Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the respective roles of pupils, parents, schools, colleges and local leaders in determining whether a pupil aged 14 follows an academic or technical education pathway.

The department is at an early stage in developing technical education routes from age 14. Rollout is intended to begin in some areas from September 2028. We are working with Mayoral and other Strategic Authorities to co-design a national framework that provides a recognisable national offer, with clear and consistent standards and expectations, while allowing areas to tailor technical routes to local labour market needs and growth priorities.

High-quality technical routes will be supported by the introduction of new Vocational GCSEs. These qualifications will sit alongside existing GCSEs and provide rigorous, vocationally focused learning of equal esteem. Pupils will continue to study the core subjects of English, maths, and science, alongside relevant work experience placements. Through the National Mission on Work Experience, the government is calling on employers to provide an additional 200,000 placements so that all 14-to-16-year-olds across the country gain vital exposure to the workplace.

Technical routes will widen young people’s choices rather than require them to specialise at age 14. Schools are expected, as part of their duty to teach a broad and balanced curriculum, to offer subject options that meet the aspirations of all pupils. Young people should be supported to choose qualifications and routes that reflect their interests, strengths and aspirations, informed by discussions with parents, carers, schools and colleges, and by high-quality careers guidance. The routes will support coherent progression to a range of academic and technical post-16 options.

Central to our policy is our engagement with Mayoral and Strategic Authorities, schools, colleges, employers, local leaders, young people, parents, and bodies including Ofqual and Ofsted. This engagement and other evidence will inform and support our decisions on delivery arrangements.