Educational reforms and courses

Abstract

It was announced in March that students in the UK would be encouraged to study extra subjects in addition to their usual three A-levels, in an attempt to enable them to pursue broader, more demanding programmes. It had become apparent, for example, that 16-19 year-olds in England received only 18 hours of tuition per week, compared with an average of 30 hours received in France or Germany. The main changes to be implemented from September 2000 are: a new AS qualification designed to encourage take-up of more subjects in the first year of post-16 study (additional to the usual A-levels); the development of new world class tests in key subject areas within the A-level system to stretch the most able students; linear and modular courses available in all subjects with strict limits on coursework and an emphasis on synoptic tests at the end of all courses; upgraded and more flexible GNVQs to encourage combining academic and vocational study; a new `Key skills' qualification to encourage all young people to develop skills of communication, application of number and IT. The changes are based on recommendations made by the Dearing Committee in 1996 and should widen the field of study but at the same time maintain depth and rigour. Thus students will be able to take up to five subjects including three full A-levels, combining vocational and academic study, in addition to the key business skills (communication, application of number and IT). The vocational qualification for 14-16 year-olds designed to be taken alongside Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum will become available nationally from September 1999, in response to a strong demand from schools to extend it. Meanwhile applicants for entry to higher education in the UK in 1999 have increased over the same time last year, according to figures released in April by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). Applications to mathematics and science Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) courses have also increased since 1998, by 17% for maths and 9% for science. This would seem to be at least in part the result of introducing the £5000 incentive scheme for maths and science graduates in November 1998. The incentives will be paid in two instalments, the first £2500 while training on the PGCE and then the remaining £2500 upon taking up a teaching post in a maintained school. The scheme comes into operation for students entering PGCEs from September of this year; it was reported that the website set up to promote the scheme (www.go4itnow.com) received 15 000 hits in the first three weeks! Linked with this has been a series of cinema and television advertisements focusing on the shortage subjects of maths, science, modern languages, geography, design and technology and IT. Finally in line with the Government's aim to make the UK a centre of excellence in digital learning, a £470m programme was announced in March to develop IT learning centres across the country attached to schools, libraries and colleges. This is in addition to the previous allocations announced during the lifetime of the current parliament for IT equipment and networking, training, learning centres and the creation of on-line content.