Unsuccessful Vocational Courses To Be Axed

Thousands of vocational courses which do not on their own lead to jobs, further study or university could be dropped from college and school sixth-form performance tables as part of reforms to raise education standards, Skills Minister Matthew Hancock said.

Around 90 per cent of nearly 4,000 Level 3 vocational courses may no longer count in the tables.

The move follows Professor Alison Wolf’s ground-breaking report into vocational education, in which she said that "at least 350,000 young people in a given 16-19 cohort are poorly served by current arrangements. Their programmes and experiences fail to promote progression into either stable, paid employment or higher level education and training in a consistent or an effective way".

There has also been an explosion in the number of young people studying vocational qualifications between the ages of 16 and 19.

The proportion of 16- to 19-year-olds studying at Level 3 taking at least one of the post-16 Level 3 vocational courses available rose from 30 per cent in 2008 to 48 per cent in 2012 – from 101,000 students to around 185,000.

The number of young people aged 16 to 19 studying vocational courses rose 196 per cent between 1995 and 2010. In comparison, the number of those studying A levels in the same period rose 21 per cent.

The reforms are outlined in a consultation launched today by the Department for Education. They would be phased in from 2014, and follow similar action to overhaul school league tables for 16-year-olds.

Young people aged 16 to 19 would still be able to take any qualification accredited for use by Ofqual, even if they are dropped from the tables. Some of these small courses are beneficial if taken alongside a larger, high-quality qualification which has good content and which directly progresses young people.

Matthew Hancock said: "For vocational education to be valued and held in high esteem we must be uncompromising about its quality. Vocational qualifications must be stretching and strong.

"The proposals would ensure that only large qualifications which meet a quality bar will count in the performance tables. The changes would also mean that qualifications which lead into skilled occupations – either directly or through higher education – would be reported separately from those which are more general in nature. Academic achievement would also be reported separately."

(GK)