Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.The Youth Cohort Study (YCS) is a major programme of longitudinal research designed to monitor the behaviour and decisions of representative samples of young people aged sixteen upwards as they make the transition from compulsory education to further or higher education, or to the labour market. It tries to identify and explain the factors which influence post-16 transitions, for example, educational attainment, training opportunities, experiences at school. To date the YCS covers thirteen cohorts and over forty surveys. The first cohort was first surveyed in 1985 and the thirteenth in 2007. The questionnaires have been designed, over the years, to be broadly comparable, but external changes and shifts in policy interest have brought about changes - some minor, some fundamental. Cohorts One to Twelve cover England and Wales but a change to the methodology means that from Cohort Thirteen, data cover England only. For further details of the methodology and coverage, see the documentation. The UK Data Archive currently holds data for the cohorts listed below:Cohort One (SN 3093) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1983-84Cohort Two (SN 3094) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1984-85Cohort Three (SN 3012) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1985-86Cohort Four (SN 3107) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1987-88Cohort Five (SN 3531) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1989-90Cohort Six (SN 3532) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1990-91Cohort Seven (SN 3533) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1992-93Cohort Eight (SN 3805) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1995-96Cohort Nine (SN 4009) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1996-97Cohort Ten (SN 4571) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1998-99Cohort Eleven (SN 5452) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 2000-01Cohort Twelve (SN 5830) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 2002-03Cohort Thirteen (SN 6024) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 2005-06Some teaching materials using the data from Cohort Three have been developed. Details are available from the Teaching Resources and Materials for Social Scientists (TRAMSS) website.
Cohort Thirteen: The methodology of the YCS changed at Cohort Thirteen, to allow linkage with the Longitudinal Study of Young People in England (LSYPE) (held at the UK Data Archive under SN 5545). Samples for Cohort Thirteen and LSYPE were taken from the same academic cohort and their questionnaires and methodology were harmonised to facilitate analysis of the merged datasets. Also, from Cohort Thirteen onwards, the YCS is only conducted in England and no longer runs in Wales. The larger sample from the combined YCS and LSYPE surveys enables analysis at a greater level of detail, for example to show gender differences within a breakdown by ethnic origin. The data collection method for Cohort Thirteen was different to previous YCS surveys. Sweep One used a face-to-face methodology in order to address falling response rates on recent YCS cohorts. Sweeps Two, Three and Four were conducted using a mixed-mode methodology (online, telephone and face-to-face interviewing). In particular, there had been concern over differential response rates between high attainers and low attainers, and it was considered that the use of a face-to-face method at Sweep One mixed-mode at Sweeps Two to Four, would boost response rates amongst low attainers. Users who require more detailed data than those available in the standard access files should consult the User Guide for details. The confidentiality form to be used for such applications is available in Word format in the documentation table below. For the second edition (February 2011), data and documentation from Sweeps Two and Three were added to the study. For the third edition (February 2012), data and documentation from Sweep Four were added.
Main Topics:
Sweep One mainly concentrated on identifying respondents' experiences of year 11 including careers advice; economic activity, their activity history; qualifications sought, information on Higher Education, a self completion section (covering risky behaviours) as well as some background information about their families and attitudes. Sweep Two focused on current activities; jobs and training; qualifications being studied for at time of interview; higher education; young people Not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET); Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA); community cohesion; own children and caring responsibilities. An activity history was also provided. Sweep Three focused on current activities,; jobs and training; qualifications being studied for at time of interview; higher education students; potential higher education students; sources of information, advice and guidance; relationships; own children; and caring responsibilities. An activity history was also provided. Sweep Four focused on jobs and training; qualifications being studied for at time of interview; NEET; apprenticeships; higher education students; potential higher education students; sources of information, advice and guidance; own children; and caring responsibilities. An activity history was also provided.
Multi-stage stratified random sample
Simple random sample
Multi-stage stratified random sampling was used for Cohorts One-Five, but the YCS sample has been a single-stage simple random sample since Cohort Six (see Courtenay, G. The YCS - the first ten years). In spring of the sampling year all schools in England and Wales (excluding special schools), both state maintained and private sector, are sent a return form for sampling. This gives a number of dates, e.g. the 5th, 15th and 25th, and all pupils on the Year 11 roll whose birth dates coincide are sampled. Usually three dates are specified giving a simple random sample of just under 10%. Occasionally more dates are given, either to draw a larger sample overall or only in specific geographical areas where the Principal Investigators wish to over-sample, e.g. the sampling for Cohort Eleven specified three dates for most schools but four dates for schools in LEAs with a high proportion of pupils in ethnic minorities. There are some difficulties with school-level non-response at the sampling stage and to compensate for this there is a further stage of sampling before Sweep One. Here the initial sample is sub-sampled to give a Sweep One final sample that is representative of a population matrix of pupil numbers by school type by sex by region.
Face-to-face interview
Telephone interview
Email survey; Web-based online survey.
