Education leaders say Rishi Sunak’s proposals for a 10-year reform of post-16 education are “a joke” at a time when schools are besieged by recruitment and attendance woes, collapsing support services and Covid recovery.
The prime minister unveiled plans on Wednesday to replace A-levels and T-levels with the Advanced British Standard, a baccalaureate-style qualification for sixth-formers.
While leaders mostly welcomed the push to broaden what pupils study after GCSEs, they were incredulous that ministers are prioritising qualification reform.
The only other education announcement at the Conservative conference this week was to update guidance advising schools to ban mobile phones.
