Ministerial praise for Warwickshire
Children’s minister Iain Wright MP has praised Warwickshire County Council for its work in ensuring that almost all school leaving age individuals in the county receive an offer of education, employment of training.
Mr Wright, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for 14 – 19 Reform and Apprenticeships, congratulated Warwickshire County Council for securing offers to 96 per cent of 16-year-olds and almost 90 per cent of 17-year-olds under the September Guarantee scheme.
In a letter to Marion Davis, Warwickshire County Council’s Strategic Director for Children, Young People and Families, Mr Wright said: “I would like to congratulate you and your colleagues on this achievement. I was also very pleased to see that your strong delivery of the Guarantee had a positive impact on participation at age 16.
“I am grateful for your continued support in reducing the proportion of young people not in education, employment or training.”
Mr Wright expressed his desire for Warwickshire to share its good practice with other local authorities in the coming weeks.
The September Guarantee is an offer, by the end of September, of a suitable place in learning to young people completing compulsory education. The guarantee was implemented nationally in 2007and extended to 17-year-olds in 2008 to give those who had enrolled on one-year or short courses, or who had left the activity they chose when leaving school, a further opportunity to engage in learning.
The offer must be of full or part-time education in school, sixth form college, independent learning provider or FE college, or alternatively an apprenticeship or programme-led apprenticeship which combines training with a job or work placement.
Marion Davis, Warwickshire County Council’s Strategic Director for Children, Young People and Families, commented: “We are proud to have received national recognition for the excellent work we are doing towards ensuring that every young person has the opportunity for education, employment or training at 16 plus.
“The county council and partner organisations in Warwickshire are continuing to do our utmost to ensure that we have positive destinations for all young people, and to give them the best possible start to working life.”
Further to this initiative, the January Guarantee now gives an additional opportunity for those who did not take up an offer in September, or who has since left their placement, to re-engage in positive and productive learning, reducing the risk of long term disengagement.