Cambridge OCR calls for ‘national strategy’ on vocational education at Labour Party Conference

Cambridge OCR Managing Director Myles McGinley called for a “coherent national strategy for vocational education” that looks beyond qualifications, at the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool.

Myles McGinley made the case for a “stronger ecosystem” around qualifications, creating a vocational education that is “rooted in local communities and businesses while delivering national standards”.

Myles McGinley, Cambridge OCR Managing Director

Myles McGinley, Cambridge OCR Managing Director

He outlined three things needed to make the government’s proposals for vocational GCSEs a success:

A coherent national strategy for vocational education

A commitment to give every 14-16 year old access to a high-quality, rigorous vocational and academic curriculum, whatever their background or aspirations

Funding, teacher development and stronger incentives for all schools to deliver high-quality vocational education.

The panel discussion, Untapped Potential: Making Vocational Qualifications Work at 14-16, was hosted by Cambridge OCR and the Education Policy Institute (EPI). Also on the panel was Minister for Skills Baroness Smith and former education secretary Charles Clarke, who is chairing Cambridge OCR’s Untapped Potential review into vocational education for 14-16 year olds.

System-wide approach needed

The timely panel comes the week after the government announced proposals for ‘Vocational GCSEs’ as part of plans to widen access to vocational education and improve perceptions of qualifications that have often been in the shadow of their academic counterparts.

Myles McGinley argued that success will require a system-wide approach, by creating the conditions for new qualifications to thrive. He said: "As ever, the devil will be in the detail of implementation, how schools are supported, and whether the wider systemic barriers can be removed."

These barriers were highlighted by Cambridge OCR last week, in the interim findings of Untapped Potential, which found wider uptake of vocational qualifications was being held back by barriers such as accountability measures, resources and misconceptions about rigour.

Myles McGinley speaking at the joint Cambridge University Press & Assessment and Education Policy Institute event

Myles McGinley speaking at the joint Cambridge University Press & Assessment and Education Policy Institute event

Baroness Smith, Minister for Skills, referenced Cambridge OCR’s research in her opening remarks, in particular the finding that 92 percent of teachers thought there wasn’t enough opportunity for young people to access vocational qualifications before 16. She highlighted the clear need for local employers and leaders to be more involved in vocational education, reiterating the importance of “linking the vocational opportunities to clear routes into roles, sectors, jobs where young people can see there will be opportunities”.

Charles Clarke, former Education Secretary, agreed about the importance of local employers, calling it one of the most important elements to be considered. He added that the recent government announcements and intent created an “exciting moment” that should be a “clarion call” for everyone in education.

Emily Verow, CEO of the Three Spires Trust, gave the audience an idea of how her trust was already turning the “rhetoric into action”, creating a curriculum with greater relevance to local young people. She highlighted the particular importance of skills like oracy and financial literacy in unlocking so many opportunities in schools.

Peter Hyman, co-founder of Schools 21 and former advisor to Tony Blair, warned that the growth of AI was creating a “crisis where machines are being upgraded as humans are being downgraded”. He called for an approach to education that prioritised human skills like initiative, critical thinking, and resilience, as well as knowledge.

System-wide approach needed

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