Educated hairdressers

A decision by the Government to stop vocational qualifications being counted in school league tables has been announced and includes hairdressing, where an NVQ Level 2 has, to date been worth the equivalent of six GCSEs.

Schools will still be able to offer hairdressing and other vocational qualifications if they choose to, but only 'rigorous qualifications' will boost a school's position according to a recommendation by the Wolf Review conducted on behalf of the Government.

Using vocational subjects only to improve results is clearly not appropriate, but offering a wide range of subjects is surely beneficial as each individual student will have different aims and ambitions.

So what quantifies a 'rigorous qualification'? There is an obvious requirement for all children to be educated in those subjects they will need to lead an independent life, but as they start to consider long-term career options, why are vocational skills deemed less important than those subjects that have been historically taught?

For many, continuing higher education at university has become an expectation and the option to study a vocational qualification or apprenticeship is deemed to be less ambitious. This perception has to change as it is vocational skills, like hairdressing, that keep the economy going and employ hundreds of thousands of intelligent, talented individuals. These professions should be recognised with equal importance and the Government needs to be investing in these areas, not dismissing them.

Jayne x