Drop in teenage enrolments worries college leaders

Nearly half of FE colleges have seen a drop in the numbers of 16-19-year-olds enrolling for courses this September, according to a study by the Association of Colleges (AoC), published today.

College leaders blamed the end of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for new students, competition from other colleges and cuts to transport for the decline.

The Association of Colleges, which represents FE Colleges, Sixth Forms and Specialist Colleges, surveyed its 347 members in England, 164 responded and 49 per cent reported a drop in the numbers of 16-19-year-olds enrolling for courses.

The South West was hardest hit, with 66 per cent of colleges reporting a decline, followed by the West Midlands, the North East and North West.
49 per cent of those who reported a decline, said numbers were down by less than 5 per cent, but 22 per cent said enrolments fell by over 10 per cent and four colleges reported falls of over 15 per cent.

Enrolments for Level 3 courses seem to be holding up better than for Levels 1 and 2.

23 per cent of respondents said that enrolments for Level 3 courses were falling, while 41 per cent reported a drop off in interest for courses at Level 1.

Science, maths, engineering, motor mechanics and history are increasing in popularity, whilst media, sport, hairdressing and art and design seem to be waning.

53 per cent of colleges who responded said that they would be topping up the bursary fund, with 14 colleges contributing over 50 per cent extra.

But the picture is mixed. 42 per cent of colleges reported an increase in enrolments for the age group.

Overall, the numbers of 16-19-year-olds enrolling in the sample colleges fell by 598, a drop of 0.1 per cent; the first time absolute numbers have fallen for this age-group in 15-20 years.

56 per cent of colleges said they were spending more to subsidise 16-19 transport, while 60 per cent reported a decline in local authority spending on transport for this age group.

79 per cent of respondents believed that providing free school meals to disadvantaged 16-19-year-olds would improve participation.

Commenting on the results, Martin Doel, chief executive at the Association of Colleges, said the results painted a complex picture.

He believed that some changes may be due to demographics, a drop of 40,000 in the 16-18 age-group, while the decline in enrolments by Level 1 students may be partly explained by rising school standards.

But he was concerned that the results may point to a more worrying trend of more vulnerable young people disappearing from college and school rolls

“There could be longer-term socio-economic implications if the trends suggested by this research are borne out by further studies,” he said.

Tom Pierce, NUS Vice President (Further Education), believed that the drop in numbers is due to the abolition of the Education Maintenance Allowance.

“Ministers were warned over and over again by teachers, students, parents, economists and college leaders that scrapping EMA would harm participation in further education and now they are reaping what they sowed,” said Pierce.

“In an increasingly hostile jobs market and a stagnant economy for many young people further education is their only chance to get a foot-hold in the world.

“The Government didn’t listen and its paltry replacement is a failure, they must admit they were wrong and properly support young people to get the skills they need to build a life for themselves.”

But a Department for Education spokesman said record numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds were already in education or training, with 1.5 million places and 360,000 apprenticeships, guaranteeing a suitable place in sixth-form, college or work-based training for every student.

“We are targeting financial support at students who need it most to get through their studies – through the new £180m a year bursary fund, with further transitional support available for those students who were already drawing the EMA,” he said.

The AoC will undertake future research into enrolment patterns and student retention and will repeat its enrolment survey in September 2012 to monitor the situation year on year.

Rachel Salmon