Low uptake for vocational diplomas

Just 12,000 pupils in England began the new qualification in September, less than a quarter of the 50,000 predicted by the government two years ago.
In Wakefield, Blackburn with Darwen, and Harrow fewer than ten pupils are studying for the vocational diploma. Fourteen other local authorities have revealed that fewer than 30 pupils are taking them.
Shadow children's secretary Michael Gove said the government had "botched" the introduction of diplomas "by generating confusion about what they are all about".
He added: "Tony Blair said diplomas should be separate from A-levels and he would keep the A-level as the gold standard, but Ed Balls says diplomas could replace A-levels. No wonder teachers and parents don't know where they stand."
However, Jim Knight, the schools minister, said: "It's absurd and wrong for the Tories to selectively highlight the number of pupils taking diplomas in different areas of the country.
"This is the first year of a five-year roll-out of the diploma programme and we always planned that they would only be available in some areas of the country to start with."