ATL COMMENT ON NUMBERS OF YOUNG PEOPLE QUALIFIED FOR WORK AND LIFE

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said:

“We are pleased more young people are getting good grades in their exams, although it would be interesting to know how many of them have maths and English at GCSE.  But it is far from good enough when a quarter of 19 year olds still do not get the equivalent of five passes at GCSE.

“And education and training policy cannot continue to be driven by chasing targets.  Young people need skills they can use today, tomorrow and in ten and twenty years time.  The targets are useless if they do not achieve this. 

“The Government faces a huge challenge in raising the age for staying in education or training to 18 unless young people think the courses available will give them the skills they need.”