At this year’s Labour Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute has partnered with Cambridge OCR to hold a public panel on: ‘Untapped potential – making vocational qualifications work at 14 to 16’
Vocational education should form part of the solution to the growing crises of student disengagement and the underemployment of young people, but it remains undervalued and overlooked. Despite the benefits of vocational education, 92 per cent of teachers agree there are not enough options for children to try these qualifications before the age of 16. This period of learning and development is vital for tapping into new skills and becoming familiar with vocational pathways. With plans to review 14-16 vocational qualifications in 2027, it is timely to consider what young people need from a reformed system to broaden the curriculum and enable high expectations for all.
These reforms are integral to the government’s mission to halve the attainment gap by 2040 and meet the needs of the million young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). While there are many overlapping risk factors to becoming NEET, the government has identified that being persistently absent from school during KS4 (missing 10% or more of possible sessions) and low GCSE attainment (not attaining five good GCSEs including English and Maths) are key contributing factors. Vocational qualifications, known as ‘Tech Awards’ offer an opportunity to raise student engagement and skills development. By offering broader learning opportunities, pre-16 qualifications can set the foundation for more advanced study, training and work and enable more young people to reach their full potential.
So what will be required from a reformed 14-16 vocational curriculum and assessment system to meet the needs of all young people? This timely panel will bring together politicians, school leaders and other education stakeholders to consider this question. Attempts have previously been made to rebalance academic and vocational learning for those aged 14-16, but these routes remain marginal, shaping both expectations and outcomes. The panel will consider what will be required to transform the perception and understand the value of a broad vocational education – ultimately to ensure all pupils can enter post-16 with the knowledge, skills and qualifications they need to thrive.
Speakers will be announced in due course.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Labour Party.**
