Protect Student Choice
The Department for Education has recently completed a review of post-16 qualifications at Level 3 in England; its latest plans can be found here. The main proposal is to introduce a binary system of T levels and A levels at Level 3, where the vast majority of young people pursue one of these qualifications at the age of 16.
As a result, funding will be removed for the majority of applied general qualifications such as BTECs. NEON are one of twelve organisations that have signed the letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson urging him not to scrap the vast majority of applied general qualifications such as BTECs. We believe that removing the funding for BTECs will leave many students, particularly those from under-represented groups in higher education, without a viable pathway. As our recent report argues “removing funding for BTECs may set widening access work back years, or even decades”.
This letter is part of the #ProtectStudentChoice” campaign and we would call on you to support us by:
• Tweeting the letter from your organisational accounts using #ProtectStudentChoice
• Sign the petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/592642 and promote it to other members of your organisations and partners you work with to encourage them to sign as well
• Please share through any other relevant social media channels
To find out more about the #ProtectStudentChoice” campaign, please click here.