Changes to the curriculum would provide opportunities for young people to enhance their employability, prospects for higher education, and learn key life experiences. The changes aim to keep young people in education until age 18, give them 21st century skills, close achievement gaps, offer greater choice and tailored programs, and increase employability and education opportunities. While some potential issues like extra pressure on teachers or insufficient work placements exist, feedback so far shows the curriculum changes through programs like Diplomas have proven successful according to students and parents.

1. By: Vanessa Whiteman

2. Changes in the curriculum would provide young
people with a window of opportunities whereby
they can enhance their:
• Employability
• Their prospect into higher education
• But also would be able to learn key life experiences which
are vital for their development into adulthood

3. • To ensure that young people remain in education at least to
their 18th birthday by 2014
• To give young people the skills that are needed to prosper in
the 21st century
• To close the achievement gap, irrespective of
race, gender, disability or background

4. • Greater choice in deciding their future paths
• Programmes engineered to meet students needs through
collaborative working
• Greater employability
• Greater educational opportunities

5. • Potential extra pressure faced by teachers
• Insufficient work placements
• Great implications on Higher Education Admissions Staff
• Intended goals are not achievable

6. So far the introduction of Diplomas has proven to be successful in
many areas as expressed by both parents and students.
• “Positive feedback was received from young people on those courses.”
• “I am taking ICT after school. It is good because you have more control over the
qualifications you get in the future.
• “People are more settled in lessons because they have chosen their own interests.”
• “The curriculum is appropriate for my child as the subjects taken are what she later
wants to proceed with.”

7. 14-19 Framework: Written Ministerial Statement by Ed Balls
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/index.cfm?go=site.home&sid=26&pid=446&ctype=TEXT&ptype=Single, October, 2008
14-19 Curriculum and Qualifications Reform, Final Report of the Working Group on 14-19 Reform
http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/documents/Final%20Report.pdf , October, 2004
Delivering 14–19 Reform: Next Steps,
http://publications.teachernet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DeliveringReform.pdf , 2008
Personalising the curriculum at 14–19, http://www.ncsl.org.uk/media-574-7a-personalising-the-curriculum-14-19-
summary.pdf , 2006
Changes to the 14 -19 Curriculum , http://www.ahgtm.ac.uk/events/?page_id=1423 , 2009
Making change happen , http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/14-19/ , 2009