AN Ofsted (Office of the Qualifications and Examinations Regulator) report on an enquiry into the British government’s diploma qualifications found that most students did not realize that “functional skills” in English were an important part of their course. Almost half of the schools and colleges visited by inspectors had failed to establish an effective way of teaching these skills.
The diploma, which the government hopes will replace GCSEs and A-levels, is intended to bridge the gap between academic and vocational qualifications. It is split into two parts: principal learning and functional skills.
The enquiry looked at inspections of diploma courses from last September to March as part of an examination of the reforms of education for 14-19-year-olds. It noted that recruitment to many diploma courses had been lower than anticipated. Around 12,000 students took up the courses last September. Ministers originally said that up to 50,000 youngsters would take part the first year.
