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In 2005, the biggest reforms to
14 - 19 education were set out in the White Paper 14 - 19
Education and Skills. The curriculum began to change over
the 2008/09 academic year to make the education of young people
more relevant than ever before to today's society.
The 2005 White Paper (VIEW
HERE), setting out the reform, cited its aim
as being to transform secondary and post-secondary education
so all young people achieve and continue in learning until
the age of 18. The proposals looked at:
Tackling
low Post 16 participation.
Ensuring
every young person has a good grounding in Maths, English
and the skills they need for work.
Providing
better vocational routes.
Stretch
young people.
Re-engage
the dissatisfied.
Behind this was the successful raising
of standards from primary education onwards, but also statistics
showing numbers staying on Post 16 are still low, many employers
are dissatisfied with the basic skills of school leavers
going directly into work and some 16 - 19 year olds drift
between education, work and training without settling at
any.
The core to the reform was and is achieving functional skills
in English and maths, essential to support learning in other
subjects and for employment. Following on from this is the
creation of a system better tailored to meet the needs of
the individual pupil:
Introduce
a greater choice of what and where to study.
Retain GCSEs
and A levels.
Introduce
new specialised Diplomas available at level 1 (foundation),
2 (GCSE) and 3 (advanced).
Anyone achieving
a Diploma at level 2, must have functional English and maths
at level 2.
Involve
employers through Sector Skills Councils in designing specialised
Diplomas providing the right grounding for work and further
study.
Challenge
and support schools and colleges to ensure young people
take the qualifications when they are ready, not at a fixed
age.
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