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The impact of league table reform on vocational education in schools

Lindsay Plumpton

By: Lindsay Plumpton

Communications Leader

Tuesday 29 January 2013

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According to the findings of the Edge Foundation report, 60% of schools have said that they’ve either already reduced the number of Level 2 vocational qualifications on offer or are planning to do so, due to changes to school performance tables.

This is despite the majority of school leaders believing that vocational qualifications are valuable to young people:

  • 79% agree that they offer a strong foundation for the world of work
  • 69% agree that they offer a strong foundation for further study or training
  • 77% agree that they are motivational for young people.


What’s more, it seems that vocational qualifications make students more employable - 86% of small to medium sized businesses agree that having staff with vocational qualifications leads to better business performance.

What do you think? Are school curriculums largely driven by league table pressures? Should schools, where it’s in pupils’ interest, teach qualifications that aren’t included in the performance tables? Have worthwhile courses been lost as a result of the changes? Can academic and vocational qualifications work together in a curriculum? We want to hear from you!

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