Working Group for 14-19 Reform
Encyclopedia
The Working Group for 14–19 Reform was chaired by Mike Tomlinson
, former Chief Inspector of Schools at Ofsted
. It was formed in Spring 2003 in response to allegations that A-Level grades had been manipulated by some exam boards in order to maintain a consistent standard in the face of changes to the A-Level system. This scandal led to the resignation of the then Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Estelle Morris
.
This crisis was part of a longer-term concern amongst the British public and, more importantly, British industry that GCSEs and A-Levels were no longer sufficiently taxing to provide a genuine measure of the ability of students. In other words, examinations were seen to be getting easier, a theory partly supported by increasingly impressive results, year-on-year throughout the 1990s.
.
Key proposals:
, was to largely reject these proposals. Most notably absent from their White Paper
, however, were the Working Group's
suggestion for an overarching diploma system. In the run up to a General Election
, and in the face of strong resistance from the Confederation of British Industry
, they chose to reform existing qualifications by making them harder, and more clearly tied to basic skills.
The March 2005 White Paper 14–19 Education and Skills announced the introduction of a new 14–19 Diploma
. The first five lines of learning will be available from September 2008 in some areas of England. These are: Construction and the Built Environment; Creative and Media; Engineering; Information Technology; and Social, Development and Health.
Mike Tomlinson
Sir Michael John Tomlinson CBE is the chair of the Working Group for 14–19 Reform which has been commissioned by the British Government to look into reform of the syllabus and qualifications structure for 14–19 year-olds in the English education system.-Early life:He passed the eleven plus...
, former Chief Inspector of Schools at Ofsted
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
. It was formed in Spring 2003 in response to allegations that A-Level grades had been manipulated by some exam boards in order to maintain a consistent standard in the face of changes to the A-Level system. This scandal led to the resignation of the then Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Secretary of State for Education and Skills
The Secretary of State for Education is the chief minister of the Department for Education in the United Kingdom government. The position was re-established on 12 May 2010, held by Michael Gove....
Estelle Morris
Estelle Morris
Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley, PC was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Yardley from 1992 to 2005, and served briefly in the Cabinet as Education Secretary.-Early life:...
.
This crisis was part of a longer-term concern amongst the British public and, more importantly, British industry that GCSEs and A-Levels were no longer sufficiently taxing to provide a genuine measure of the ability of students. In other words, examinations were seen to be getting easier, a theory partly supported by increasingly impressive results, year-on-year throughout the 1990s.
The report
The Tomlinson Report, as the Final Report of the Working Group on 14–19 Reform was commonly known, was published by the UK Government in October 2004. The proposals, much watered down, were the basis for the 2005 14–19 Education and Skills White PaperWhite paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
.
Key proposals:
- Provide courses which stretch children.
- Ensure that children have basic literacyLiteracyLiteracy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
and numeracyNumeracyNumeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts. A numerically literate person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life...
skills. - Raise the status of vocational qualifications.
- Reduce the amount of assessment and the number of exams.
- Simplify the system - make it easier to carry over achievements from one course of study to the next.
- 14–19 diploma to replace GCSEs, A- and AS-Levels, BTECsBusiness And Technology Education Council (BTEC)The Business and Technology Education Council is the British body which awards vocational qualifications. Such qualifications are commonly referred to as "BTECs"....
and AVCEAvceAvče is a settlement on the left bank of the river Soča in the Kanal Municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.The Parish Church in the settlement is dedicated to Saint Martin and belongs to the Diocese of Koper. A second church built above the village in the Nadavče area is dedicated to Our...
s.
Response
The Government's response, led by newly appointed (December 2004) Secretary of State Ruth KellyRuth Kelly
Ruth Maria Kelly is a British Labour Party politician of Irish descent who was the Member of Parliament for Bolton West from 1997 until she stood down in 2010...
, was to largely reject these proposals. Most notably absent from their White Paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
, however, were the Working Group's
Working group
A working group is an interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers working on new research activities that would be difficult to develop under traditional funding mechanisms . The lifespan of the WG can last anywhere between a few months and several years...
suggestion for an overarching diploma system. In the run up to a General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, and in the face of strong resistance from the Confederation of British Industry
Confederation of British Industry
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation incorporated by Royal charter which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.-Role:The CBI works...
, they chose to reform existing qualifications by making them harder, and more clearly tied to basic skills.
The March 2005 White Paper 14–19 Education and Skills announced the introduction of a new 14–19 Diploma
14–19 Diploma
The Diploma is a composite qualification in England launched in September 2008. Its development was announced in the 14–19 Education and Skills White Paper of March 2005...
. The first five lines of learning will be available from September 2008 in some areas of England. These are: Construction and the Built Environment; Creative and Media; Engineering; Information Technology; and Social, Development and Health.