Qualifications and curriculum for 14-19 year olds
In March 2008 the DCSF published a consultation paper, “Promoting achievement, valuing success: A strategy for 14-19 qualifications”, which set out their intention to move towards a more streamlined and understandable qualifications offer for young people aged 14-19 in England.
The 14-19 curriculum entitlement provides the overarching framework for Partnerhsips to meet the needs of their young people, against four routes of learning:
- General qualifications - GCSE and A-Level
- Diplomas
- Apprenticeships
- the Foundation Learning Tier (FLT)
Learners will be able to access a clear and easily understood framework of nationally-available qualification options and each of the four routes will equip young people with a strong set of skills around which they can build a programme of learning which responds to their individual needs and talents.
In the future, the majority of young people will follow learning programmes that fall within one of these four routes. There may still be a need for some qualifications outside the four main routes to ensure that the needs of all learners are met. This will be particularly true in the short term, whilst the four national routes continue to develop, therefore qualifications that sit outside of the four national routes will continue to be funded until 2012.
However, between now and 2013, changes are being made to gradually introduce this more streamlined and simplified qualifications system.
This page was last updated on 3 October 2009
