Wednesday July 20 2011

Commenting on the Government’s planned changes to the qualifications which will be recognised in school league tables, Christine Blower, General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, the largest teachers’ union, said:

“Yet again we see immaterial changes being made to League Tables. What is needed is a fundamental reform of a system which is used more as punishment than a true reflection of what schools are doing rather than more superfluous change.

“It is obvious that these proposals will drive schools to focus on offering only those qualifications that count in League tables. Schools need to feel confident to offer qualifications that are right for the student rather than those that will reflect well in the tables.

“Qualifications have been used as a political football by both past and current governments to provide so-called evidence that their policies are working. They do not stop to consider all the work that has to be put in to meeting these constant changes. Time is needed for change to be embedded in schools and teaching needs to be refined in light of experience to maintain high quality teaching and learning.

“Different vocational qualifications meet the different needs of young people. If we are to truly value vocational training as the Government insists it does, then it needs to stop sending out such conflicting messages about the value of such courses”.