Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Technical Education at Secondary Schools

Monday 12 June 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 3 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Department is ensuring high-quality vocational and technical qualifications are available to complement reformed GCSEs.
  • Progress has been made in assessing the feasibility of courses that provide important qualifications and work experience for the economy.
  • Department is assessing free schools applications for the next round of UTCs against published criteria.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Flick Drummond Con
Education
Context

The question arises from the need for high-quality vocational and technical qualifications in secondary schools.

Question

Whether her Department is taking steps to increase the provision of specialist technical education at secondary schools. To complement our reformed, more rigorous GCSEs, we are ensuring that high-quality vocational and technical qualifications are available.

Answer from Robert Halfon

To complement our reformed, more rigorous GCSEs, we are ensuring that high-quality vocational and technical qualifications are available. We have introduced new technical awards at key stage 4 in engineering, technology and many other subjects, and we have our own prestigious T-level offerings for those from 16 years old onwards.

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Q2 Rob Butler
Education
Context

A proposal has been made to introduce UTC-style courses in mainstream schools for some pupils who are better suited to that type of education at key stage 4.

Question

What progress has the Department made in assessing the feasibility of such courses, which would provide the qualifications, employment skills and work experience that are so important to today's economy?

Answer from Robert Halfon

My hon. Friend is a champion of UTCs, and he knows that they are equipping students with the skills that employers need. I congratulate Aylesbury UTC on the new health and social care suite it is opening later this month. As he mentions, Baker Dearing Educational Trust has proposed a pilot for a technical curriculum in a small number of existing schools, and the Department will take a decision on that shortly.

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Q3 Flick Drummond Con
Education
Context

Students in Meon Valley constituency who want to go to a university technical college can apply only to the oversubscribed one in Portsmouth.

Question

Can my right hon. Friend confirm when his Department will announce support for the next round of UTCs?

Answer from Robert Halfon

My hon. Friend is a champion of skills, and she is right that UTCs, such as the outstanding Portsmouth UTC, are providing students with skills that will lead to rewarding technical careers. The Department is carefully assessing the free schools applications received against the published criteria and intends to announce the successful proposals before the summer.

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