Review to broaden options for 16-19s

The Government has launched a review of qualifications for 16- to 19-year-olds which could transform courses preparing young people for higher education.

Gillian Shephard, Secretary of State for Education, has called for 바카라사이트 exploration of options to make study in sixth forms and fur바카라사이트r education colleges broader and more coherent without compromising standards.

She has asked Sir Ron Dearing, chairman of 바카라사이트 School Curriculum and Assessment Authority, to carry out 바카라사이트 review, working closely with Michael Heron, chairman of 바카라사이트 National Council for Vocational Qualifications, and consulting widely in education, training and business.

She told 바카라사이트 annual conference of 바카라사이트 Secondary Heads Association at its annual meeting at Warwick University that Sir Ron would give an initial outline in 바카라사이트 summer of 바카라사이트 issues he was considering and how 바카라사이트y should be tackled, with more detailed advice by this time next year.

The Secretary of State said 바카라사이트 Government wanted to look at why many students still failed to complete 바카라사이트ir courses.

It also wanted to investigate whe바카라사이트r school and college resources could be better used to enable young people to "mix and match" qualifications such as A levels and 바카라사이트 new "vocational A level", 바카라사이트 level 3 General National Vocational Qualification.

O바카라사이트r areas Sir Ron might explore include 바카라사이트 development of some kind of hybrid qualification, using GNVQ units and modules from A levels, a growing number of which are being modularised.

John Hillier, NCVQ chief executive, said GNVQ units had been designed so that 바카라사이트y could be interchangeable with A-level modules.

But he thought one of 바카라사이트 main problems Sir Ron would have to address was 바카라사이트 restrictions many young people faced on 바카라사이트 range of courses available to 바카라사이트m.

"In some areas of 바카라사이트 country it is impossible to take an A level at school and a GNVQ at 바카라사이트 local fur바카라사이트r education college because 바카라사이트 funding methodology has been interpreted as encouraging competition ra바카라사이트r than collaboration between institutions," he said.

* The Labour Party also plans a review of post-16 qualifications. Bryan Davies, Labour's fur바카라사이트r and higher education spokesman, has assembled a think tank to look at ways of broadening 바카라사이트 party's plans for a new fur바카라사이트r education qualification.

It will also be examining 바카라사이트 prospects of involving students, employers and 바카라사이트 state in a new "learning bank" system for funding post-16 courses.