Twigg: Gove’s plans will ‘take us back to the 19th century’ and risk a “decade of decline”

Stephen Twigg today warns Michael Gove's Ebacc plans risk "ushering in a decade of economic decline", taking Britain back to a '19th-century education system'.

Stephen Twigg will today warn Michael Gove’s Ebacc reforms risk “ushering in a decade of economic decline”, taking Britain back to a ’19th-century education system’.

Addressing the North of England Education Conference, the shadow education secretary will say Gove’s planned introduction of new exams in 2015 could:

“…wreak serious long term damage to our economy – by downgrading skills that have powered Britain, such as engineering, computing and construction, and neglecting the creative subjects.”

He will warn the Ebacc Certificates risk creating a two tier system; those pupils who don’t pass their EBCs will leave with a ‘Statement of Achievement’ which “risks becoming today’s equivalent of getting a CSE” – employers and universities are likely to place little or no value on these statements, leaving young people more at risk of dropping out.

Twigg will say:

“We are already seeing some schools pushing their pupils with low attainment away from doing the EBacc subjects.”

A recent DfE report on “The effects of the English Baccalaureate” (pdf) found this to be the case in nearly two thirds of schools:

“Where schools do not offer some pupils the opportunity to study towards the EBacc, this is typically because pupils with lower attainment are not offered the EBacc subjects; 63% of schools which do not allow all pupils to study towards the EBacc give this as a reason.

“This finding is consistent with the qualitative research: some schools explained that they targeted their most academically able pupils and encouraged them to study towards the EBacc, while less academic pupils were offered other pathways.”

The shadow education secretary will also stress the importance of schools ensuring students are “life ready” when they leave education:

“Developing character and resilience must be one of the aims of a modern curriculum. It means having an exam system that assesses the skills necessary to thrive in the modern economy.”

Mentioning the St Matthew Academy in Lewisham – which has a cadet force and is using ex-service personnel as mentors – Twigg will add:

“I was inspired by speaking to a 14-year-old girl, who talked about the fact that the mentor from the armed services had changed her life – giving her a sense of self discipline, rigour and helped get her back on the right track…

“There is a simple reason why some of the best private schools, and some of the best state schools too, focus on developing a young person’s whole potential. It’s because it prepares them for the future.”

See also:

Twigg: Gove’s plans “both socially regressive and will take our education system backwards”January 16th, 2013

13 Responses to “Twigg: Gove’s plans will ‘take us back to the 19th century’ and risk a “decade of decline””

  1. LB

    He will warn the Ebacc Certificates risk creating a two tier system; those pupils who don’t pass their EBCs will leave with a ‘Statement of Achievement’ which “risks becoming today’s equivalent of getting a CSE” – employers and universities are likely to place little or no value on these statements, leaving young people more at risk of dropping out.

    ===========

    And?

    They have failed, or they have been failed.

    Either its them, or its the teachers.

  2. JR

    We are moving to a system based on very little sound research apart form the minister feeling it did him no harm. We need to be looking at skills for the future how else will we be able to compete in the market place of the 21st C and beyond?
    So if you don’t fit Goves own narrow model of success you are to be put on the scrapheap by the age of 16 …

  3. Chrisso

    Strange that there has been so little mention of the attack by the ex-Children’s Minister, Tim Loughton (a Tory) on Michael Gove. It was supported by Labour’s shadow minister for children and young people, Lisa Nandy. Amongst some of the withering gems from Loughton was – “Officials have rarely met the Secretary of
    State other than when he will troop out a few chosen people for the New
    Year’s party. Mr Gove –
    like the manager from Grace Brothers – tells us we’ve all done terribly
    well, then he disappears. That is no way to run an important
    department.” He also criticised the fact that Gove sidelined
    social work and focuses on the ‘education bulldozer.’ How true. More at:
    http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1075971/loughton-blasts-dfe-failing-children-families?http://www.cypnow.co.uk/cyp/news/1075971/loughton-blasts-dfe-failing-children-families?

  4. Newsbot9

    Yes, in your binary model of blame. You have to have the people involved be failures so you can justify charging people more and more for basic services.

    No, in reality it’s successive governments which have ignored the people who actually look at how Humans learn, rather than lashing out against pedagogy and teachers.

  5. Newsbot9

    Moving? Successive governments have ignored educational science and pedagogy for decades!

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