York College principal defends vocational qualifications (From York Press)
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York College principal defends vocational qualifications
8:47am Thursday 2nd February 2012 in Education news
Dr Alison Birkinshaw: Right qualifications can be life-changing
THE head of York College has criticised the Government’s decision to devalue some vocational courses in future education league tables.
Since taking over as principal of the college in 2008, Dr Alison Birkinshaw has championed the value of vocational training and worked to make sure students on vocational courses gain a similar prominence to those studying more traditional academic subjects.
Since 2008, the college has hosted a ceremony for vocational qualifications, to recognise the achievements of students on such courses.
Dr Birkinshaw said: “I understand the Government’s wish to ensure that students of all ages are studying qualifications which are meaningful and will prepare them for progression into further education or employment. However, I am concerned that the Government is trying to lever change through the use of league tables and this can be potentially very damaging.
“For many young people, the right vocational qualification can unlock a life-changing career path that leads into very successful employment and a secure future.
“There is a possible unintended consequence of the Government’s approach in that all vocational qualifications will be thought to be worthless and young people will be confined to studying subjects which, for them, do not provide the interest or practical application that they need. A vocational qualification, properly delivered, can provide life-changing opportunities for a young person; a curriculum that is bound by league table restrictions will never meet the needs of all young people.”
Dr Birkinshaw’s comments come after the Department for Education announced that “only the very highest quality qualifications” will be included in future secondary school performance tables.
At the moment, there are 3,175 equivalent qualifications accredited and approved for study by 14- to 16-year-olds, all of which count in the tables. Some of these were worth as much as four, five or even six GCSEs.
But Education Secretary Michael Gove has said that from the 2014 performance tables, to be published in January 2015, only 125 such qualifications will count.
Full-course GCSEs, AS levels and music exams at grade six and above will also be included.
All will be included on the same one-for-one basis.
Mr Gove said the number of equivalent qualifications achieved by pupils up to the age 16 had rocketed in recent years – from 15,000 in 2004 to 575,000 in 2010.
Comments(21)
powerwatt
says...
8:52am Thu 2 Feb 12
The courses will still go ahead, they just wont count towards league tables.
When I did my vocational qualifications I wasn't worried about league tables. In fact it would be better if the two were classed completely different as my vocational skills are not the same as a teacher teaching academic skills.
PA2Y5C
says...
8:56am Thu 2 Feb 12
powerwatt
says...
8:56am Thu 2 Feb 12
Even AndyD wrote:Why? There shouldn't be comparison between someone teaching history to someone teaching Bricklaying. As you can't compare the 2.
There is something deeply unhinged about Michael Gove. If he isn't suggesting yachts for the Queen, it is this nonsense.
Surely this will make colleges more transparent?
Madasanibbotson
says...
8:58am Thu 2 Feb 12
colette
says...
9:08am Thu 2 Feb 12
MrsHoney
says...
9:11am Thu 2 Feb 12
Firedrake
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10:01am Thu 2 Feb 12
Pete the Brickie
says...
10:13am Thu 2 Feb 12
to dozens of Press readers. The same would go for a prospective employer, as I'm afraid I don't look at the result a trainee Bricklayer's course qualification had on the standing of the college they attended, instead I focus on whether they passed it or not and how well they laid bricks whilst doing it.
ReginaldBiscuit
says...
12:32pm Thu 2 Feb 12
powerwatt wrote:Spot on on all counts brother.
Even AndyD wrote:Why? There shouldn't be comparison between someone teaching history to someone teaching Bricklaying. As you can't compare the 2.
There is something deeply unhinged about Michael Gove. If he isn't suggesting yachts for the Queen, it is this nonsense.
Surely this will make colleges more transparent?
Politely put, Michael Gove is unhinged (almost as odd as anti-batty boy Sentanmu). Gove is the geezer who bought 40,000 works of fiction - the King James Bible - and intends to send a copy to every school in the country (barring he can't bet public funding to do so). Trying to inflict his beliefs on others and using his position to do so. FAIL.
You absolutely cannot compare particle physics to laying bricks (you can make an analogous representation actually) but the two things are totally different.
Perhaps the best way forward would be to measure them as separate? Have league tables for academic subjects and league tables for vocational subjects. Besides, I know more wealthy tradesmen than academics. Perhaps that tells a story.
Over the past 13 years, we've all been brought up on this diet of non academic failure - nobody fails, that academic elitism is wrong. Competing is wrong because everyone doesn't win. Total and utter poppycak. The world needs thinkers and doers. Don't use political forces to try and mix them, they're different.
Remember, you're all human beings. You're existence is totally pointless.
Toodle-pip.
Chrido81
says...
12:33pm Thu 2 Feb 12
powerwatt wrote:Then how will the kids find them?
Even AndyD wrote: There is something deeply unhinged about Michael Gove. If he isn't suggesting yachts for the Queen, it is this nonsense.Why? There shouldn't be comparison between someone teaching history to someone teaching Bricklaying. As you can't compare the 2. Surely this will make colleges more transparent?
Septimius Severus
says...
1:13pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Even AndyD wrote:Follow the money!
There is something deeply unhinged about Michael Gove. If he isn't suggesting yachts for the Queen, it is this nonsense.
If a place of FE (a school or a college) is paid on results it'll use all the influence it can to improve the results.
Academic or vocational isn't important to them as long as they get enough funding.
As a Dad I still don't understand why one of my kids tells me her 'vocational qualification' is 'equivalent' to 2 A levels. I'm blooming sure a future employer won't either.
It's made complex to keep employers and parents from understanding how they get paid.
League tables for academic quals sounds fairer, league tables for no. of vocational qualifications leading to employment would also be interesting.
i.e.. Then we'd know that 'producing' 30 - 50 qualified bricklayers / plumbers / hairdressers actually had a job market to go to (and compare it to the number of apprentices in plumbing / bricklaying / hairdressing who got jobs!).
More I'd guess get work through an apprenticeship. That's a proper vocational course.
Vocational courses do not meet supply and demand of local communities, nevermind Universities.
They meet customer demand. 100s of girls wanting to 'paint nais or cut hair'.
I've spoken to 6th former lads who want to do 'sports' at university, so they can get jobs as PE teachers or physiotherapists.
They have not been told what the competition for jobs is, only the competition for places.
We are paying to qualify people for jobs that do not exist (in this country).
Aargh. We're going to hell on a 'league table' handcart.
Omega Point
says...
1:20pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Firedrake wrote:CSE's were easier across the board than GCE's. A grade 1 CSE was regarded as equivalent to grade C "O" Level.
This reminds me of the old debate surrounding GCEs vs CSEs. CSEs were always intended to be the non-academic equivalent of 'O' levels, but not in any way inferior to 'O' levels! Sadly, many employers (even in the manual sector) and the public imagination never quite came to terms with the concept and this otherwise excellent system eventually fizzled out.
Teaching the sylabus of each even in the same subject bore this out.
When state education was split into Grammar Secondary and Technical schools, the exams reflected the school.
Years late staff remember the anger of some pupils in 1974 having to stay on for the extra year but being born early enough left at Easter
Firedrake
says...
1:47pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Of course, if kids really could still leave at 15 and go straight into meaningful apprenticeships leading secure and well paid jobs, that would be tremendous! (ROSLA) had a lot to answer for.)
Mister Sheen
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2:13pm Thu 2 Feb 12
York College isn't a secondary school. It's an FE College. Why has she been consulted on this issue?
powerwatt
says...
2:19pm Thu 2 Feb 12
powerwatt wrote:As you can't compare the 2.
Even AndyD wrote:Why? There shouldn't be comparison between someone teaching history to someone teaching Bricklaying. As you can't compare the 2.
There is something deeply unhinged about Michael Gove. If he isn't suggesting yachts for the Queen, it is this nonsense.
Surely this will make colleges more transparent?
The way I did it was to look online and see what recommendations came up and I ended up going to Wakefield Skills centre for my vocational courses.
I have zero interest in how well a school teaches a purely academic subject over the course that specifically I require. So a league table may show a college as excellent, however they may be **** poor for teaching a vocational course. The two cant be compared.
Turpinette
says...
2:30pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Mister Sheen wrote:York College is included in the same league tables because they teach at the same level as secondary schools, as well as at tertiary level.
"Dr Birkinshaw’s comments come after the Department for Education announced that “only the very highest quality qualifications” will be included in future secondary school performance tables. "
York College isn't a secondary school. It's an FE College. Why has she been consulted on this issue?
Mister Sheen
says...
3:00pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Turpinette wrote:Interesting however, that they approached the principal of a tertiary college and not the head of one of York's secondary schools, the majority of which offer such vocational courses.
Mister Sheen wrote: "Dr Birkinshaw’s comments come after the Department for Education announced that “only the very highest quality qualifications” will be included in future secondary school performance tables. " York College isn't a secondary school. It's an FE College. Why has she been consulted on this issue?York College is included in the same league tables because they teach at the same level as secondary schools, as well as at tertiary level.
(...................
................or did they?! ;o)
R'Marcus
says...
4:20pm Thu 2 Feb 12
powerwatt wrote:Well, Dr. Birkinshaw, vocation courses do cost large amounts of taxpayer money. "Courses" like nailpolishing and air guitar are a waste of space and public money.
I think the good doctor could do with reading what is happening.
The courses will still go ahead, they just wont count towards league tables.
When I did my vocational qualifications I wasn't worried about league tables. In fact it would be better if the two were classed completely different as my vocational skills are not the same as a teacher teaching academic skills.
Perhaps York College could offer courses like Manners for Students and Road Behaviour/Manners for students at York College. If they pass, they can get a Tesco award or a place at MacDonald's university.
These will fill the league tables, or better still, wait at table.
Even AndyD
says...
5:31pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Pete the Brickie wrote:Might effect whether the learner did a bricklaying course at all though, when they were in their formative years and undecided about what to do. That is the point she is making, not whether brickies wander about crying over league tables! I think its your own political bias which may be on view!
Before Dr Birkinshaw made her political point I doubt many people taking these courses at York College knew about the proposed changes to their status in league tables let alone felt them to be "devalued", but I'm sure they're pleased she's used her valuable time to highlight her opinion
to dozens of Press readers. The same would go for a prospective employer, as I'm afraid I don't look at the result a trainee Bricklayer's course qualification had on the standing of the college they attended, instead I focus on whether they passed it or not and how well they laid bricks whilst doing it.
24.2.1969bestcitygoalever...
says...
8:31pm Thu 2 Feb 12
Madasanibbotson wrote:Is there no vocational course for training future road crossing designers?
Hundreds learning how to cut hair and add paint to nails, but they spend most of their time crossing the road to Tesco's and holding up the traffic (thats the people who pay tax and work for a living)
You'd need 25/30 people to enrol on it and then in their first year you can have a competition to see who comes up with the best project for safely and efficiently getting large masses of people from one side of the road to the other without impinging on vehicular flows...
Hey. They could probably come up with a local case study...
I can think of at least one.
Even AndyD says...
8:52am Thu 2 Feb 12