Willetts attacks Labour for blocking A-level students' path to uni

David Willetts has warned that many A-level students will be prevented from going to university because of Labour’s higher education policies.

David, the Shadow Universities and Skills Secretary, congratulated everyone who received their A-level results today, saying, “Their success reflects an enormous amount of hardwork.”

And he stressed it was “tragic” that Labour have blocked the path to university for so many A-level students:

“The Government first reduced the number of university places, then offered only unfunded places and are now threatening to fine universities that over-recruit. They said they wanted half of all young people to go to university by 2010, but now they are blocking progress towards their own target.”

David warned, “This must not happen again. There needs to be a better system, and that’s why we have been constantly calling for a student fees review.”

Statement from Higher Education Minister David Lammy on A level results

Higher Education Minister David Lammy said:

“I want to congratulate the hundreds of thousands of students who have worked hard and got the grades they needed to go to university this year and with more than 370,000 students having their places confirmed, more students than ever before will be heading into higher education.

"The Government is committed to funding and growing higher education. This is why students this year are taking advantage of the record number of funded places on offer backed by a generous financial support package.

“Those students who don't get the grades they need shouldn't panic as there's a broad range of options open to them including clearing, reapplying for next year or seeking work experience or training supported by our Backing Young Britain campaign. To find out more you can speak to a trained advisor on the exams helpline on 0808 100 8000

Core academic subjects disappearing from many state schools

Nick Gibb has attacked the Government after new figures revealed that, in many state secondary schools, no A-level pupils are entered for core academic subjects such as Maths, History and the Sciences.

The Shadow Schools Minister described the news as "extremely worrying", pointing out that Labour's league tables encourage weaker schools to push pupils away from the traditional subjects towards alternatives that are less valued by universities and employers.

Nick reiterated our plans to reverse this trend by giving more weight to the most valued subjects, which provide the rigorous academic training that enables children to succeed across a number of fields later in life, and added:

"Ministers like to pretend that employers and universities value all A-levels as highly as traditional academic subjects but it simply isn't true. The Government's flawed league tables incentivise weaker schools to push pupils away from the traditional subjects towards less crunchy alternatives. In doing so they are cheating those children, many of whom are from more deprived backgrounds."

Gove announces plans for online library of past exam papers

Michael Gove has announced that a Conservative Government will establish an online library of past exam papers so parents and the public can track changes in standards over time.

The new website is part of a plan to restore public confidence in the exam system, which has become increasingly devalued over the past few years.

The site will be accessible to members of the public free of charge, and anyone will be allowed to upload an old exam paper, script or examiners’ report to it.

Michael, the Shadow Children’s Secretary, said, “The Government treats exam papers like state secrets and refuses to publish them. This is wrong and a Conservative Government will create a free online library of all exam papers and scripts so there is full transparency and academic scrutiny of our exam system.”

He added, “It is vital that we restore public confidence in our exam system. Universities, businesses and academics say the system has been devalued and private schools are opting out of GCSEs for international exams.”

Laws: Balls must not gain power over exam reading lists

The Secretary of State for Schools, Ed Balls, is seeking new legal powers to dictate the basic content of every exam in England, including which books children study at GCSE or A-level, research by the Liberal Democrats has uncovered.

A clause in the Education Bill would undermine the independence of the exams watchdog OFQUAL and could allow ministers to interfere with the exams system for political gain.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Shadow Schools Secretary, David Laws said:

"It is unbelievable that Ed Balls wants to give himself the power to dictate the detailed contents of the curriculum - including precisely which books should be taught at GCSE and A-level.

"What is taught in schools should not be dependent on the whim of some here today gone tomorrow politician. The idea of Ed Balls or Gordon Brown determining which parts of history children are taught or which books and poems they should read is a rather frightening one.

"This revelation shows that the Government's pretence of creating a more independent system of qualifications, curriculum development and oversight is a sham. What is actually happening is that ministers are retaining huge powers to meddle in both what is taught and how standards are measured."