Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the Ofsted survey <i>Transforming 16 to 19 Education and Training </i>(September 2014), in particular its statement on the absence of "evidence of the transformational ‘step change’ intended with the introduction of the 16 to 19 programmes" and its observation that "many of the school and academy leaders....were unaware of the full extent of the requirements of the study programmes".

The Ofsted Report “Transforming 16-19 education and training” evaluates progress in the implementation of 16-19 study programmes immediately following their introduction in September 2013. Inevitably, it will take time for such far-reaching changes to take effect.

The Department for Education introduced changes to the 16-19 curriculum to ensure that all students had clear education and employment goals and that the subjects they studied, and other activity, contributed towards these. Students who had not already achieved a GCSE in maths and English were also required to continue to study these subjects.

Ofsted’s report reveals that most schools and colleges had made changes, particularly in relation to English and maths.

Schools and colleges were notified of the 16-19 Study Programme requirements in the termly Departmental emails sent to all head teachers and chairs of governors. Further communications will emphasise how these changes will affect Ofsted inspection grades.