Focus on core subjects to help 'forgotten 50%' of young people who do not go on to higher education

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

All teenagers will have to study maths and English up to the age of 18 under a Labour government, the party will announce on Monday as it unveils plans for a "national baccalaureate" to better equip young people for the workplace.

The move will bring England and Wales in line with most developed countries, where such key subjects are compulsory until students leave school.

England is the only country in the developed world where the generation approaching retirement is more literate and numerate than the youngest adults.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a quarter of adults in England have the maths skills of a 10-year-old.

On Saturday night the Confederation of British Industry, which has been pushing the government to address the poor maths and English skills among school-leavers, offered strong support for Labour leader Ed Miliband's plan.

Neil Carberry, CBI director for employment and skills, said: "This is an important contribution to building a more effective education system between 14 and 19. Businesses will welcome the focus on English and maths to 18."

The government recently announced that teenagers in England who fail to achieve at least a grade C in English and maths GCSEs will have to continue studying the subjects.

The education secretary, Michael Gove, said the subjects were the ones "employers demand before all others".

Labour's announcement is an attempt to steal a march on the coalition on the issue and show its commitment to improving the lacklustre performance in international league tables.

However, Martin Doel, chief executive of the Association of Colleges, which represents sixth-form, specialist and further education institutions, said the policy would demand significant investment and many hundreds more teachers.

"Labour is absolutely right to identify maths and English as essential vocational skills," he said. "And in principle, therefore, asking everyone to do maths and English to the age of 18 is a good idea.

"However, such a commitment would require many more specialist teachers to be recruited and trained. There is also a huge challenge to ensure that half of young people achieve grade A to C in GCSE maths, let alone the next level."

The proposal on maths and English is part of a package of reforms Labour is looking at with the goal of cutting the number of young people not in education, employment or training and driving up standards in key subjects.

The proposed national baccalaureate will be available either as a "general bacc" for those pursuing a more traditional academic route through A-levels or a "technical bacc" for those on a vocational route.

Along with showing significant skills in maths and English, teenagers would need to attend a personal skills development programme and carry out an extended project as well as pursuing their core subjects.

Schools would also be placed under a stricter obligation to ensure that pupils who leave at 16 progress into an apprenticeship or other education or training to equip them for work.

If the schools fail to do so, they will lose funding with the money being transferred to local organisations that will give structured careers advice.

All employers providing apprenticeships, as well other training providers, would have to ensure that maths and English courses are provided for youngsters up to the age of 18.

Labour's move will follow publication on Monday of a report on reforming education for youngsters aged 14 to 19 by the party's skills taskforce, chaired by Professor Chris Husbands, director of the University of London's institute of education.

The shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, said the proposed changes would address the needs of the "forgotten 50%" of young people who do not wish to pursue a traditional university route.

Labour argues that the coalition has overlooked the needs of this group by failing to offer alternative routes and by scaling back on careers advice.

Hunt said: "Reforms must focus on strengthening character, driving up rigour in maths and English and equipping the labour market of the future with the skills set it needs."

Husbands said: "Successful economies and successful societies depend on developing all their young people.

"In Britain, we have a poor record of delivering high skills and effective qualifications for the forgotten 50%: the half of young people for whom the current qualifications regime simply does not deliver.

"The tragedy is that other countries do better. They have more efficient qualifications systems, better vocational education and strong routes through to the labour market.

"We have to do better. If we do not, we let down young people, we make it more difficult for business to compete and we store up years of costs."