GOV: Reforming qualifications and the curriculum to better prepare pupils for life after school

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/reforming-qualifications-and-the-curriculum-to-better-prepare-pupils-for-life-after-school

Reforming qualifications and the curriculum to better prepare pupils for life after school

Issue

Employers, universities and colleges are often dissatisfied with school leavers’ literacy and numeracy even though the proportion of young people achieving good grades has gone up in recent years. Around 42% of employers need to organise additional training for young people joining them from school or college.
We believe making GCSEs and A levels more rigorous will prepare students properly for life after school. It is also necessary to introduce a curriculum that gives individual schools and teachers greater freedom to teach in the way they know works and that ensures that all pupils acquire a core of essential knowledge in English, mathematics and sciences.
Finally, we need to address literacy standards in schools and make sure pupils develop good reading skills early.

Full Article/Policy

Organisation:

Department for Education

Page history:

Updated 9 June 2014, see all updates

Detail added: A and AS level reform

9 June 2014 9:55am

Added information about the science, history, geography and langauges GCSEs that will be ready for teaching from September 2016.

9 June 2014 9:44am

Updated information about the GCSE and A level reforms.

9 June 2014 9:36am

Updated 'GCSE reform' page with more detail about the changes we are introducing to GCSEs, including information on the mathematics, English language and English literature GCSEs that will be available for teaching from September 2015.

15 November 2013 4:36pm

Added details of the new national curriculum to be taught from September 2014.

11 September 2013 5:27pm

Added information about the consultation on changing national curriculum assessments to improve the way we measure pupils’ progress through primary school (launched on 17 July).

12 August 2013 11:47am

Details of the consultation of 8 July 2013 on the latest draft of the national curriculum have been added.

22 July 2013 4:27pm

First published.

22 April 2013 10:00am

Detail added: GCSE reform

22 April 2013 10:00am

Topic:

Schools

Minister:

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

Applies to:

England