School leavers 'left to fend for themselves'

Labour should have done more for the 50% of youngsters who do not plan to go to university, Shadow Education Secretary Andy Burnham is to sayHe will tell Labour's annual conference that schools have been seen "solely as preparation for university" for too long.Those who go straight into work or apprenticeships are left to fend for themselves, he will sayHe will also claim ministers are diverting funds from the most needy.Speaking at his party's conference in Liverpool later on Wednesday, he will say: "Let's be honest about the 50% of kids who don't plan to go to university. We needed to do more in government about these young people.For too long the debate about schools in this country has been solely as preparation for the university route."Young people on the university route know what is expected if they are to make the grade."There is a national application system system bringing all degree courses under one roof - the Ucas system."This is the admissions system run by the university and college admissions services which offers advice and guidance to applicants.But he warns: "Young people who want to head towards work and apprenticeships are left to fend for themselves."And he calls for a "Ucas-style" system for apprenticeships. This would mean those seeking apprenticeships being able to see what is available and how to apply for them and what is required to do so, he says.But Mr Burnham will also warn that the government is sending a "damaging message" to schools with its English Baccalaureate.This is a new measurement of how many candidates in a school achieve good GCSE grades in English, maths, two sciences,a language and either history or geography.He will accuse the government of "saying that only the subjects in the English Baccalaureate are the ones worth taking"."In the 21st Century, why is Latin and Ancient Greek in, but engineering, ICT and business studies out?"What right have ministers got to choose an arbitrary list of subjects and say that anyone who doesn't choose them is somehow second best?"This view is reflected by head teachers' organisations the Association of School and College Leaders.The union's general secretary Brian Lightman has said ministers ought to be cautious about the message they send to young people who are not taking these subjects but who have worked hard.Instead, Mr Burnham wants to see a "Modern Baccalaureate" as an alternative to what he describes as "Gove's narrow backward-looking vision".Mr Burnham will also say: "Somewhere along the line a 'something for nothing' culture has taken hold. We've got to change that. Labour - the clue is in our name. The party of hard work."We will build the right kind of society in this century if we plant the principle at the heart of our school system that hard work will be properly rewarded." From / BBC