Following the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review’s final report, technical education charity the Baker Dearing Educational Trust has released the following statement from Chief Executive Kate Ambrosi.

“Baker Dearing calls on the government to quickly enact the review’s recommendations to scrap the English Baccalaureate and we welcome the announcement ministers will reform Progress 8 and Attainment 8.

“By only measuring schools on a small number of academic subjects, the EBacc disincentivises schools from delivering technical subjects like design and technology. If they do not learn technical subjects at GCSE, how will young people know about T Levels and degree apprenticeships or have the skills to pass those challenging qualifications?

“The Progress 8 and Attainment 8 measures should also be completely overhauled. Schools with a later starting age, such as the network of University Technical Colleges that we support, have been publicly maligned because of these rigid measures that rate students’ performance from 11, regardless of whether they started at their school aged 14.

“The report also acknowledges the value of key stage 4 technical awards to both student engagement and social mobility. It is imperative the government invest in specialist teacher recruitment and provide capital funding for industry equipment so more young people can take these awards that properly prepare them for further technical study and fulfilling careers.

“We have been impressed by how the panel has engaged with stakeholders, especially during a visit to London Design and Engineering UTC last Spring. We look forward to working with the department on its next steps.”

Pictured top: Curriculum and Assessment Review chair Prof Becky Francis visiting LDE UTC with Kate Ambrosi.