Commenting on the Government’s plans to introduce new vocational GCSEs from 2029, Jude Hillary, Co-Head of Policy and Practice at NFER, said:
“Giving young people more opportunities to develop practical and technical knowledge and skills alongside their academic education could strengthen the connection between education and the world of work. Meaningful work experience could also help young people understand different careers and make more informed choices about their futures.
“However, while the Government is not formally proposing to split students into academic and vocational tracks at 14, an expansion of vocational GCSEs could lead to this happening in practice. NFER’s research on international evidence suggests that earlier tracking can increase socio-economic inequalities, with choices at younger ages more likely to reflect prior attainment and family background. It will therefore be important that these qualifications have high status, are taken by a substantial proportion of young people and that they are able to change direction later. There is also a risk that the range of vocational GCSEs available could vary depending on where young people live given research shows smaller institutions can struggle to sustain marginal and specialist subjects. The Government will therefore need to consider how this can be avoided.
“The ambition to expand work experience is welcome, but providing meaningful placements at scale will require sustained employer engagement and effective local coordination. Careful implementation and independent evaluation will be essential to ensure these reforms expand opportunities without narrowing choices or exacerbating existing inequalities.”