14-19 Diplomas Introduction Must Be Delayed

This morning in response to questions from Paul Holmes MP, Liberal Democrat Member of the Education and Skills Committee, 3 out of 4 expert witnesses called for a year's delay in the introduction of the new 14-19 Diplomas which are scheduled to begin in 2008. This followed evidence of major concerns over the speed at which such a major and radical set of new courses were being introduced. Paul Holmes MP commented:

"We must not botch the introduction of Diplomas. They are fundamental to our country's business future ad essential in the light of newly announced plans to raise the school leaving age to 18.

"Getting our children's education right is more important than hitting timeline targets for Blair's legacy."

The fourth witness, Dr Ken Boston, Chief Executive of the QCA, also expressed serious concerns, having recently flagged the Diploma programme as "real risk", the highest of the QCA's risk categories. However, Dr Boston felt that the 2008 launch date could still be met - as a pilot, not a full scale launch.

Comparisons were made by Dr Boston to the mistakes made in the launch of Curriculum 2000. Paul Holmes MP, a Head of Sixth Form in 2000, told the Committee that the start of Curriculum 2000 was, "a badly managed, badly planned and poorly funded shambles."

The launch of curriculum 2000 was so bad that Paul Holmes devoted part of his maiden speech in Parliament to it in June 2001.