Andy to introduce new technical pathways for GCSEs in 2028(!)

[noblegiraffe]

Or perhaps not GCSEs but some other sort of qualification which will apparently tie into local industry, for students going into Y8 in September.

"The “prestigious” new technical pathways, which will pair skills training with work experience and connections with local employers, are set to be rolled out from September 2028."

Is Andy Burnham actually mad? 2028? Does he realise that it actually takes time to develop qualifications (or 'skills training'), resource them (particularly technical ones which require more equipment than a maths lesson) and then find the teachers to actually teach them? And the local employers to do the work experience? One of the major problems with setting up T-levels was problems with finding work placements, and that's for age 16+.

I know he has the MBacc in Manchester (although this seems to be merely a label for a set of already existing qualifications rather than new ones - does anyone have any experience of this?) but I expect it is easier to organise work experience for kids in a large city with good transport links than it would be in a more rural/coastal area - and the problem with a lot of those places is a lack of job opportunities for young people in the first place.

And he's announced this in the summer holidays, which one of his teacher relatives should really have warned him is what is considered a 'dick move' in education.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/schools-prime-minister-burnham-lucy-powell-ofsted-b1291512.html

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/secondary/new-technical-pathways-for-students-announced-by-andy-burnham

Andy should also be aware that calling them 'prestigious technical pathways' is a noble effort, but there is, and always has been a massive issue with vocational subjects being seen as lesser than academic ones. If these prestigious pathways end up being for the kids who are not going to get decent GCSEs - which is always the kids who people think should do vocational qualifications - then they will not be prestigious and the middle classes will continue to steer their kids down the academic route.

I have no aversion to solid vocational qualifications. I do have an aversion to government's tossing off feel-good press releases that don't actually make sense when you think about it, and expecting schools to pick up the pieces and make it work for them.

We used to run ASDAN very successfully - it gave kids a chance to acquire the skills they wanted in brick laying, plumbing etc. They did a small number of GCSEs and then ASDAN and work experience.

And then those things stopped being counted in performance tables. So their few results looked even worse and we had to drop it.

I don't disagree that this could be fantastic. But it's July 2026. To get it up and running properly so that it will work will take more than 18 months.

From my reading, it was offering more vocational subjects alongside GCSEs, as in kids doing English, Maths, other GCSEs and maybe some vocational subjects as well. Not instead of GCSEs.

I think this is a great idea, though I appreciate the timescale, the lack of teachers and the lack of budget will make it impossible to do well.

Using the word ‘ prestigious’ is tragic. Hyperbolic, much? He’s a twerp.

It depends on your perspective though. The 16 year old dyslexic I taught 3 years ago is now earing 32K at 19. He's on track to be on 50K or more (NE so a good salary here) by 25.

Now, his engineering work may not be as prestigious as being a doctor / lawyer but he is set for a very nice life.

I would be very happy if he were my child.

As a teacher this is fantastic news. As a long as they are given equal status in the league tables. Gove destroyed education this is as good step in restoring it

It really isn't clear what it's about. If it's copying Manchester then I don't think there are any new qualifications involved there.

It starts in year 10. 14/15 year olds. Some 15 year olds will be sitting their GCSEs the following year.

Agree on the teacher front. He needs to do something about the teacher haemorrhage though. All very well planning this but if he can't staff it, it won't work.

And Jeremy Clarkson failed at school and did very well for himself blah blah.

If that kid wasn't an outlier, there wouldn't be any issue.

Yes, it starts in Y10, so if it's planned for 2028, then that would be for kids going into Y8 this September.

I want to know where the jobs are going to come from after the training. And how many 14 yos are mature enough to do this training.

(And obviously where is the money coming from to fund this but AB never seems to give proper answers to this one.)

It wouldn't be as headline grabbing, but a concerted effort to make the T and V levels work would be better to do first. And proper research into the many barriers that prevent employers offering work experience, followed by addressing them. This is just anecdotal but one major issue we are having with year 10 amd year 12 work experience is that a lot of employees are working from home. You can't send students to people's homes!

Lots of FE Colleges already offer vocational programmes for 14-16 yr olds e.g. https://www.plumpton.ac.uk/14-16-courses/.
If they can do it successfully, then maybe it is worth expanding? Whether it is managed all in school or through a School-College partnership as in this example, could be discussed?

The biggest difficulty I can see is that employers will not be insured for children in the workplace. That is often a barrier faced by young people trying to get work experience in industry.

Just because a kid is struggling with academic GCSE's doesn't mean they cant have/develop impressive and sought after skills. You could be failing all your GCSEs but be a phenomenal music performer, or have a real flair for intricate woodworking. You could be really skilled at working with fabrics and dressmaking but be hopeless at English and Maths.

What Andy Burnham is trying to is reset the idea that doing a psychology degree at a lower ranked uni is more 'impressive' than being a highly skilled craftsperson for example, because its really damaging that kids wanting to go and become a skilled carpenter can feel people will think they are 'less than' their mate who is off to study for a degree, purely because people are very negative about skilled trades now.

I think its a great idea.

I think this is a great idea (as a secondary teacher). Maybe moving a bit fast, but so many secondary students have no idea what to aim for, or say they want to be a footballer or influencer.
If local industry or services can show them and support them in a realistic pathway with progression, then I am all for it.

Teacher here. I think we do need to value practical subjects. My concern is where are these facilitators coming from? Your average teacher won't be able to do this

I think the young man who fitted my new bathroom a few years back probably wasnt 'academic' at school - he'd left at 16 after finding school really tough. But in his mid twenties he was earning a cracking salary in a decent trade, supporting a wife and child, with nearly 10 years experience workimg for a decent employer who had him enrolled in a pension scheme and doing quality, valuable work thats sought after. We need more of that. Anyone tried to get any work done on their house recently? Cant get a decent tradie for love nor money, thwir waiting lists are massive.

I agree that there should be a path for students that want more practical, hands-on occupations, and we desperately need new trades people. Whether there are funds available to equip the required facilities or the teachers to lead and instruct is debatable. Technical education is much more expensive to resource than maths or English.

I'm a teacher and think its a great idea. There's loads of kids (both academic and not) who don't want to go to uni and feel a bit lost. It will give them a pathway. My academic son has just completed a T Level in business and as a result of it got a degree apprenticeship at a Top 4 business paying £26k a year at 18. He will graduate with a business degree in 4 years with 4 years experience at a prestigious corporate firm and a continuing contract with them. He could easily have done A Levels and Uni but this new vocational path has worked well for him.

Incidentally I work at a Sixth Form and the idea of prestige is definitely shifting. WE've had kids turn down Durham for a degree apprenticeship this year. I think bringing a high quality vocational pathway earlier is a great move. I know Sheffield have the UTC colleges from 14 which are really highly thought of and maybe this is more the way to go.

But talking about universities and psychology degrees is a million miles away from 14 year olds.

The idea that kids who are failing all their GCSEs are probably extremely talented in a different area isn't really true. The bottom set kids I teach are struggling academically usually due to some significant learning disabilities which don't really lend themselves to becoming a fabulous musician. The idea that you're either academic or 'good with your hands' is pretty toxic to the kids who are sometimes good at neither.

They definitely need some better provision than is currently being offered to them by the GCSE pathway, but that's not going to be a prestigious route to T-levels which this is supposed to be.

And that's because most teaching within Years 10/11 are focused on academic subjects.

Most UTCs shut down due to extremely terrible results.