The participation rate in education has been rising in OECD countries in recent years. Yet, on average around a quarter of young people leave school without completing their upper- secondary education. Many of the obstacles young school-leavers face are caused by failure or under- achievement at school. On the principle that prevention is better than cure, the pathways to work and adult life would be improved by aiming government policy first and foremost at reducing failure levels at school. This article explores differences between the experiences of people with low levels of qualifications in different OECD countries.