In the last few decades, education has been the subject of persistent and significant reforms in England. The present Coalition government has continued with its predecessors’ policy paradigm, in particular the adaptation of education to the perceived needs of the globalised market and knowledge-based economy, promoting the marketisation of the education system, managerialism, increasing school autonomy, and a discourse of individual aspirations, choice and responsibility. Our policy analysis revealed that while a large number of policy initiatives are aimed at raising attainment, reducing early school leaving (ESL) per se is not part of the policy agenda. The dominant policy discourse in England defines young people NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) as the problem category. Correspondingly, our fieldwork found that national and local youth policies and initiatives are aimed at young people NEET and not ESLs. Our data suggests that although many projects are funded through EU initiatives, there is little official acknowledgement of EU influence on education policy making in England. We found that education is considered a national competence by national as well as local education stakeholders, regardless of political affiliations.