The Advanced British Standard (ABS) is the new level 3 qualification designed to combine the ‘best bits’ of A Levels and T Levels into one single qualification.
The plan forms part of the government’s wider 'parity of esteem' agenda with the aim to remove unnecessary siloes between technical and academic routes and support student decision-making through a simplified qualification offer.
The consultation includes a wider range of proposals to bring England in-line with some of its high-performing international counterparts. This includes the increasing of learning hours to a minimum of 1,475 over two years, and makes maths and English compulsory for all students up to the age of 18. Read the government’s proposals in full here.
The CBI’s response focused on the following points:
- Policymakers must be bolder in their ambition for curriculum breadth, and must support employers to assume a more active role in making young people ‘work ready'
Introducing a third, flexible pathway where students can study a wider range of majors and minors from the ABS and ABS (occupational) pathway would support students to make more informed educational decisions and avoid premature career specialisation for students interested in exploring technical study. But careers advice must clearly communicate employer and educational provider depth versus breadth requirements so individuals can access their educational and career-related goals. There should also be a focus on exploring opportunities to enhance students’ industry exposure through arrangements that are workable for all businesses, and strengthening the business case for engaging with young people's workplace development. - Supporting positive outcomes means taking a proportionate approach to academic rigour
An over-focus on academic rigour risks marginalising other attributes that employers value, and cutting off progression pathways for students who excel in more practical forms of learning. Greater attention must therefore be paid to protecting qualifications that are already supporting students to reach positive destinations and exploring how assessment and curriculum practices can be reformed to support progression without compromising the reliability of grading. - Addressing delivery barriers will be key to making the ABS a workable reality
There are several barriers that will mean even the most well-prepared provider struggles to deliver ABS. This threatens the likelihood of it becoming a nationally recognised qualification. Policymakers should therefore commit to a cross-departmental strategy to address these challenges and support providers to prepare for ABS provision. Given the wider impact of these barriers on providers and further education provision, this strategy should be delivered irrespective of any changes to ABS’ trajectory in the next Parliament.
The full consultation response can be found here.
If you’d like to find out more about this work, please contact Evie Matthews.