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Most primary teachers against labelling pupils as Neet risks
Views gauged on idea that primary schools would identify pupils considered at risk of being Neet after they leave secondary school
Most primary teachers in a survey have expressed concerns about the idea that they should determine which children are at risk of falling away from work or education in years to come.
The suggestion was made by former health secretary Alan Milburn, who is leading a review into the Neet (not in education, employment or training) crisis.
He said someone should be “responsible” for identifying and supporting children at risk, and that the first signs can be seen “from preschool”.
Identifying students at risk of being Neet
A Teacher Tapp survey gauged the views of primary teachers, who were asked how useful it was for primary schools to identify children as being at risk of becoming Neet in later life.
Most did not think it would be useful: 56 per cent of teachers and 61 per cent of leaders.
Teacher Tapp also polled secondary teachers on the topic. The most common response was that they would not want children to be given the Neet label so early in life.
Some 38 per cent of secondary teachers said they would not want students to be categorised in this way as early as Year 7, when students are typically aged 11-12.
Around a quarter of secondary teachers said labelling children as potentially Neet would not be useful, while just over a third said it would be useful.
However, the polling shows that secondary leaders appear more receptive to the idea.
Some 18 per cent of leaders thought having students labelled as at risk of being Neet when they arrive at secondary school in Year 7 would be “very useful”, compared with 10 per cent of teachers.
Another 34 per cent of secondary leaders thought it would be “fairly useful”, compared with 26 per cent of teachers.
This poll of several thousand teachers and leaders took place last week.
Early ‘warning signs’ of becoming Neet
Earlier this month Mr Milburn said: “The warning signs are there from a very early, early age. Definitely primary schools should be identifying children who are at risk of being Neet.
“Secondary schools and other services should be intercepting, intervening, supporting and helping those young people to get on a different path.”
He said that schools could draw on attendance records to identify those at risk of being Neet.
