Shadow education secretary Laura Trott has said the government’s plans for technical education at 14 show it is blaming schools for the Neet crisis.
She was speaking at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham about young people who are not in education, employment and training (Neet), as figures show this amounts to almost 1 million people aged 16-24.
Ms Trott has criticised the government’s attempts to find a solution by focusing on 14-16 education.
Schools ‘actually working really well’
She said: “What really concerns me is that the approach the government has taken to what is a crisis has been to blame education.
“So they say, ‘We need to fiddle around in schools at 14.’ The one thing in the system, by the way, that is actually working really well, and that is transforming young people’s life chances.”
A major review into the Neet crisis led by former Labour government minister Alan Milburn, which published an interim report in May, has found that the school system does too little to prepare students for work.
And since taking office in the summer, prime minister Andy Burnham has said he wants new technical routes for students from the age of 14 from 2028. The government has since announced plans for vocational GCSEs from 2029.
When asked for her views on these plans, Ms Trott said: “I am curious about what the government is doing, because it goes back to the point...about how they are ascribing blame for what is going on and what they think the solution is.
“So they are saying that actually the courses that young people take at 14 are why we have this crisis - I think that is mad.”
‘Huge upheaval in the system’
Ms Trott said: “Firstly, our school system is really, really good: English children are in the top 10 for reading for maths and science in the whole world, and yet this is the system that they are now fiddling around with - it is completely mad to me.
“Secondly, when you are thinking about vocational qualifications, you’ve got to get the basics right first.”
She added: “There is no point in putting someone on an electrician course at 14 if they can’t do English and maths and science, as it’s a huge part of what they’re going to do later.
“By all means specialise at 16, but do not do it at 14. This is going to be such a huge upheaval in the education system, and what they need to be doing [to tackle the Neet crisis] is focusing on tax and welfare.”
Under the government’s plans, new subjects will be developed as part of a review of existing GCSEs and the introduction of new vocational GCSEs, but English, maths and science will remain a common entitlement.
When the government announced its plans for vocational GCSEs, education secretary Lucy Powell said: “Time and again young people, parents and employers tell me they want schools to do more to help them understand and prepare for the jobs of the future.
“That is why we are transforming technical education and ensuring every young person can access the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to thrive in a changing world.”
She said at the time that vocational GCSEs “will give young people a stronger connection to the careers and industries shaping our economy, helping them discover and develop their talents, while maintaining high standards across our education system”.
