Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what role the Longitudinal Education Outcomes data has in the formulation of policy at his Department.

The longitudinal education outcomes (LEO) data is a valuable data resource that has been developed by joining data from across government to help the government understand routes through the education system and into employment. It sits alongside other important government data to improve the information available to prospective students to help them make informed choices that consider a range of factors, including future employment and earnings.

The Office for Students uses course continuation and completion rates and progression to managerial or professional employment, or further study, when assessing compliance with registration conditions on quality, and may also make use of LEO data to understand where graduates are achieving above average earnings.

The department is making LEO data available to UK Statistics Authority accredited researchers through the Office for National Statistics’ Secure Research Service. This will enable more high-quality research into this powerful dataset, which will be shared with the department and the wider public. These findings will further inform policy development in the department and in educational settings across the country.