A portion of schools’ funding would be made conditional on students remaining in some form of education or training after taking their GCSEs, under new reforms announced by Labour.
Labour’s independent skills taskforce has announced a series of reforms to the 14-19 education system, designed to reduce the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (NEET).
Under the plans unveiled by Labour’s skills taskforce, an element of school funding made dependent on students remaining in education would be used to “transform careers guidance in those schools with a NEET problem” by creating a national careers advice system alongside employers.
Labour would also create a National Baccalaureate for all school leavers, which would include “rigorous, stretching and labour-market responsive vocational qualifications for the ‘forgotten 50%’ and skills, character building and workplace learning for all”. It would also be made compulsory for all young people to study English and maths up to the age of 18.
Olly from PSI: This announcement shows that Labour are trying to take ownership of the 14-19 vocational education agenda with bold policy plans, as it is has largely been overlooked by the Education Secretary until recently – despite David Cameron’s and George Osborne’s enthusiasm for reforming vocational education.
