Vocational education reform must start with pre-apprenticeship provision, says ALP

The body, which represents the providers that deliver the majority of apprenticeships in England, welcomed the fact that Professor Alison Wolf's review of vocational education emphasises the importance of 16 to 18 apprenticeships.

But ALP warned that pre-apprenticeship provision needs to be urgently improved if more young people are to become apprentices.

Graham Hoyle, the association’s chief executive, argued that many young people leaving school at 16 are not ready to start a full apprenticeship, so they need to undertake other learning to get them "on the ladder" to an apprenticeship.

The government’s foundation learning programme for 16 to 18 year olds was supposed to provide a route to apprenticeships, but Hoyle said problems around funding are making it difficult for providers to supply the right kind of flexible courses.

"Many providers are concerned that they are unable to design the most appropriate support for many of their clients under the current funding regime," he explained.

He added that young people are dropping out of foundation learning provision because it is not tailored to suit their needs.

"Reports are now coming in of young people walking out of exams unprepared to cope any longer with what they consider to be a continuation of a school classroom experience similar to that which failed to see them progress during statutory education," he said.

"There are undoubtedly serious issues regarding the delivery of foundation learning to many of our most vulnerable young people which need to be addressed if Professor Wolf’s vision for apprenticeships is to become a reality."