New vocational GCSEs will be introduced from 2029 for 14-year-olds alongside existing core academic subjects in England. The new subjects could include building and construction, business management and finance, and child development. A new national target for employers to help create 200,000 work experience opportunities for under 16s is also being set by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, as part of reforms to shake-up the education system to better prepare young people for the world of work. Education unions said the ideas were welcome but a clear strategy was needed to make them happen.
The Conservatives said the plans risked “throwing away” progress made in recent years. Standards for the new qualifications will be set nationally by the regulator Ofqual to ensure grades are in line with other GCSEs, and will gradually replace other qualifications at this level such as BTec tech awards. The vocational GCSEs will be designed to allow teenagers to progress at 16 to studying similar courses at college, including the new V-levels which colleges are teaching from autumn 2026, and T-levels. The idea is to create a clear pathway for teenagers into different types of work through a ladder of qualifications.
Education Secretary Lucy Powell argued the new vocational GCSEs would give young people a “stronger connection” to careers, while the prime minister said it was a change from a “one size fits all” education system. VCSEs, external, a new style of vocational qualification unique to Wales, will be taught in schools and colleges from September 2027. Learners in Wales can choose from 15 VCSE subjects including Animal Care, Nature Restoration and Motor Vehicle Maintenance. Vocational subjects at 16 currently make up 7% of the entries for qualifications in England and it is up to each school how many subjects with hands-on learning they offer.
Wright Robinson College in Gorton, East Manchester, already offers 10 practical or vocational subjects for study in Year 10. Daisy, in Year 11, is taking business studies as a BTec Level 2 which she said is giving her “practical experience” and building her confidence to progress to an A-level in the subject. This is the kind of subject that may be replaced by one of the new vocational GCSEs. Many of these existing tech awards have their standards set by the examining organisations, not the regulator.
The standards for the new VGCSEs will be national. Sarjo, also Year 11, already knows she wants to be a flight attendant so she is taking hospitality and catering as a BTec Level 2 alongside GCSEs. She said she “learns faster” in the practical subject and most teenagers want to do something they enjoy alongside core academic subjects. Martin Haworth, executive headteacher at Wright Robinson College, said any new qualifications had to “add value” to what was already on offer and labelling them as GCSEs might help with credibility.
He said schools would need to recruit specialist staff if the courses and exams were going to be “robust”, and it would cost schools money to convert existing classrooms for practical learning. New analysis of school funding by the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies shows the budget per pupil is growing faster than expected, by 9% in real terms between 2025-26 and 2028-29. This is partly because of various government top-ups to the budget and falling pupil numbers in some areas. Economist Luke Sibieta said asking schools to offer more vocational routes would be a “big change” on top of the significant reforms to support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.
He said there was a “big question mark” over whether there were enough people to teach technical and vocational subjects, with further education colleges already struggling to recruit. The Association of Colleges (AoC) suggested schools worked with them because they could offer “industry standard facilities” and qualified staff. David Hughes, from the AoC, said this would help ensure learning was “authentically different to school and properly employment focused”. Daniel Kebede, from the National Education Union, said “sustained investment and resources” was needed to make a success of the new qualifications.
While Pepe Di’Iasio, of the Association of School and College Leaders, described the government’s plans as “well intentioned” but without making sure schools had the staffing and resources would not remove barriers to young people. He welcomed the national push for work experience and said with placements “extremely difficult” to secure more support was needed from employers. The existing statutory career guidelines for secondary schools in England already require “meaningful” work experience for 14 to 16-year-olds. Employers are now being asked to contact their local careers hub to offer placements.
Laura Trott MP, who is the Conservative Party’s shadow Education Secretary said she was concerned the changes risked losing the progress England had made in improving standards, and “ripping up the system” could mean “sabotaging young people’s futures”. “Better schools will continue to protect rigorous subjects but disadvantaged children will be steered towards easier routes, lowering expectations for the very pupils who need high standards most”, she said.
