This study uses data from the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) to carry out a quantitative analysis of disengagement from education among 14-16 year olds in England. Depending on how you measure it, it is estimated that between one fifth and one third of all young people aged 14-16 are disengaged from education (Steedman & Stoney, 2004). The implications of this for the young person and for wider society are well known, and lead to poor labour market opportunities (McIntosh & Houghton, 2005) and the risk of being "not in education, employment or training" (NEET), as well as other associated negative outcomes including, for example, teenage pregnancy (Hosie, 2007) and drug use (Beinart et. al., 2002). The engagement of young people is particularly crucial in relation to recent legislation raising the participation age, first to 17 by the year 2013, and then 18 by 2015.

Disengagement can be expressed in different ways and have different meanings for young people, and can subsequently have different consequences and solutions. For this study an analytical approach was used that enables the capturing of different kinds of disengagement, creating a typology of engaged / disengaged young people.

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