Shropshire Council is celebrating continued strong performance in tracking and supporting young people aged 16–18, with some of the lowest levels of NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and ‘Not Known’ destinations compared with England, the West Midlands and the council’s statistical neighbours.
It comes on the back of some major headlines in the press over the past two weeks about the plight of young people not successfully placed in education, employment or training in the 16-25 age group (1 in 8 and rising).
Latest data for the Shropshire Council area shows a sustained improvement in ‘Not Known’ figures and remaining consistently low, averaging 0.3% by April 2026. At the same time, NEET levels have remained relatively stable and low, broadly between 2.1% and 3.3%, comparing favourably with most neighbouring authorities where NEET rates are higher.
This continued improvement has resulted in Shropshire achieving one of the lowest combined NEET and Not Known rates across its statistical neighbour group, stabilising at around 3.2% through early 2026 (less than 1 in 30).
This improvement reflects a sustained and coordinated approach across the council’s Post- 16 and Information, Advice and Guidance NEETs teams and partners for effective early intervention, with a clear focus on:
- Targeted follow-up with schools, providers, and families
- Intensive early-year tracking
- Clear identification and resolution of unknown destinations
Shropshire Council officers Nic Copeland, Leanne Crowe and Jamie Dorricott at the the Shrewsbury Colleges Group Careers Fair in March.
Andy Hall, Cabinet member for children and education, said:
“This is really positive news for Shropshire’s young people. As a council we are keen to see what further opportunities and/or funding may be afforded us by national initiatives, as we drive to try and build further improvement in these statistics, and improve the quality of the lives of even more young people in Shropshire.”
Jo Brown, post-16 systems lead with Shropshire Council , said
“We work closely with our secondary schools to ensure that we know all students in the post-16 transition phase and our team of advisors can work to support any identified as needing help and support early. We work with target students over the summer to ensure that they have clear plans for their next steps in place and offer transition support. In early September we contact our colleges and sixth forms to check that students have started courses so that we can follow up any who didn’t and help them into their chosen area.”
Geoff Renwick, lead education quality advisor with Shropshire Council. said:
“Supporting young people at transition is critical at age 16 just like it is at 11. We work closely with our colleges to ensure that every young person can make a successful start. We are continually trialling new ways to alleviate any fears or concerns that may hinder a smooth transition, sharing knowledge so that they get any help they require from the outset. We appreciate all the time, effort and concern that our schools and colleges show towards our children and young people via their positive engagement with us and their involvement in all our systems and processes.”
