West Cumbria Opportunities & Challenges 2025 16 17 NEET YOUNG PEOPLE In March 2025, there were 342 16-17 year olds classed as Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) or whose status is Not Known (NK) in Cumbria (74 young people in Allerdale and 57 young people in Copeland). This rate is lower than the England rate of 5.1%.16 the rate across Cumbria is 3.2% and has decreased by 0.3 percentage points when compared with the previous year.17 ABSENTEEISM Nationally, 6.7% of possible sessions were recorded as absence in the Autumn term 2023/2024, a decrease from 7.5% in Autumn 2022/2023, but still higher than pre-pandemic rates which were consistently below 5%. 9.4% of pupils were persistently absent in the Autumn 2023/2024 (i.e. missed 10% or more sessions). This is a decrease from 24.2% in Autumn 2022/2023.18 These figures are replicated in Cumberland. In the Autumn term of 2023/2024, authorised absence rates stood at 5% or 224,834 authorised absence sessions, while the number of persistent absentees (10% or more missed) stood at 7,196. School Type of School15 Progress 8 score Grade 5 or above in English & Maths GCSE Attainment 8 score Latest Ofsted Rating (Inspection Date) England - -0.03 45% 46.3% - Cumberland - -0.28 37% 43.2% - Beacon Hill Community School Community School Well Below Average -1.18 4% 27.8% Good (2020) Cockermouth School Academy Converter Above Average 0.41 60% 53.6% Good (2024) Energy Coast UTC University Technical College Data not banded -1.48 20% 29.3% Good (2023) Keswick School Academy Converter Above Average 0.33 62% 52.8% Outstanding (2024) The Nelson Thomlinson School Voluntary Controlled School Average -0.11 45% 46.5% Good (2023) Netherhall School Community School Well Below Average -0.76 27% 39.2% Good (2023) St Joseph’s Catholic High School Academy Converter Below Average -0.31 33% 43.4% Requires Improvement (2024) Solway Community School Community School Well Below Average -1.29 12% 33.5% Good (2019) The Workington Academy Academy Sponsor Led Average 0.15 41% 43.1% Good (2022) Cumbria Academy for Autism Free Schools Special Well Below Average -1.65 11% 19.9% Not Available Mayfield School Community Special School Not Available Not Available Not Available Outstanding (2023) Millom School Community School Below Average -0.5 35% 40.7% Good (2022) St Benedict’s Catholic High School Voluntary Aided School Below Average -0.26 37% 44.4% Good (2020) The Whitehaven Academy Academy Sponsor Led Well Below Average -0.98 16% 34.5% Good (2023) West Lakes Academy Academy Sponsor Led Below Average -0.37 35% 43.7% Outstanding (2023) Across all secondary schools, destinations for young people finishing secondary education naturally include further education, including sixth form college but also include apprenticeships (between 6-17%) and employment (3-14%). 14 According to Cumberland Council there are also 3 nursery schools in Cleator Moor, Millom and Frizington and one Pupil Referral Unit in Distington. 15 Definitions regarding school classifications are available at https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/ find-a-school-in-england#SearchSchools 16 Young people are described as NEET if they are not in any form of education, employment or training. Those whose status is Not Known at the time of follow up are also classed as NEET. 17 Cumbria Labour Market Briefing May 2025: Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, 2025, https://elibrary.cumbria.gov.uk/Content/Internet/536/671/4674/17217/17224/4579011028.PDF Physical Health CHILDHOOD OBESITY Overweight or obese children continues to be a worrying issue in West Cumbria. In 2019/2020 the percentage of overweight and obese children in reception year was 30.8% in Allerdale and 34.1% in Copeland against an England average of 23%.21 More recently, figures from 2023/2024 suggest that across Cumberland for those children in reception year, almost a quarter of children (23.6%) are overweight or obese compared to 22.1% England.22 Recently, Cumberland Council indicated that for this age group, Silloth and Solway coast, and Egremont wards demonstrate significantly high levels at 41.2% and 33.3% respectively.23 For children in year 6 (aged 10 – 11 years) the percentage of children who were overweight or obese in 2019/2020 was 37% in Allerdale and 32.9% in Copeland.24 By 2023/24 across Cumberland this figure stood at 37.2% (England 35.8%)25 meaning that over one third of children are overweight or obese. Particular hotspots for this age group being St Micheal’s ward in Allerdale (53.8%), Black Combe and Scafell (46.2%), and Sneckyeat ward 46.2% in Copeland.26 PHYSICAL ACTIVITY One factor determining levels of childhood obesity is the extent to which children and young people regularly engage in physical activity. The Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines for physical activity are that children should take part in an average of 60 minutes or more of sport and physical activity a day. Across England, 47.8% of children and young people met this requirement in 2023/24. In Cumberland there has been a 6.8% increase in activity over the past year. 49.1% now meet this guideline, demonstrating that numbers are returning to pre-pandemic levels when this figure stood at 52.6%.27 More broadly, physical inactivity rates for women and girls, BAME populations, those with disability and those from socio economically deprived areas remain low with these four groups now becoming priority areas for Sport England.28 VAPING Vaping has emerged as a public health issue since 2019 and has become a particular issue for children and young people. In a survey of smoking and vaping attitudes in Great Britain (2023) among 11 - 17-year-olds, 20.5% had tried vaping (compared to 15.8% in 2022; 11.3% in 2021 and 13.9% in 2020). A total of 7.6% children and young people were currently vaping in 2023 (3.9% less than once a week, 3.6% more than once a week).29 A recent survey undertaken by Cumberland Council indicated that of 5,114 pupils, 5% of primary school pupils in year 6 had tried vaping, while 33% of secondary school pupils in years 8 and 10 had tried vaping potentially exposing children and young people to long term addiction, use of cigarettes or cannabis, and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.30 SEND SUPPORT The percentage of children who received Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) support in 2021 in Allerdale stood at 11.2%, while in Copeland the figure stood at 11.5%. Both figures are lower than the national average at 12.2%. The percentage of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (ECHP) or Statement of SEND was lower than the national average (3.7%) in Allerdale (at 3.1%) but higher than the national average in Copeland (at 5.3%).19 Autism, speech language and communication needs are also identified as growing areas of need.20 18 https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/ pupil-absence-in-schools-in-england 19 Key Children and Young People Statistics Profile (Cumbria and Districts): Cumbria Intelligence Observatory, 2022 http://www.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/ Internet/536/671/4674/17217/17219/4315312342.pdf 20 Family Wellbeing Data Analysis Summary: Cumberland Council, 2024. 21 https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/ Internet/536/671/4674/17217/17219/4315312342.pdf 22 Obesity Profile: Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, 2022/23 data, https://fingertips.phe.org.uk/profile/obesity-physical-activity-nutrition/data 23 Family Wellbeing Data Analysis Summary: Cumberland Council, 2024. 24 https://www.cumbria.gov.uk/elibrary/Content/ Internet/536/671/4674/17217/17219/4315312342.pdf
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