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Dozens of technical schools are to open across the country in the next three years, with pupils given greater opportunities for a technical education.
Plans are underway to allow 14 year old pupils to choose between an academic or technical education. This will see University Technical Colleges open to teach 14 to 19 year olds in technical skills and courses.
The plans have been promoted by the Baker Dearing Educational Trust, which hopes to open up to 70 schools. The Trust has worked closely with local authorities to develop the proposals.
If successful, the plan would help to bring education in England in line with other OECD economies that tend to split students at age 14 between academic, technical and vocational routes.
ACE’s Impact magazine recently interviewed the principal of the pioneering JCB Academy. There, students learn by working on engineering projects in courses designed by leading engineering firms from different sectors.
The UK faces increasing infrastructure demands as it expands high speed rail, upgrades its water infrastructure, and responds to the coming energy crunch. Strengthening the UK’s technical skills base is a crucial step in meeting these demands. If successful, the new technical schools could make a significant contribution.
You can read the article in Impact here.
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