To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals at the age of 15 progressed to a sixth form college in the most recent year for which figures are available. (318471)

According to estimates from the DCSF matched administrative dataset around 9 per cent. of young people (or 7,000 out of 77,000) who had been in receipt of free school meals age 15 in 2006/07 were in full-time education in sixth form colleges in England in 2007/08. In addition another 37 per cent. were studying in FE colleges and 22 per cent. in schools sixth forms making a total of 68 per cent. in full-time education. This compares with a rate of 60 per cent. in full-time education in 2004/05 for the cohort who had been in receipt of free school meals age 15 in 2003/04.