Oldham bucks national trend as more young people choose education and training

Oldham has recorded participation rates above both regional and national averages while significantly reducing the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The latest Department for Education (DfE) Local Authority Participation and NEET figures for the 2025/26 academic year show that 93.2 per cent of Oldham's 16 and 17-year-olds are participating in education and training, an increase of 2.8 percentage points on the previous year.  

This compares favourably with the Northwest average of 91.8 per cent and the England average of 92.2 per cent. 

At the same time, Oldham's combined NEET and Not Known (NK) rate has fallen to 4.6 per cent, down 1.1 percentage points from 2024/25.  

This is significantly lower than both the North West average of 5.5 per cent and the England average of 5.8 per cent. 

The figures also highlight Oldham's strong performance, in partnership with the charity Positive Steps, in tracking and supporting young people. 

Positive Steps provides young people with support, careers advice and guidance after school, or between 19 and 25 if they have an Education Healthcare Plan (EHCP), helping them to move into education, training or employment. 

Only 59 young people out of 7,177 are currently unaccounted for – 0.8 per cent of the borough's young people. This is well below the Northwest average of 1.3 per cent and the England average of 2.4 per cent. 

A council spokesperson said: "These figures demonstrate the positive impact of the support available to young people across Oldham. 

"This is a testament to the dedication and partnership working across the borough to give every young person the best start in life, with Positive Steps, our schools, colleges, training providers, employers and council services working together to help them access opportunities to support their ambitions and shape their future success." 

Donna Graham, Service Lead for Education and Guidance Services at Positive Steps, said: "We are delighted to see the positive participation rates and the continued reduction in the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training. These outcomes reflect the ambition and resilience of Oldham's young people, alongside the strength of partnership working across the borough. 

"At Positive Steps, we are committed to ensuring that every young person has access to the guidance, support and opportunities they need to make informed choices about their future. We are proud to work alongside Oldham Council, schools, colleges, training providers and employers to help young people progress into meaningful education, training and employment pathways, enabling them to achieve their full potential."