A-levels to go into work; and what percentage of them received (1) 100 UCAS points or above in their A-levels, and (2) 150 UCAS points or above in their A-levels.

Answered on

8 April 2024

The department publishes information on the sustained destinations of students after 16-18 study, broken down by the level at which they studied. The table below gives the latest data on the number and percentage of students who were deemed to be at the end of 16-18 study in 2020/21 (2021 leavers) and their sustained destination in the 2021/22 academic year.

This is for students studying at level 3 and the number and percentage that went on to sustain an employment destination.

The destinations data does not include information on students’ A level results or UCAS points. However, over three quarters of students who studied an approved level 3 qualification completed A Levels.

Sustained employment destinations of level 3 students from state-funded mainstream schools and colleges in England for the 2020/21 cohort of 16-18 leavers.

2021/22 destination year

Number of level 3 students completing 16-18 study

288,726

Number of level 3 students with a sustained employment destination

61,866

Percentage of level 3 students with a sustained employment destination

21.4%

  • Sustained employment destination: in order to count as a sustained destination, the student must have six months of continuous employment activity between October and March in 2021/22.
  • The way the department decides when a student is at the end of 16 to 18 study has changed for the 2020/21 (2021 leavers) and comparisons to previous cohorts should be treated with extreme caution.
  • Total state-funded mainstream schools and colleges covers all state-funded mainstream schools, academies, free schools, city technology colleges, sixth-forms and other further education sector colleges. Excludes alternative provision, special schools, other government department funded colleges and independent schools.