Andy Burnham has launched proposals for a 'Greater Manchester Baccalaureate' to promote technical education courses for those young people (the forgotten half as Ed Miliband referred to them) who will not follow the academic route to HE. It’s designed to lead to skilled jobs in the local economy and to avoid the huge debts associated … Continue reading Burnham proposes new MBacc
Category: 14-19
Defending Btec’s : unlikely allies?
Former New Labour education minister David Blunkett and Kenneth Baker, architect of the National Curriculum under Thatcher continue to sound alarm bells on the government’s plan to scrap popular vocational and technical qualifications in England and push students into taking new T-levels. Supported by former Tory University ministers David Willetts and Jo Johnson, also members … Continue reading Defending Btec’s : unlikely allies?
Background paper for NEU post-16 Conference
Education without jobs? Martin Allen ‘Post-16’ education’ is a relatively new concept. Fifty years ago, 40 % of working class[i] students left school without any significant qualifications (many of these being ‘early leavers’ with no grades in anything). At that time, there were clear transitions to local employment, especially for the boys. Though … Continue reading Background paper for NEU post-16 Conference
PSE journal article. ‘A difficult summer for 18-year-olds’
It was a difficult summer for thousands of 18-year olds completing their post-16 education in either school sixth-forms or colleges. Arguably, this cohort had to endure more stress and uncertainty than the previous ‘Covid generation’ - when exams were cancelled and work was teacher-assessed. Read the article in full and download others from PSE issue … Continue reading PSE journal article. ‘A difficult summer for 18-year-olds’
BTEC chaos as Blair wades in
200,000 students were due to get their BTEC Level 3 final grades at the same time as A-level pupils on Thursday. The awarding body, the education conglomerate Pearson, says only a “very small percentage” of students have experienced a delay, but has not put a figure on those affected as more results are still being … Continue reading BTEC chaos as Blair wades in
A-level results : when they were down, they were down……
After record results last year, when almost one in five (19.1%) grades were A*, A-level top grades were down to 1 in 7 this time around, while the proportion of candidates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland receiving A or A* has fallen from 44.8% last year to 36.4%. The number of 'high-flyers' who got three A*s … Continue reading A-level results : when they were down, they were down……
T-levels: Too big to fail?
The Government continues to roll out its programme of T-levels, new technical qualifications in England, originating from a review commissioned by David Cameron and then a White Paper published by Teresa May The first 3 T Levels were launched in September 2020, in digital, construction and childcare. A further 7 began in September 2021 (2 … Continue reading T-levels: Too big to fail?
BTEC funding – a one year reprieve (so far)
The Skills Bill is currently completing its progress through Parliament where some of the most vocal opponents to the proposals to defund BTECs have been members of the House of Lords - in particular former Secretaries of State for Education, Ken Baker, the instigator of the National Curriculum under Mrs Thatcher, but now a campaigner for … Continue reading BTEC funding – a one year reprieve (so far)
‘Skills, Skills, Skills’ – Sunak’s £1.6 billion for the T’s.
To help tweak the “skills revolution” Chancellor Sunak will provide £1.6 billion for 16-19 education. Though much less than college bosses have called for, a large amount of this will be funding for 100,000 16- to 19-year-olds studying for T-levels, the new and controversial technical-based qualifications launched in three vocational areas in September 2020 at the height of the … Continue reading ‘Skills, Skills, Skills’ – Sunak’s £1.6 billion for the T’s.
Huge opposition to defunding BTECs
The DfE has published the results of the latest ‘consultation’ on its proposals for Level 3 post-16 qualifications. government_responseDownload In reality this has been a limited exercise. Academic qualifications were always going to remain in their current form, with A-levels continuing to be the main route into HE. But the government has already decided that … Continue reading Huge opposition to defunding BTECs
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