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Policy Corner - 9 October 2014

By Andrew Gladstone-Heighton, Policy Leader, Tuesday 07 October 2014

Andrew Gladstone-Heighton

More than one angle on GCSE grading (p7) Last week saw the announcement of the new GCSE grading system, which will support the introduction of new qualifications starting in 2015. The current A to G scale will be replaced with a 9-1 numerical system, with grade 4 being equivalent to a grade C, grade 7 to a grade A and the new ‘uber-grade’ 9 given to strictly controlled group of top performers.

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Increase in apprenticeship numbers remains cross party consensus

By Lindsay Plumpton, Communications Leader, Thursday 02 October 2014

Lindsay Plumpton

The past fortnight has seen the 2 major political parties hold their final annual conference before the General Election in May 2015. At each event, the parties set out their policy plans and goals if they were to lead a majority government post General Election. These plans were articulated through a range of keynote speeches by significant Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet leads, as well as through fringe events, where key decision makers and corporate interests could discuss particular policy matters in a more intimate setting.

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What's emerging from the Labour Party Conference?

By , Wednesday 24 September 2014

Our Policy Leader has been getting the news hot off the press at Ed Miliband’s last party conference speech before the General Election, outlining ‘Labour’s plans for Britain’s future’. Commentators are billing it as a ‘make or break’ situation for the General Election; so what is Labour planning to do if they win the election? How are they winning hearts and minds?

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Vocational education a viable alternative to University

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Monday 15 September 2014

David Grailey

Following A Level results this year, we saw a record amount (over 500,000) of university places available despite the fact that the overall pass rate decreased for the first time in 30 years. It’s been suggested that universities were actively competing to attract students, as apprenticeships become a real option for young people in terms of an alternative pathway. However, it’s clear that young people are still not certain on the options available to them and have little clarity of their next steps. A piece of research conducted by Which? University revealed that more than half of students in England and Wales approached their A Level results with back-up plan if they failed to get the grades they needed to get to their university of choice.

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GCSE changes: What impact will this have?

By David Grailey, Chief Executive, Monday 15 September 2014

David Grailey

Last month, thousands of UK teens received their GCSE results. Pupils, parents and teachers interrupted their summer holidays and congregated at schools across the country to open that all-important envelope! Overall, the 2014 results show a 98.5% pass rate, down 0.3 percentage points (but with a rise in students receiving A*s). Significantly, the number of English entries dropped by more than 215,000 while the number of maths entries dropped by 76 per cent, from 170,357 down to 39,292.

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