Young learners are being badly let down by the UK education system, claims a report backed by Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman.
The Skills Commission report condemns the current education system for “failing to put individual learners’ needs at the heart of policy making and provision”.
It claims there is a crisis in the lack of information, advice and guidance for 14 to 19-year-olds – and calls on the Department for Education to launch a full review of available support urgently.
In a plea to provide better help for non-academic students, the report says government educational reforms since 2010 had “failed to provide a coherent system of education and training with sufficient learning options for individuals not wanting to follow traditional academic pathways”.
Mr Sheerman, co-chairman of the Skills Commission and a former chairman of the House of Commons Education Committee, said a major review was required.
The Labour MP said a focus on increasing the number of people going to university meant some pupils were being steered into academic subjects for which they were not suited.
More emphasis should go on helping those students explore vocational routes into work, such as apprenticeships.
He said: “Most schools have a vested interest in keeping young people in academic education and are very reluctant to do anything that might taken them out of the school system.
“In some cases, young people are being inappropriately advised to stay on when a more practical, vocational route might be more appropriate.”
The report, which was launched formally at Westminster is the result of a cross-party inquiry chaired by former chief inspector of schools Sir Mike Tomlinson and Ian Ferguson, chairman of trustees at telecoms and software company Metaswitch.
The report, supported by City & Guilds and construction company Interserve, says policy decisions for education and skills must focus on “what is right for each and every learner” as well as providing “real choice” for 14 to 19-year-olds through effective information, advice and guidance.
It makes more than a dozen recommendations for changes in the UK educational system – including calling on the Department for Education to examine ways to allow learners to repeat a year of study.
And it urges employers to work more closely with education providers.
Sir Mike said the aim was to provide “a diversity of pathways” with clear routes into employment, further training or higher education – whatever is right for the learner.
