Government invests £10 million in helping school drop-outs

June 8, 2006 in Children

Young people at risk of dropping out of education are the target of a new £10 million programme designed to encourage them back into learning.

The programme, which was unveiled by the government today, is aimed at 14-16-year-olds, and will be delivered through 21 local authorities in England. Each area will run a work-focused programme targeted at those most at risk of dropping out. The programmes will be tailored to suit the needs of young people in that area, but all are likely to have a “significant” work focus of up to two days a week.

However, the young people will also carry on studying the national curriculum to key stage 4 in school with the emphasis on key skills and developing the general skills, attitude and behaviour that will help them learn and gain employment.

“We need to ensure that every young person is in learning and fulfilling their potential,” said schools minister Jim Knight. He added that these programmes were another major step towards delivering on that aim and offered the potential to transform the opportunities available to teenagers.