More than 13,000 students drop out of Academic and Vocational Upper Secondary Education every year.

Dropping out, in Academic and Vocational Upper Secondary Education

The report Dropping out in Academic and Vocational Upper Secondary Education presents —for the first time— data on a highly significant yet largely overlooked stage of education in relation to early school leaving: post-compulsory secondary education in Catalonia.

Authored by Adrián Zancajo and Carlos Bueno, the report reveals, among other findings, that more than 13,000 students who complete Year 11 (the final year of compulsory secondary education in Spain) subsequently drop out during Batxillerat (post-16 academic education, equivalent to A levels) or Intermediate Vocational Training Programmes (Ciclos Formativos de Grado Medio). The data show that most dropouts occur in the first year, particularly in vocational pathways, confirming that early school leaving in Catalonia remains a structural issue—with a rate of 14.8%—and requires more comprehensive and far-reaching responses.

Key findings:

• Vocational education: Dropout rates are highest in intermediate vocational training programmes (CFGM). In the 2020/21 academic year, 14.8% of CFGM students left without obtaining a qualification, compared to 4.7% in Academic Upper Secondary School.
• High concentration: Dropout is especially acute in certain schools. 25% of CFGM centres and 22% of Academic Upper Secondary schools report high or very high dropout levels.
• First year impact: Two-thirds of all dropouts in a year occur during the first year of post-compulsory education—highlighting major shortcomings in student guidance and orientation.
• Student profiles: Systemic weaknesses particularly affect male students, foreign nationals, and those with special educational needs, all of whom show dropout rates above the average.
• Continuity challenges: Students who are older than the typical age for their year have a dropout rate exceeding 20%. Those who interrupt and later resume their studies are also at significantly higher risk of leaving education prematurely.
• Policy recommendations: The findings underscore the urgent need to prioritise educational continuity. The report proposes targeted measures to reduce interruptions, strengthen core competencies, and provide focused support to schools with the highest dropout rates.