Burnham to tell schools in England to adapt teaching to local business needs

Under the plan, mayors and other local leaders will work with schools, colleges and employers to devise technical training built around local jobs. Photograph: Peter Lopeman/Alamy View image in fullscreen Under the plan, mayors and other local leaders will work with schools, colleges and employers to devise technical training built around local jobs. Photograph: Peter Lopeman/Alamy Burnham to tell schools in England to adapt teaching to local business needs PM wants curriculums for students aged 14 and above to be more responsive to local jobs market Andy Burnham will tell schools across England to adapt their curriculums to the needs of local businesses as part of a devolution drive aimed at tackling the jobs crisis for young people. By moving decision-making to local areas, the PM hopes the plan will make technical and vocational skills as valued as academic qualifications – and help cut the benefits bill. Based in part on the Greater Manchester baccalaureate that Burnham introduced as the region’s mayor, it will task schools with making their curriculums for students aged 14 and above more responsive to the local jobs market, teaching technical skills alongside traditional academic subjects. It would, Burnham said, mean the country could “value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap”. Described by No 10 as “a fundamental change to the education system”, the announcement kicks off a week of policy initiatives by Burnham, expected to also cover adult social care, defence and devolution. After last week’s succession of rapid, consumer-focused policies such as help with electricity bills, Burnham’s team aim to use the coming days to present him as a leader willing to tackle more intractable and complex political problems. Under the plan, intended to begin operating from September 2028, mayors and other local leaders would work with schools, colleges and employers to devise technical training built around local jobs. In combination, there will be prioritised funding for such technical and vocational qualifications, plus guidance to Ofsted to recognise the value of these as well as more traditional qualifications. In addition to giving local areas more control over education for the 14-16 age group, Burnham said the intention was to redress what he said was an over-simplified focus on academic routes. He said: “ For too long in this country, students have been told that you must take the academic path to do well and to be respected. The whole school system has been built around it and that has let down young people seeking technical qualifications. “I want an education system based on parity between academic and technical which gives all young people a clear path in life. From today, Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap.” The intention is also to help address the worsening problem of young people not in education, employment or training, which was the subject of a report published in May by Alan Milbu