The government has announced that most of Professor Alison Wolf’s recommendations for reform of 14 to 19 vocational education have been implemented.
The Department for Education has issued its final progress report on Professor Wolf’s recommendations.
Key points from the report
“As a direct result of these recommendations, apprenticeships have been redesigned by employers to meet employers’ needs, DfE published approved lists of technical and vocational qualifications for 14 to 16 and 16 to 18-year-olds and will report only these qualifications in the performance tables.
“All 16 to 19 year olds in education are now offered a study programme based on their prior attainment, education and employment goals – nearly all students spend at least half their time studying one or more substantial qualifications such as A levels or technical and vocational qualifications which meet DfE’s requirements, alongside other activities such as tutorials or work-experience.
“Students who have not yet achieved an A*to C GCSE in English and maths by the age of 16 now continue to study these subjects as part of their 16-19 education. Sixth forms and FE colleges are funded, and have their performance reported, in the same way. Funding is on a ‘per student’ basis giving education providers the freedom to design programmes which best meets students’ needs and ambitions.
New study programmes, which require those under 19 without GCSEs in English and maths to work towards equivalent qualifications, became a condition of funding in August.”
