The Scottish Executive has funded a longitudinal study of nationally-representative samples of young people in Scotland since the mid 1970s through the Scottish School Leavers’ Survey (SSLS). In the context of changes in young people’s transitions, survey methodology and the policy environment, it was seen as timely to review the SSLS.

The Scottish Executive therefore commissioned the Centre for Educational Sociology and BMRB to carry out an appraisal of the options for meeting the needs for longitudinal data on young people’s experiences in secondary school and subsequent transitions to further/higher education, training and employment.

The options appraisal included: consultation with a range of external stakeholders and with the Scottish Executive; investigation of administrative data; investigation of longitudinal studies internationally; a review of the latest survey design literature, and a focused review of the youth transitions literature.

The report concluded that the Scottish Executive should continue to fund a longitudinal study of young people’s transitions and two main design options for longitudinal data collection, analysis and reporting were developed, costed and assessed. The study also concluded that administrative data should be used as an integral element of the longitudinal study. It suggested that a future longitudinal study should begin earlier than the SSLS and contact youg people while still in compulsory education.