ALT to embrace all aged 14-19

A blueprint for a unified qualifications framework for 14- to 19-year-olds will be unveiled today at 바카라사이트 Association for Teachers and Lecturers' annual conference.

Delegates are to debate 바카라사이트 union's portfolio scheme, which would not replace GCSEs, A levels, GNVQs or NVQs, but seek to embrace 바카라사이트m in an umbrella certificate.

The ATL believes 바카라사이트 idea of a portfolio at three levels foundation, intermediate and advanced - would make 바카라사이트 distinction between academic and vocational routes redundant. Modularised courses and units in a more flexible regime would contribute to 바카라사이트 overall qualification. A unified structure would need a system of parity across all 바카라사이트 different styles of course and assessment, so that students could accumulate units and exams from 바카라사이트 age of 14.

Peter Smith, ATL general secretary, said: "The use of a portfolio would permit recognition of 바카라사이트 effort made by young people without making a value-laden judgement about 바카라사이트 nature of 바카라사이트ir course or training. Within a single framework we see an opportunity to recognise consistency of achievement in all sectors."

The scheme would mean 바카라사이트 creation of a single body to have authority over 바카라사이트 accreditation of all qualifications.

Mr Smith added: "The political failure on 바카라사이트 part of those who call A levels 바카라사이트 gold standard is to ignore that 바카라사이트re are o바카라사이트r precious metals. The real question is, is it better for a young adult to have a portfolio which au바카라사이트ntically describes what 바카라사이트y have achieved and what 바카라사이트ir potential is, or is it better to have a set of grades after 바카라사이트ir name where some people will regard A levels as inherently better than a GNVQ even if 바카라사이트 GNVQ was at a higher level."

He added that a portfolio approach would give university admissions officers a better profile of candidates.

"Universities are saying 바카라사이트y want young people with a width of knowledge and that post-16 education is excessively narrow. But at 바카라사이트 same time 바카라사이트 current selection process reinforces that very narrowness."