1. EURYDICE Recent activities and publications
Working Group Education and Training Statistics
Luxembourg, May 2011
EURYDICE
Recent activities and publications
Stanislav Ranguelov
Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency
Eurydice Unit 1

2. Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe: Regulations and Statistics
Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Forthcomming publications:
Teaching reading in Europe: contexts, policies and practices
Key Data report on Learning and Innovation Through ICTs in Schools
Modernising higher education in Europe: funding and the social dimension

3. Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe
The study compares how grade retention – making pupils repeat a school year - is applied in schools across Europe.
It shows that practices vary greatly between countries: whether a child has to repeat a year at school depends more on the educational culture concerned and teacher appraisal than on the child's performance.
It 31 countries (all EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Turkey).
The communication of the European Commission
« Tackling Early School Leaving: A key Contribution to the Europe 2020 Agenda  »
states that:
“Early school leaving is influenced by educational factors, by individual circumstances and by socio-economic conditions. It is a process rather than a one-off event. It often starts already in primary education with first experiences of school failure and growing alienation from school”.

4. Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe
Admission to primary education (2009/10)
Official age as sole criterion
Postponing still possible at the request of parents
Other admission criteria:
Level of development
Maturity
Readiness
Source: Eurydice 4

5. Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe
Role of education professionals within and outside the school in the grade retention decision-making process in primary education (2009/10)
Class teacher(s)
Other teaching staff
School head
Other parties
Automatic progression 5

6. Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe
Existing regulations on grade retention
Grade retention possible
Restrictions
Automatic progression
Primary
Lower secondary
Source: Eurydice
Academic progress
Overall assessment
Subject results (marks)
Attendance record/family situations
Behaviour 6

7. Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe
Proportion of 15-year-old pupils who have repeated a year at least once in primary and/or lower secondary education, 2009
Similarité des régulations mais différences dans la pratique:
- Pas de limitations durant toute la scolarité obligatoire (EE, IT, LV, LT, RO, SE, UK, TR) mais taux relativement bas
- Le redoublement est possible deux fois durant la scolarité obligatoire (CZ, DK, ES)
Source: OECD, PISA database 2009 7

8. Grade Retention during Compulsory Education in Europe
Main Findings
The idea that grade retention is beneficial for pupils is still prevalent in the education community
The practice of grade retention varies widely among European countries.
There is no clear relationship between regulations and grade retention rates in practice.
Retaining a child depends more on the educational culture and teacher appraisal than on child’s performance.
The challenge lies more in questioning certain assumptions and beliefs rather than regulatory change.

9. Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Scope of the Study
Direct response to the Action Plan on Adult Learning, in particular its «one step up» objective.
Policies and measures with respect to opportunities for adults to upgrade their educational attainment
Nationally recognized qualifications.
Formal education and training programmes + opportunities for validation of non-formal and informal learning
European cooperation in the field of adult education and training:
One of the ET2020 benchmarks: by 2020 at least 15% of adults in Europe should participate in education and training.
2006: the European Commission's Communication It is never too late to learn.
2007 ( ): the Action Plan on Adult Learning It is always a good time to learn.
Future plans: A new action plan on adult learning

10. Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Adult population in Europe with educational attainment below upper secondary level (ISCED 3), age (%), 2009
Source: Eurostat, EU Labour Force Survey (data extracted January 2011). 10

11. Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Completion of lower secondary education (ISCED 2) as a condition of access by adults to upper secondary education (ISCED 3), 2009/10
Completion of lower secondary education
is a necessary condition to enter into all ISCED 3 programmes
is a necessary condition to enter into some ISCED 3 programmes
is not a necessary condition to enter into ISCED 3 programmes
Data not available
Source: Eurydice 11

12. Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Moving towards higher education: alternative routes to higher education for non-traditional candidates, 2009/10
Alternative routes exist
No alternative route
Source: Eurydice 12

13. Distribution of part-time students by age (ISCED 5 and 6), 2008
Adults in Formal Education: Policies and Practice in Europe
Distribution of part-time students by age (ISCED 5 and 6), 2008
15-29 years old
30+ years old
Source: Eurostat, UOE (data extracted December 2010)

14. Forthcomming publications
Teaching reading in Europe: contexts, policies and practices
The aim of the study is to identify some of the essential factors that impact the acquisition of reading literacy skills and review where national policies stand in relationship to these factors. It covers pupils aged 3 to 15 and focuses on 4 key topics: teaching approaches; tackling reading difficulties; teacher education; promotion of reading in society.
Foreseen publication date: end June 2011
Key Data report on Learning and Innovation Through ICTs in Schools
This edition of the Key Data series will especially focus on the use of ICTs to promote innovation in educational processes as well as to foster the creative development of pupils and students. It presents the evolution in the availability of ICT equipment in schools, its impact on the educational processes and curricula, the adoption of innovative methods for teaching and finally the ways in which the new skills are developed.
Foreseen publication date:15 June 2011
Modernising higher education in Europe: funding and the social dimension
The study will especially analyse the issues around financing the sector, financial aid to students and families as well as the question of the fees. Published jointly with Eurostat, it will include statistical indicators, an analysis of national policies and national country sheets.

Foreseen publication date: Summer 2011

15. Four Key Data publications
Work Programme for
Four Key Data publications
Key data on education in Europe (spring 2012)
Key data on teaching languages at school (summer 2012)
Key data on teachers and school heads (spring 2013)
Key data on early childhood education and care (summer 2013)

16. Key Data on Educaiton in Europe 2012
Revision of the content …to preserve its principal added value, which is to provide a global view of the different types of education systems, the different forms of organisation as well as indications of trends in education (time series on participation, finance and qualifications).