A-levels to stay with new vocational diplomas

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today pledged to keep A-levels and GCSEs, but said she would make exams harder.

Education Secretary Ruth Kelly today pledged to keep A-levels and GCSEs, but said she would make exams harder.

Unveiling her White Paper on education for 14 to 19-year-olds in the Commons, she said she would not scrap what was good.

Instead, she announced a new diploma to recognise those who achieve five good GCSEs or equivalent including English and Maths.

She also announced that she would free up the curriculum at the age of 11 onwards to make space for extra help for those falling behind on English and maths.

Ms Kelly said she would "transform" vocational training, introducing new specialised diplomas and asking employers to agree to their content.

Specialised diplomas would be available in 14 subject areas at levels 1, 2 and 3 and would replace the current system of around 3,500 separate qualifications.

"Historically our education system has produced a high achieving elite, while failing the majority," she warned.

"In today's global economy, in which our national competitiveness increasingly depends on the skills of each and every person, we cannot afford so much talent to go to waste.

"We cannot afford to let intellectual snobbery leave us with a second class, second best vocational education system," she said.

She also pledged to "end the scandal of our low staying on rate at 17", increasing it from 75% to at least 90% over the next decade.

This, she said, would effectively end the current school leaving age of 16.

Ms Kelly said she expected all diplomas and A-levels to offer more challengingquestions for the brightest students.

In her statement, replying to the reforms proposed by the former chief inspector of schools Sir Mike Tomlinson, Ms Kelly also said the Government would pilot other measures to add "stretch" as suggested by Sir Mike.

Ms Kelly also stopped short of announcing new top grades at A-level, possibly A+ or A++.

She said there was no consensus among pupils, parents, employers or universities about whether or how it should be done.

She said she would work with employers and universities to see if anything would add value to A-levels, and progress would be reviewed in 2008.

Ms Kelly told the House: "Our education system has not done enough for those most at risk of dropping out of the system, resulting in pupils and society paying a high price."

The key to re-motivating these teenagers was to broaden the range of places they could learn.

Under a new programme, pupils in future would be able to mix college and employer based learning to suit their needs from the age of 14, rather than 16 as at present, she said.

Ms Kelly said: "These measures are a radical package and we will introduce them with care."

She went on: "We will move from a system of comprehensive schools to a genuinely comprehensive system of education in each local area."

She added: "I believe that every child has equal worth. That every child has potential and that the job of the education system is to develop and extend that potential.

"That in doing so, education must enable all children and teenagers to achieve and prepare for life and work, equipping them with the skills that employers need.

"There are many ways to achieve; and many ways to prepare young people. All of these have dignity and value and deserve respect.

"Those are my values, the values of this Government and, I believe, values the whole country will share."