The Scottish Government

Group

Young People

Definition/Source

The indicator is defined as the proportion of 16-19 year olds who are not classed as a student, or in employment (including government training). Figures are taken from the Spring quarter of the Labour Force Survey every year.

Baseline Data

In 1999, 17 per cent of 16-19 year olds were not in employment or education.

Trends over Time

The proportion of 16-19 year olds not in employment or education has remained fairly steady over recent years.

Year

Percentage

1993

18%

1994

19%

1995

20%

1996

19%

1997

18%

1998

19%

1999

17%

Group

Young People

Definition/Source

At present there are no data available to enable the Scottish Executive to separate out individuals in care who are sitting Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) examinations. It is intended that with the further expansion of the National Management Information System (NMIS) in schools, these data will become available shortly. NMIS is currently being developed by a partnership involving the Scottish Executive, education authorities, schools and the SQA.

It is proposed to start a new collection of data on aftercare from local authorities, as part of a recently commissioned research project. All 32 local authorities have signed up to take part and material relevant to this target will be gathered as part of the national survey of information that the researchers will start from February 2000.

Baseline Data

Not yet available

Trends over Time

Not yet available

Group

Young People

Definition/Source

This indicator has been developed specifically to measure the difference between the Standard Grade performance of the less successful pupils, and of pupils as a whole. The calculation is carried out as follows.

Each S4 pupil in publicly funded schools is allocated a score representing performance at Standard Grade. This is done by allocating a score to each level of award within Standard Grade using the Scottish Tariff Scores. (For example, a Standard Grade at Level 1 counts as 38 points, at Level 4 as 14 points, and at Level 7 as 3 points. The tariff has not been finally agreed and may be subject to amendment). An average points score is calculated for the lowest 20% of pupils, including those who were not presented for any exams as zero. An average is also calculated for the whole population. The difference in the average score between the whole S4 population and the bottom 20% constitutes the milestone that is monitored. If this difference is found to be reducing it will indicate that the performance of the poorest 20% of pupils is improving relative to the performance of pupils as a whole.

Source: Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) qualifications dataset, supplied to the Scottish Executive and updated annually.

Baseline Data

In 1997-98 (the last year for which complete data are available) the average point score of the whole S4 population was 161, and that of the bottom 20% was 55, a difference of 106

Trends over Time

Final data for 1998-99 will be available soon. The series has been rising in the past few years, although provisionally for 1998-99 there appears to be a slight narrowing of the gap.

Average Tariff Score of S4 Pupils in Standard Grades

Average score

1994-95

1995-96

1996-97

1997-98

1998-991

Bottom 20%

43

45

48

49

55

All pupils

149

151

155

158

161

Difference

106

106

107

109

106

Group

Young people

Definition/Source

This UK indicator was endorsed in May 1998 by the Prime Minister following the Social Exclusion Unit's report of April 1998, and was based on an analysis of circumstances in England. The then Secretary of State for Scotland agreed to use this target as a general guide to improvement in these areas. Targets have accordingly been set by all schools for improvement in attendance by 2001, and a comprehensive programme of alternatives to exclusion is in place in all education authorities.

The statutory approach to exclusion and the recording of it and of data on attendance have a number of significant differences in Scotland as compared with England. Monitoring of progress on this indicator will take full account of the differences in approach to recording in Scotland

The attendance and absence survey carried out in Scotland collects information about every school on the number of half days of: authorised absence (e.g. illness explained by a note from parents); unauthorised absence (including truancy and temporary exclusions); and possible attendances. The number of cases of pupils excluded / removed from the register is also collected. Secondary school figures exclude S6.

Prior to 1998-99, exclusions / pupils removed from the register were referred to as "permanent exclusions". The reference to 'permanent' exclusions has been dropped, since many local authorities do not permit permanent exclusions.

NOTE: As part of the Setting Targets initiative, all schools already have targets to reduce total number of half-days absence by June 2001. Nationally, these targets are equivalent to reducing the average absence rate in primary schools from 21 to 18 half-days per pupil, and in secondary schools from 43 to 36 half-days per pupil. In meeting these targets, schools will focus on reducing both authorised and unauthorised absence. This milestone is concerned specifically with reducing the incidence of unauthorised absence.

Baseline Data

Total number of half days unauthorised absence in 1997-98 was 296,275 for primary schools and 1,329,278 for secondary schools.

Trends over Time

There were 23 exclusions/ removed from the register from primary schools and 92 from secondary schools in 1997-98.

Total number of half days unauthorised absence (thousands)

Primary

Secondary

1995-96

278

1509

1996-97

263

1294

1997-98

296

1329

Numbers of exclusions/removed from the register

Primary

Secondary

1995-96

30

155

1996-97

16

91

1997-9

23

92

Group

Young People

This milestone is made up from 3 separate indicators, as follows.

1 Smoking among 12-15 year olds

Definition/Source

The 1998 Scottish Health Survey will contain data on children aged 2-15 years old. Results will be available in the summer of 2000. Data can also be made available from the Research Unit in Health and Behavioural Change, University of Edinburgh Medical School. Surveys have been conducted in 1990, 1994 and 1998. Statistics are available on those who have ever smoked, those smoking daily and those smoking weekly. Age and gender are recorded. The next survey will be conducted in 2001.

Baseline Data

These data will be available in summer 2000.

Trends over Time

Not yet available

2 Reductions in teenage pregnancies among 13-15 year olds

Definition/Source

Monthly data are available. The latest available data are for financial year ending March 1999.

Baseline Data

The rate per 1,000 females aged between 13 and 15 years old who were pregnant in 1998/99 was 8.9% (provisional).

Trends over Time

Teenage pregnancies: females aged 13 to 15 years old

Financial Year End

Rate per 1,000 females

1994

7.9

1995

8.9

1996

8.5

1997

9.7

1998

8.8

1999

8.9

3 Suicides among teenagers and young people

Definition/Source

Death data can be made available. Data are produced quarterly, the latest being quarter ending June 1999.

Baseline Data

Not yet available

Trends over Time

Not yet available

Group

Young People (although target will be measured for whole population)

Definition/Source

A count of the number of rough sleepers on a particular night has not proved possible. However, an estimate was made for 1997/98 of the number of people who had slept rough on one or more occasions during the year. Future estimates will require the commissioning of research which will extend to analysing the extent to which those sleeping rough have accommodation options open to them.

Baseline Data

An estimate of between 8,400 and 11,000 has been made of the number of people who slept rough on one or more occasions during 1997/98. This is based on certain assumptions and should be regarded as an approximation. (The estimate was made as part of the interim evaluation of the Rough Sleepers Initiative - on which a report was published in November 1999). No analysis was made of the extent to which those sleeping rough had accommodation options open to them.

Trends over Time

Not available.