ABSTRACT
There is a huge and very confusing range of qualifications available in the UK. The main academic qualifications, GCSEs and A levels, whose survival or demise provoked such controversy and emotion during the 14–19 Working Party consultations, have now been reprieved at least in the medium term. Tomlinson’s proposed cull of the public exams would have replaced the vast number of existing vocational qualifications with an overarching Diploma in one radical step. Now, we have instead proposals for new Diplomas in 14 vocational subjects and a promise to improve standards in English and maths. These would, as previously proposed, reflect key areas of the economy and replace the 3^00 vocational qualifications on offer at present. This new vocational system would operate in four subject areas from 2008. The four-level Diploma may have been shelved but it is not totally ruled out. The government has said that the final decision will rest on a review in 2008. For the immediate future the government has announced a new general Diploma for all 14–16-year-olds who achieve 5 GCSEs A*-C including English and maths.
