Vocational education at 14-16 represents ‘significant untapped potential’ for learners and schools says exam board Cambridge OCR, as it announces a review to be chaired by former education secretary Charles Clarke. 

With GCSE reforms underway and new vocational qualifications planned for post-16 students, the potential for vocational qualifications for 14–16-year-olds has so far fallen outside of the policy spotlight. 

The Cambridge OCR vocational review aims to explore the benefits of these qualifications, known as ‘Tech Awards’, to student engagement and skills development, and the importance of the pre-16 qualifications in setting the foundations for more advanced study, training, and work.

Tech Awards such as Cambridge Nationals are taken by hundreds of thousands of students, offering a broader learning experience during Key Stage 4. Yet their strengths and future potential has been under-researched. 

The review of vocational qualifications comes two years after Cambridge OCR and Charles Clarke produced the Striking the Balance report, which galvanised the sector and influenced government policy on GCSEs and exams at 16. 

Myles McGinley, Managing Director of Cambridge OCR said: “We'll fail to realise huge, untapped potential if we neglect vocational qualifications. We need a concerted effort across our whole education system. 

“Vocational qualifications offer a different dimension to school and college that, for too many students, can feel irrelevant or one-note.

"There are no miracle cures when it comes to the array of challenges facing young people, from underemployment to economic uncertainty. But if we don't make the most of every facet of education to prepare them for life and work we are letting them down." 

Former Education Secretary Charles Clarke said: “The importance of vocational education is still undervalued. We’re failing children if we don’t offer them a truly broad education at this vital age, as they begin to think seriously about their options for the future.

“This stage of education is so important in setting the foundations for life and work. This is where students get their first taste of vocational education, and it can influence their longer-term path through education and training. With an alarming number of young people dropping out of education entirely, we can’t afford to ignore the potential for 14-16 ‘Tech Awards’ to improve engagement.

“There has not been enough research into student and teacher perceptions of these qualifications, of what drives their adoption, and of how they can be improved. This review is intended to change that.”

The report will make use of Cambridge OCR’s long experience as the leading provider of 14-16 vocational qualifications. Its focus will include how these qualifications are viewed by employers, colleges, learners and other stakeholders. It will also investigate the value of a broad vocational education, and how these qualifications can be improved. 

It comes as recent polling found overwhelming demand from teachers for more vocational pathways for children under 16, with 92% supporting this. 

The report is expected to be published later this year and will provide important evidence ahead of a planned government review of 'Tech Awards’ in 2027.