What is the British Baccalaureate?
There have been calls to revolutionise the A-Level and Highers system and shake up post-16 options in the UK for quite some time. Some changes are in progress, such as the shift from BTEC qualifications to a new stratum of T-Levels, but the shift to a Baccalaureate system would have an impact on a larger number of learners and be more observably different in how it is taught.
Calls for a baccalaureate system- specifically a ‘pick and mix’, customisable and buildable qualification- to slot into the GCSE or A-Level mould dates back to Tony Blair’s time in office, so it’s not something that’s just come in with the new PM. Mr. Sunak has, however, shown an interest in making the plans a reality. He first put forward the proposals during his leadership run against Liz Truss MP, and Downing Street sources have also indicated that now he’s PM, Mr. Sunak is interested in following up on more reforms to vocational training and education.
How Does it Look in Practice?
The Times Education Commission recently published a report that proposes the introduction of the British Baccalaureate as the foundational element of post-16 education. They pitch it as an equally rigorous but broader qualification than A-Level study that includes both academic and vocational choices, with a focus on future-proof areas of expertise that have real applications in the world of work. It’s an idea also backed by the National Baccalaureate Trust, although their proposed system is slightly different to the one outlined by the TEC.
Under the TEC report’s proposals at the age of 16, students who would previously have sat GCSEs or Scottish National qualifications would sit exams in five core subjects with continuous assessment via online testing. The next September, they’d then embark on a two-year Baccalaureate course, comprising of an extended project, community service and some literacy and numeracy, as well as digital skills. There are set to be both academic and vocational pathways, and many if not all learners will have the opportunity to hybridise the two strands for a more customisable learning experience.
The proposed ‘BBac’ is modelled on the International Baccalaureate Middle School Programme and other systems such as the French National Diploma (the brevet). Schools will be required to teach to a broader curriculum too, exploring subject areas that they may not previously have touched on in the past.
Effects on Educators and Learners
We’re still at an uncertain stage as to what things could entail. With any new system, support for learners with additional needs and support for the educators who teach them has to be a priority from the beginning. There hasn’t been a great deal of guidance on the more detailed ins and outs of BBac examinations and projects yet, but it’s generally thought that standard A-Level style support systems will simply continue over into the new Baccalaureate. There is the implication in the report that even at GCSE or Scottish National level that a greater degree of assessment might be via vocational skills, coursework or online testing, which could be good news for students with ADHD or dyslexia who may struggle with traditional exam-taking practice, but it does also further elevate the priority of reading support being present in the home as well as in class and in the exam hall.
In a more general whole-class sense, this kind of change will be rapid and widespread, meaning that pressure on educators will likely ride even higher than usual for several years. Resources will have to be redeveloped, assessment criteria will be difficult to gauge for a period, and some educators in the post-16 space could likely have to teach subject areas they may not have done before. Staff will need support at multiple levels, and targets that reflect the large and difficult nature of the changes they’ll be having to implement.
Some critics of the proposed Baccalaureate system have raised concerns that the change itself is too radical from the current system, and it could lead to a further disruption of learning on top of that which we’ve seen as a result of the pandemic. Others have praised it as a welcome update to the post-16 landscape in the UK, citing A-Levels as no longer truly optimised in terms of learning to fit the developing skill requirements of the new workforce. It might be a way of bringing post-16 vocational education — preferred by many learners, yet still sometimes regarded as lesser than A-Levels — bought back into the fold.
What other Reforms Might We See Based on the TEC Report?
The TEC published a twelve-point plan in their report over summer. It entails:
A British Baccalaureate and pared-back GCSEs and Scottish Nationals
Higher budgets for drama, dance, and sport, and a National Citizenship Service element for every learner on the BBac
The creation of technical and vocational sixth form colleges with pre-established routes into industry
Additional funding directed to Early Years, especially Vulnerable Learners
Harnessing undergraduate tutors to teach pupils who have fallen behind
Tech-optimised classrooms: a laptop for every learner, and heavier leaning on AI-based learning
A focus on wellbeing, recorded via survey, and monitored as a duty of care
Realign teaching career paths, with easier access to career development and more opportunities for progression
Ofsted to be reformed into a more collaborative information-sharing body
Support teachers in being able to identify students with SEN
New university campuses created in 50 low educational attainment areas; with better pay and work/life balance for FE educators
A ‘longer-term and more apolitical’ view of education, with a 15-year strategy
You can find out more about the proposed British Baccalaureate and the future of vocational education post-16 at Schools Week. You can also catch up with the full TEC report and an expanded version of their 12-point plan for reform and realignment in the UK education system right here.