Young People
16-19 Learners
Overview
CWM 16-18 learner numbers are at a five-year high.
In 2023/24 CWM colleges enrolled 56,326 young people, up 5% on the previous year.
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Data Narrative
Level of Learning
The highest proportion of learners (49%, 27,168) are at level 3, but numbers at this level fell back by 1% last year in the WMCA patch.
Growth in learner numbers was strongest at entry level and level 1 which grew by 17% and 15% respectively, and to a lesser extent at level 2 (up by 9%).
Subject
A Levels account for 6% of CWM 16-19 learners and 7% of WMCA 16-19 learners.
A Level participation across CWM colleges declined in 2023/24 by over 429 to 3,149 (-12%), reversing the previous upward trend. Numbers of A Level learners in the WMCA dropped by 11%.
T Level participation continues to grow. In 2023/24 there were 2,998 T Level enrolments, a rise of 90%.
The following vocational areas had growth in 2023/24: Art and Design, Construction, Leisure and Tourism, Science and Maths and Sport and Leisure and Engineering in the case of WMCA young people.
Inclusion Trends
Ethnicity
The proportion of learners in the broad Black, Asian and Mixed Heritage groups is increasing year-on-year and the proportion of While learners is declining and stood at 60% in 2023/24.
Sex
Slightly more 16-19 learners are male: 54% compared to 45% female.
Disability, Learning Difficulty and Health Problems
Across all CWM colleges about a quarter (26%) of 16-19 learners have declared a Learning Difficulty, Disability or Health Problem. This proportion is lower (23%) in the case of WMCA residents.
In 2023/24 some 9% of CWM 16-19 learners were in receipt of an EHCP. The proportion was 8% for WMCA learners.
In 2023/24 some 6% of CWM 16-19 learners received High Needs funding. The proportion was 5% in the case of WMCA residents..
Deprivation Profile
The deprivation profile of CWM 16-19 learners closely mirrors the profile of the resident profile.
