14-19 Reform has been moving apace since Tomlinson produced his report in October 2004. He was tasked with looking at low participation rates, low skills, complex qualifications, a high assessment burden and rather incongruously, the difficulty in differentiating between high achieving students. Ministers would now claim that 95% of the Tomlinson recommendations have been achieved, the main difference being the continuation of A levels and GCSEs. Since 2004, reform in the 14-19 sector has been unrelenting. Whilst the diplomas have often grabbed the headlines there are other, very significant, reforms which have changed the ways schools and colleges think and act.

At a curriculum level, alongside the diplomas, there have been changes at key stage 3, reformed GCSEs and from an higher education perspective major changes to A Levels, including the introduction of the A* grade and the extended study. Equally there has been a major push on improving and extending Apprenticeships. Action on Access published a comprehensive summary of these reforms in 2005 which was updated in 2008, entitled 'A Summary Guide to 14-19 Reform'. We have also run a number of seminars on the reforms including one dedicated to looking at the 14-19 diplomas.

Aimhigher and other widening participation practitioners have shown a special interest in these reforms believing that new qualifications would re-engage learners who otherwise might have been lost to the school and college system. They also offer the possibility of devising new pathways into higher education and consequently support for the reforms has become a significant part of Aimhigher planning. Some higher education institutions have expressed some wariness about some of the reforms, but this is quite understandable as admission tutors are going to have to grapple with them in a very practical way. Overall however, support and engagement from the higher education sector has been very positive as they begin to consider how to respond to potential cohorts of students who may have been taught in a variety of ways and bring with them a selection of qualifications. There are also concerns that the introduction of the A* grade could disadvantage widening participation students.

Click the links below to see briefings and presentations by Phil Harley, Lead Adviser for Schools 

Action on Access Briefing on 14-19 Landscape - August 2010 Read More

14-19 Curriculum Reforms: Implications for HE - June 2009.

New Developments in the 14-19 Curriculum – June 2009.

14-19 Reforms: What they mean for HE – December 2008

14-19 Diplomas: Supporting Widening Participation or just another qualification? - July 2008.