College head vows to fight for vocational courses

A sixth form college principal said she would use good exam results to lobby the government to maintain technical and vocational qualifications.

The former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in 2023 that T-Levels would be merged to encompass other qualifications to "streamline education".

But students at East Norfolk Sixth Form College in Gorleston, who are using their results to set themselves on their career paths, say they have benefited from work placements which form part of their studies.

Principal Dr Catherine Richards said many students preferred the mixed approach to learning through courses such as T-Levels, but said it must not come at the loss of BTEC and other vocation-based qualifications.

The Department for Education (DfE) said it was committed to expanding T-Level subjects but that it would ensure "other routes" to technical or vocational courses would remain available.

"Results day was all about celebrating all results, whether they're A-Levels, T-Levels or applied qualifications, but I'm campaigning now to make sure that we protect student choice," Dr Richards said.

"There are qualifications like criminology where our students have done really well; they're at risk of being stopped from December onwards, so my campaign starts now to make sure we protect those qualifications going forward.

"The qualifications are at risk because the government is deciding whether they're going to continue funding them in the future.

"But subjects like criminology are absolutely critical for some great skills and some great career prospects and we are at risk of losing those qualifications."

Toby Lockyer, 19, from Bradwell, studied accounting at T Level, which included spending 45 days - or 315 hours - in a work placement with accountancy firm Stephenson Smart in Gorleston.

He said the course would count towards his industry qualifications.

"It gives us a more direct route into our career, focusing more on the elements we want to do and gives us the extra opportunity of getting a job afterwards," he said.

"With our course we had to get a fixed grade, and from there on we can get exemption from some of our (accountancy) exams, and my career path is all lined up now."

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told the BBC: "We want to make a success of T-Levels.

"We think they are an important addition to the technical and vocational landscape and the options that are available for our young people.

"T-Levels are here to stay but we need to make them work and we need to make them better than has been the case, but alongside that we need to make sure there are other routes for our young people.

"T-Levels won't be the solution for every young person who is considering a technical or vocational route."

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