In his speech at the Conservative Party conference last week, the Prime Minister launched the paper A world-class education system: The Advanced British Standard. You can read the paper in full here.
Here are the key points:
The Advanced British Standard:
- One qualification for 16-19 year old, replacing A levels and T levels. Intended to combine “the depth and knowledge-rich content of A levels and the high-quality, employer-led occupational standards of T levels.
- 15% increase in taught hours for most 16-19 students
- All students to study some form of English and maths to 18.
- Students typically to study a minimum of five subjects – typically three majors and two minors, with the option to increase to three majors and three minors.
- Students following an occupational route might study a double major specialising in a particular profession.
- It is suggested that those children who started primary school this term will be the first to sit the new qualification, which would mean teaching would start in 2035.
Core
English and maths to at least ‘minor’ level
Options
Choice of academic and technical subjects at ‘minor’ or ‘major’ level. ‘Double major’ option for some specific occupations.
Non qualification time
Enrichment, pastoral and employability activities organised by school or college. Could involve an industry placement where applicable.
GCSEs
- To be reviewed in light of move to Advanced British Standard
- Paper states “we recognise that GCSEs can be onerous for students and teachers, which can detract from the time available for teaching and learning time.” Not clear what is meant by this, but the suggestion seems to be to see if GCSEs can be streamlined. Two areas will be explored:
- Whether the number and/or length of papers being sat can be reduced
- The potential of digital solutions, such as on-screen assessment.
Shorter-term changes
- Payments of £6,000 per year to teachers in shortage subjects (engineering, electronics, digital, key STEM subjects) in their first five years in eligible schools. Existing payments to be available to teachers in FE colleges as well as schools.
- Additional support for students who need to retake English or maths GCSE – these students will now attract the same funding as those studying level 3 qualifications.
- Additional funding for the EEF to support a better understanding of what works to improve outcomes at 16-19.
- Additional support for maths – expansion of Maths Hubs, investment in teaching for mastery in maths, a new offer for key stage 3 and a digital platform for tutoring in Core Maths.
Observations
We would welcome a move to greater breadth at key stage 5 and recognise the need to work towards achieving parity of esteem for vocational qualifications. The challenge for these new proposals will obviously be in delivering them. We welcome the suggestion that these new qualifications will be shaped in consultation with the sector, but this feels like working backwards – it would have been beneficial to have undertaken meaningful consultation before announcing such a significant change to qualifications. It is imperative that school leaders and the FE and HE sectors are fully involved in the development of this work to ensure that it is deliverable and supports successful transition to employment and/or further study.
The following big issues remain:
- Teacher recruitment and retention – without significant support it is difficult to see how schools and colleges will accommodate an increase in taught hours.
- Support for teachers of shortage subjects is welcome, but there is an urgent need to address the issues around working conditions which are driving so many out of the profession.
- Many schools and colleges have significant difficulties in recruiting teachers of English and maths, so making those subject mandatory post-16 would currently be very challenging.
- These new plans raise significant questions for the short-term future of T levels, which are already experiencing quite a number of teething problems.
- With the end of BTEC courses in 2024, and T levels in a period of transition, the vocational options for students coming through in the next few years look limited.
- Careful thought needs to be given to the impact on teachers’ workload of reworking all post-16 courses.
- Urgent issues remain around school funding, mental health support and teacher recruitment.
- With a general election expected in around a year’s time, it seems unlikely that much progress will be made on these plans in the short term and of course, there is a chance that the Advanced British Standard will join the list of ideas that never quite made it…
