16/11/2010
OCR has submitted its evidence to the Wolf Review of 14-19 Vocational Education, launched in September by Education Secretary Michael Gove.
As a leading UK awarding body with expertise in assessment and qualifications, OCR welcomes the chance to contribute evidence to this independent review.
The Wolf Review has been asked to look at the organisation and delivery of vocational education and is due to produce an interim report by the end of 2010 and a final report in Spring 2011.
Our document:
- Identifies the different types of learning that take place under the 'vocational' umbrella, emphasising the importance of providing learners with a good general education.
- Highlights how different types of qualification offer learner progression, defending the place of OCR Nationals and refuting the 'pseudo vocational' description.
- Recommends closer relationships for awarding bodies with Higher Education, and with employers, to understand their needs and improve vocational provision.
- Proposes the development of bridging qualifications for apprenticeships to help boost the numbers of apprentices entering Higher Education.
- Argues against current undesirable school accountability measures and supports the withdrawal of 'GCSE equivalences'.
- Warns against the use of QCF credit values to rank or fund centres.
Paul Steer, Director of OCR's Stakeholder Relations Division which spearheaded OCR's submission, commented, "OCR's response calls for the removal of the existing 'league table' approach of comparing one qualification with another. This process has done serious damage to the reputation of vocational qualifications and the importance of vocational education.
OCR has provided evidence that there is a need for a diverse range of vocational qualifications for 14-19 learners and argues throughout that these should be properly targeted to support learner progression to further and higher education, as well as to employment."
Wolf review of 14-19 Vocational Education - Call for evidence
Response from OCR examinations board