The commission’s recommendation of a baccalaureate-style qualification at 18 is most welcome. Some schools already offer this, but having pockets of excellence, serving the few, is not good enough. The A-level system forces young people to abandon a broad range of skills at the age of 16: it is one of the narrowest systems in the world. A broader and more balanced education system can produce a workforce with a more rounded set of skills and perspectives, better preparing them for a wider set of jobs throughout their lives.
