The government’s pledge to raise the leaving age to 18 by 2015
is in danger of being blown off course. This is linked to a lack of
consensus about the desirability of the policy, the practicalities
of implementation and a continuing debate about the nature of the
wider 14-19 curriculum. The deepening recession brings further
challenges to the policy and there is a need to revise assumptions
about opportunities for youth unemployment and apprenticeships. The
report argues that action is urgently needed to get the policy back
on track with a focus on tackling a potential crisis of youth
unemployment over the next few years.