Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to support young people who wish to take more vocational GCSEs.

Schools are responsible for designing a broad and balanced curriculum that will allow students to fulfil their potential and move on to the next stage of education and training.

To support breadth in the curriculum, the Department has designed school accountability measures that recognise academic qualifications (GCSEs) as well as technical and vocational qualifications (primarily Technical Awards). The Progress 8 measure has an academic core, but also rewards pupils’ study of up to three approved Technical Awards.

The Department has reviewed the list of qualifications that count towards performance tables to ensure that all approved qualifications, including Technical Awards, are high quality and support students’ progression.

Technical Awards are high quality level 1 and 2 qualifications that provide 14-16 year olds with applied knowledge and practical skills not usually acquired through GCSEs. There are 57 Technical Awards currently approved for inclusion in the 2020 performance tables and for teaching from September 2018. To be included in performance tables, qualifications must meet strict requirements regarding their size, the use of external assessment and synoptic assessment, and their grading structure.