14-19 Reform: Tomlinson worried about white paper

The Government is expected to unveil its 14 to 19 white paper this week and is likely to reject proposals, made by a working group headed by Tomlinson, for a diploma encompassing both academic and vocational courses. Instead, the Government is expected to propose a diploma solely for vocational courses, a plan that would go against the working group's hopes of putting vocational and academic tuition on an equal footing.

Tomlinson last week reiterated his belief that such an approach was vital to reviving disengaged teenagers' interest in learning. "What I do worry about and what's happened in the past is that the needs of the majority are sacrificed in favour of the most able," he told Young People Now. His concerns were echoed by John Brennan, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, who said: "Vocational education will continue to be perceived as a second-class option."