Vocational GCSEs

Baroness Cash Excerpts

Wednesday 28th October 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I am sure the noble Lord does a very good job of delivering design and technology classes. He will have noted that, in response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review, the Government have been clear that we want to create both more space and more value to some of the courses that have been lost over previous years. In delivering this broad curriculum, we want to be clear—this will be part of the consultation—about what is necessary in terms of equipment, the estate of the school and the training of teachers.

[Baroness Cash (Con)]

My Lords, I fear the Minister misheard the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, who criticised the Government not on the academic curriculum but for saying said that it had contributed to the number of NEETs. The Government are on record as saying that. It is of real concern to many educationalists, who have already seen a focus on skills in Scotland and Wales accelerate the number of NEETs there. How will the Government assess and monitor whether disadvantaged pupils with good results at age 11 are more likely to be entered for a vocational GCSE than a better-off pupil with the same results, which is steering and lowering expectations? We are very keen to understand how the Government will ensure that does not happen.

[Baroness Smith of Malvern (Lab)]

I am very happy to go back and look at the record, but I think the noble Baroness, Lady Barran, said that the Government had said that a knowledge-based curriculum—well, let us look at the record.

My point remains that we are providing for a strong and deep academic curriculum alongside options for students to study more technical and vocational courses. The noble Baroness makes an important point, and with the evidence, some of which I have already cited, and the work we do in developing vocational GCSEs, we want to be very clear that this is providing higher standards and better opportunities for all students. We will make sure that that is part of the development, monitoring and evaluation.