Three quarters of parents want to see their children given the option of both vocational and academic study from age 14 onwards, a new study has shown.
Research from Baker Dearing Educational Trust has revealed that the majority of parents are recognising the value of vocational qualifications, and believe their children shouldn’t be pushed into studying only academic qualifications.
Perceptions around vocational education in schools are changing for the better, as the research also shows over half of parents don’t see the traditional academic route of GCSEs, A Levels and university as the best option any more. These latest findings follow research from the Edge Foundation last year, which showed 56% of parents believed vocational qualifications improved their children’s career prospects.
The most recent survey was carried out with over 1000 parents of 14-18 year olds currently in education and highlights a renewed understanding of vocational and technical qualifications. It’s an encouraging progression after reports last year suggested some parents deemed their children “too clever” for vocational education. Now, 7 in 10 parents will encourage their children to pursue a technical or vocational route if it suits their abilities and learning styles.
The study follows claims from fellow educational charity Teach First that life skills are being sacrificed from curriculums in order to accommodate additional academic subjects. Chloe Surowiec of Teach First commented: “it is very hard to get schools on board with developing life skills because the curriculum is so crammed and the importance is placed on things valued by Ofsted. That actually makes it very difficult to create space in the curriculum.”
Not only are life skills such as leadership and work preparation being sacrificed for academic subjects, but qualifications in strong and established subject areas including music and performance skills, which often rely on vocational styles of delivery, are also suffering.
It’s reassuring to see support from parents for a mix of vocational and academic qualifications offered to Key Stage 4 pupils. Whilst an academic route suits some pupils, it’s important to not shoehorn pupils who are more adept at learning vocationally into studying all academic qualifications. Giving pupils the option to learn in a style that suits their abilities is the best way to ensure they’re engaged at school and prepared for their future careers.
It seems governing bodies are still prioritising academic subjects and when push comes to shove, vocational qualifications are often sacrificed. Whilst academic qualifications are undoubtedly important, in particular maths and English, they must not be stuffed into the curriculum at the expense of vocational qualifications. NCFE and parents believe school curriculums should be balanced so every pupil can fulfil their potential.
What are your thoughts? Are you under pressure to deliver more academic qualifications, and does this affect your ability to deliver vocational qualifications? We’d love to hear your thoughts!
