The Youth Cohort Study (YCS) is a major programme of longitudinal research designed to monitor the behaviour and decisions of representative samples of young people aged sixteen upwards as they make the transition from compulsory education to further or higher education, or to the labour market. It tries to identify and explain the factors which influence post-16 transitions, for example, educational attainment, training opportunities, experiences at school. To date the YCS covers thirteen cohorts and over forty surveys. The first cohort was first surveyed in 1985 and the thirteenth in 2007. The questionnaires have been designed, over the years, to be broadly comparable, but external changes and shifts in policy interest have brought about changes - some minor, some fundamental. Cohorts One to Twelve cover England and Wales but a change to the methodology means that from Cohort Thirteen, data cover England only. For further details of the methodology and coverage, see the documentation. The UK Data Archive currently holds data for the cohorts listed below:Cohort One (SN 3093) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1983-84Cohort Two (SN 3094) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1984-85*Cohort Three (SN 3012) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1985-86Cohort Four (SN 3107) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1987-88Cohort Five (SN 3531) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1989-90Cohort Six (SN 3532) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1990-91Cohort Seven (SN 3533) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1992-93Cohort Eight (SN 3805) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1995-96Cohort Nine (SN 4009) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1996-97Cohort Ten (SN 4571) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 1998-99Cohort Eleven (SN 5452) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 2000-01Cohort Twelve (SN 5830) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 2002-03Cohort Thirteen (SN 6024) surveyed those eligible to leave school in 2005-06*Some teaching materials using the data from Cohort Three have been developed. Details are available from the Teaching Resources and Materials for Social Scientists (TRAMSS) website. Sweep One The questionnaire for Sweep One included the following information:attitude towards school in 4th and 5th years details of 5th year coursesqualification attainment in 5th yeareducation and career adviceactivities since last April (unemployment, youth training (YT), employment, education)part-time courses, part-time employment and training courses and qualificationspart-time and self-employed employmentfamily, plans and views on the futureclassificatory variables include gender, exam results, school type and regionSweep Two The questionnaire for Sweep Two included the following information: activities in the past year (unemployment, YT, employment, education)part-time courses and part-time employmentcourses and qualifications plans and views on the futureSweep Three The questionnaire for Sweep Three included the following information: activities in the past year (unemployment, YT, employment, education)records of achievementpart-time employment, unpaid employment and part-time coursescourses and qualificationsqualifications obtained since year 11 (5th year)courses in higher education5th year (year 11) GCSEsplans and views on the future