Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.Next Steps, previously known as the 'Longitudinal Study of Young People in England' (LSYPE1), follows the lives of around 16,000 people born in 1989-90 in England. There have been eight sweeps of the study so far, between 2004 and 2016.The study began in 2004 and included young people in Year 9 who attended state and independent schools in England. Following the initial survey at age 13-14, the cohort members were interviewed every year until 2010, when they were aged 19-20, to map their journeys from compulsory schooling to university, training and, ultimately, entry into the labour market. The survey over the past seven sweeps (2004-2010) has thus mainly focused on the educational and early labour market experiences of young people, but also included diverse information on aspects of their lives including social participation and attitudes, risky-, crime- and anti-social behaviours, health and wellbeing, family formation, and aspirations for the future. The survey data has also been linked to the National Pupil Database (NPD) records, including cohort members' individual scores at Key Stage 2, 3 and 4.Interviews for the first four sweeps were conducted face-to-face, and young people were interviewed along with their parents. At Sweeps 5 to 7, a mixed mode approach was introduced and respondents – the young person only - could complete the interview online, over the telephone, or face-to-face.The first seven sweeps of the study (2004-2010) were funded and managed by the Department for Education (DfE). In 2013 the management of Next Steps was transferred to the Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) at the UCL Institute of Education.In 2015 Next Steps was restarted, under the management of CLS, to find out how the lives of the cohort members have turned out at age 25. The eighth sweep of the study took place between August 2015 and September 2016 with the fieldwork carried out by NatCen Social Research. The Next Steps age 25 survey was aimed at increasing the understanding of the lives of the young adults growing up today, and in particular the transitions out of education and into early adult life. It maintained the strong focus on education, but the content was broadened to become a more multi-disciplinary research resource. Data was collected about cohort members' education and job training, employment and economic circumstances, housing and family life, physical and emotional health, and identity and participation. A wide range of administrative data linkage consents were collected covering health, education, economics and criminal behaviour. The collection of the data involved a sequential mixed-mode design. Participants were first invited to participate online, non-responders were then contacted by telephone and face-to-face interview afterwards.The age 25 survey sample design comprised contacting all cohort members who had ever taken part in any of the previous sweeps of the study (except those who had given a clear refusal or are ineligible). Further information for Sweep 8 of Next Steps may be found on the CLS website.Secure Access datasets:Secure Access versions of Next Steps have more restrictive access conditions than versions available under the standard End User Licence (see 'Access' section).Secure Access versions of the Next Steps include:sensitive variables from the questionnaire data for Sweeps 1-7. These are available under Secure Access SN 8656. All questionnaire data from Sweep 8 is released under End User licence.  National Pupil Database (NPD) linked data at Key Stages 2, 3, 4 and 5, England. These are available under SN 7104.Linked Individualised Learner Records learner and learning aims datasets for academic years 2005 to 2014, England.  These are available under SN 8577.detailed geographic indicators for Sweep 1 and Sweep 8 (2001 Census Boundaries) - available under SN 8189 and geographic indicators for Sweep 8 (2011 Census Boundaries) - available under SN 8190. The Sweep 1 geography file was previously held under SN 7104.Linked Health Administrative Datasets (Hospital Episode Statistics) for years 1998-2017 held under SN 8681.Linked Student Loans Company Records for years 2007-2021 held under SN 8848.When researchers are approved/accredited to access a Secure Access version of Next Steps, the End User Licence version of the study - Next Steps: Sweeps 1-8, 2004-2016 (SN 5545) - will be automatically provided alongside.

SN 7104 - Next Steps: Linked Education Administrative Datasets (National Pupil Database), England, 2005-2009: Secure Access includes linked National Pupil Database records on pupils’ attainment at KS2, KS3, KS4 and KS5 and data about the pupil such as free school meal eligibility and Special Education Needs (SEN) status. Information is also available about the school attended at the sampling stage. For the sixth edition (August 2020), the study has been updated to only include the Linked Education Administrative Datasets (National Pupil Database), England, 2005-2009. The main Next Steps survey sensitive variables, previously available as part of this study, have moved to a new study (SN 8656) or are now available under EUL as part of SN 5545. The 'next_steps_redeposit_dictionary.xlsx' available under both SN 5545 and SN 8656 should be consulted for the location of specific variables.

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The majority of pupils sampled from maintained schools have been linked to their National Pupil Database (NPD) records. The NPD data under Secure Access SN 7104 includes: All Pupil Level Achievement Data: Pupil attainment at Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 Reduced NPD Data: Summary of pupil attainment at Key Stage 2, Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4, free school meal eligibility and Special Education Needs (SEN) Key Stage 4 pupil and exam level results data for academic years 2005, 2006 and 2007 Key Stage 5 pupil and exam level results data for academic years 2007, 2008 and 2009 School Level Data: information about the school each cohort member attended at the sampling stage and where linked to the NPD, information about the primary school attended at Key Stage 2

Multi-stage stratified random sample

Compilation/Synthesis