Responding to the news that Lucy Powell pledges to stop GCSE resits, Dr Carlie Goldsmith, Head of Education Policy at Impetus said:
“GCSEs are not just pieces of paper; they are a passport to a future with choice. Our research shows having English and maths GCSEs is the single biggest protective factor against being not in education, employment or training (NEET) in young adulthood. But getting stuck in a cycle of retakes can be demoralising and stressful. A stepping stone qualification – if delivered well and recognised by colleges and employers – could act as a bridge, supporting more young people to ultimately get vital qualifications and move on with their lives.
However, whilst the absence rate has started to slowly improve at school, it is still rising at college. Last academic year nearly 2 in 5 young people were persistently absent, missing more than ten per cent of their learning – nearly double the pre pandemic rate. Young people have told us that attendance is dependent on how they feel, their wider circumstances and the value they think learning has for them. So, until we make schools and colleges places young people want to be, we won’t solve the problem this is trying to fix.”
Dr Carlie Goldsmith, Head of Education Policy, Impetus
