Study programmes for 16- to 19-year-olds

What's it all about? Alison Wolf published her review of vocational education in March. In it, she claimed that at least a quarter of 16- to 19-year-olds were on courses that do not lead to higher education or good jobs, and put forward 27 recommendations to address the problem, which the government accepted in full. The Department for Education is now consulting on its proposals to overhaul 16 to 19 vocational education provision to ensure that study programmes do not limit students' future study and work options.

What are the main points? As part of the reforms, the government plans to allow institutions to have the right to offer any study programme they wish as long as it is from a recognised awarding body and follows a general set of principles relating to structure, assessment arrangements and contact time. Maths and English would also be a required element of all 16 to 19 study programmes for students who haven't achieved at least a grade C in both subjects at school.