New review of vocational education

Speaking at an Edge lecture on Thursday 9th September, Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, announced an independent review of vocational education for 14-19 year olds.

Professor Alison Wolf of Kings Colleges London will lead the review which will focus on:

• institutional arrangements
• funding mechanisms including arrangements for who bears the cost of qualifications
• progression from vocational education to work, higher education and higher level training
• the role of the third sector, private providers, employers and awarding bodies.

Speaking at the lecture Gove said: "For many years our education system has failed properly to value practical education, choosing to give far greater emphasis to purely academic achievements. This has left a gap in the country's skills base and, as a result, a shortage of appropriately trained and educated young people to fulfil the need of our employers. To help support our economic recovery, we need to ensure this position does not continue and that in future we are able to meet the  needs of our labour market."

Read full speech