Education from the Annual Population Survey

Introduction

This research monitor concentrates on selected working age education results for the Lancashire area, obtained from the Annual Population Survey. The results can be compared with the figures derived from the 2001 Census of Population and detailed in a separate research monitor.

The Annual Population Survey (APS)

The Annual Population Survey (APS) was introduced in 2004, comprising the annual Labour Force Survey supplemented by an extra boost designed to obtain a sample of 500 economically active adults in each local authority district. As a cost saving measure, the supplementary information was scaled back in mid-2005 and withdrawn from January 2006. This has resulted in sample size at the national level decreasing from over 400,000 in the year to December 2004, to 280,000 for the year to December 2007.

The full range of available data sets from the Annual Population Survey for all areas of the country can be downloaded from the NOMIS Labour Market Statistics website. It has been decided not to add APS figures to the Data Download Centre of this website because the complexity of the data set means that it is more appropriate to download the information from the original source.

This research monitor also includes annual figures from the APS down to the local authority level (Table 5). These have come from the Communities and Local Government website and form part of the national indicator dataset.

Table 1 details the number and percentage of people of working age with no qualifications in the Lancashire County Council (NUTS-3), the broader Lancashire (NUTS-2), the two unitary authorities of Blackburn with Darwen and Blackpool, the North West and for Great Britain for the year to December 2007. Tables 2-4 present NVQ results for the same geographic areas and time period. Please note that NVQ level 1 results are not included in this article and the summation of the figures from Tables 1 to 4 will not equate to 100% in each of the areas.

It can be seen from the confidence interval figures that the quality of the data at the local level is considered to be reasonably robust with variations being no higher than 2.4 percentage points above or below the recorded figure.

For Great Britain as a whole, it is estimated that approaching 4.8 million people of working age (13.1%) have no qualifications, whilst in the North West the percentage is higher at 15.0%. For the Lancashire County Council (NUTS-3) area, it is estimated that 90,600 people of working age have no qualifications. The percentage of 12.8% is actually lower than the national average. The percentage with no qualifications in Blackburn with Darwen is high (19.0%) and also in Blackpool (21.8%). The addition of the two unitaries and the Lancashire County Council result gives a Lancashire NUTS-2 figure of 14.3% with no qualifications. This is somewhat above the GB average, but below the regional figure.

Tables 2, 3 and 4 detail NVQ results, and information on NVQ qualification standards can be found by going to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority website.

Table 2 lists the numbers and percentages of people specifically qualified to NVQ level 2 only. Unlike the results in Table 1, where it is advantageous to have the smallest proportion possible of working age residents with no qualifications, the picture is more confusing in Table 2. The higher the proportion qualified to NVQ level 2 means fewer to be allocated to the non-qualified section, but also leaves fewer that could be qualified to higher levels. High rates in Table 2 therefore are something of a mixed blessing.

For Great Britain as a whole, just under 5.8 million people of working age (15.9%) are qualified to NVQ level 2 only. A higher percentage (16.9%) is recorded for the Lancashire County Council (NUTS-3) area, where approaching 120,000 are estimated to be qualified up to this level.

Almost 5.7 million people of working age (15.6%) are estimated to be qualified to NVQ level 3 in Great Britain. A noticeably higher percentage (18.7%) was recorded in the Lancashire County Council (NUTS-3) area where 132,300 are estimated to be qualified to this level.

NVQ level four or above is the highest qualification level detailed in this article. At the national level, over 10 million (28.6%) are qualified to this level. This is over three percentage points higher than the 25.5% recorded in the Lancashire County Council area, but the county figure is on a par with the 25.4% average in the North West.

National Performance Indicators NI 163, 164 and 165

Tables 5 has formed part of the Area Profile for Lancashire for some time, but because of its importance it has been decided to add some narrative and highlight the results in this research monitor.

The Table allows comparisons to be made at the local authority level. Improving results at the NVQ 4 level is the most pressing issue, and problem areas are particularly apparent in Blackpool, Burnley, Rossendale and somewhat surprisingly South Ribble. The quality of the results at the district level is somewhat suspect therefore the figures should be viewed with caution.

It is apparent however that in general terms qualifications levels to NVQ 4 are below par. The England average of 28.9% in 2006 was only surpassed by two authorities in Lancashire.