25 October 2007

Say what you like, and many do, things are never dull when 14 – 19 developments are around. Last week we had the official response to the Select Committee Inquiry into Diplomas, the week before that the Spending Review announcement with some specific targets for 14 – 19, the week before that the launch of the ‘Bringing your learning to life’ publicity materials, the week before that the launch of Gateway 2 and so it goes on. This week may have been half term for some but not in the Ed Balls household. He took the opportunity to make a significant announcement on 14 – 19 qualifications which may ultimately shape the nature and destiny not just of Diplomas but of other established qualifications as well.

In effect he made two announcements, one postponing the timing of the A level review to 2013 and the other on expanding the Diploma programme from 2011.

This is the key paragraph: “If Diplomas are successfully introduced and are delivering the mix that employers and universities value, they could become the qualification of choice for young people. But, because GCSEs and A levels are long established and valued qualifications, that (their future) should not be decided by any pre – emptive Government decision, but by the demands of young people, schools and colleges.” So Diplomas move mainstream, market forces determine the future of existing qualifications, the ‘academic’ – ‘vocational’ divide is healed and the vision of a “fully rounded education for all young people at all levels of ability, motivated and engaged by learning related to the world of work” is brought just that bit nearer. Job well done, exit to applause all round.

Not quite yet. Any threat to A levels instantly brings troops to the ramparts and the Conservatives, for one, were quick to denounce the move as ‘abolition of A levels by stealth.’ Interestingly when Sir Mike Tomlinson suggested in the summer that the Brown Government might be more receptive to a rethink on A levels he was quickly slapped down. Ed Balls is certainly not saying that A levels or indeed any other established qualification will go, at least for a while; what he is saying is give things a bit of time to see how far Diplomas take off and then let the market – determine what will happen. A deft political move.

There are though two other points to make. One is that the statement begins with the word “if.” There’s little doubt that the first Diplomas will be launched next year and in most cases probably “successfully” but how far and how quickly they become “the qualification of choice” is hard to tell at the moment. It takes a lot to get a new qualification established especially one as packed as a Diploma. The media, for instance, constantly carries stories about people struggling to understand what a Diploma is; Peter Kinsgton’s recent article in the Education Guardian being a classic example. Unsurprisingly therefore, this announcement comes with some hedge betting. In one breath, the Dept is ‘confident’ that Diplomas will offer what employers and universities want, in another ‘we need time to consider their success.’ 5 years seems sensible.

The other point is what this move will do to the schools system. One of the issues that arose this summer was about the increasing polarisation in exam performance between state and independent schools. The other big ‘if,’ therefore is how far the Diploma becomes the qualification of choice for all the school system not just part of it. HE recognition is the key here. The Russell Group’s response that they are “in the process of assessing the academic rigour and general suitability of Diplomas as a route to HE” suggests there is some way to go yet.

To return to the announcements and taking the timing of the A level review first.

A review of A level in 2008 had been proposed in the 2005 14 – 19 White Paper. At the time it was viewed as a move to head off continuing resentment about the abandonment of the Tomlinson proposals; the door left slightly open for a rethink later. Setting the timing of that rethink for 2008 was never particularly sensible partly because Diplomas wouldn’t have started by then and partly because the new, revised A levels wouldn’t have kicked off either . The Select Committee in its 14 – 19 Inquiry earlier this year “urged the Government to reconsider rescheduling the review and changing its terms of reference so that it can consider A levels in their wider context and after more is known about how Diplomas are working.” This is precisely what the Government is now doing.

2013 is of course the year when the statutory 14 – 19 entitlement comes in and when the compulsory participation age is extended for 17 year olds so the timing has a logic. Whether any qualifications will be up for the chop then will depend on what happens between now and then. More likely we shall see a return to the Tomlinson model of a broad based 14 – 19 programme with a variety of pathways within it, including A levels, BTECs and no doubt many others. These fit the criteria for a 14 – 19 qualification system for the future listed in the announcement.

The second announcement was equally intriguing as it introduced the concept of subject based Diplomas alongside sector based ones. Introduced from 2011, these will cover Science, Languages and Humanities, the former seemingly ruled out for a Diploma earlier in the summer, the latter two the subject of considerable angst during the summer about their long term future.

This therefore can be seen as a positive move and comes with the familiar fanfare of ‘challenging and inspiring students’ but does raise some questions. First just what is a subject based Diploma? Presumably it’s a set of modules in History or Science which along with functional skills, a Project and so on creates a broader package of learning. If so, the charge of diluting the subject knowledge will be quickly raised particularly for a subject like Science. The statement suggests they will be “built on the best of existing GCSEs and A levels.” Well, A levels have just been revised, GCSEs are in the process of, so one wonders which best bits they are trying to capture or worst bits they are trying to avoid. Presumably the new Expert Advisory Group will advise.

Second, does this announcement now put to rest the debate about whether Diplomas are general or vocational, school or college based? It seems they are the former in both cases. And third, is this now a belated recognition that Tomlinson was right all along? Many people think so.

© Edexcel Policy Watch 2007. Steve Besley is General Manger of Education Policy at Edexcel. Policy watch is a service intended to help busy people understand developments in the world of education. Visit Edexcel at www.edexcel.org.uk